In news that can only be described as “I was today years old when I found out,” the true meaning behind Earth, Wind & Fire’s popular 1975 hit “Reasons” has finally been revealed. And trust us when we tell you, it’s a story you won’t believe!
The reveal is just one of many in the group’s forthcoming documentary, “Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World),” which takes an in-depth look at the band’s evolution—from its early days under leader Maurice White, to their overall creative expansion and successes, disbandment, and ultimately White’s death in 2016. The film premiered at this year’s Tribeca Festival on Wednesday (June 3).
Throughout the doc, longstanding members Phillip Bailey, Verdine White, and Ralph Johnson do a good job of letting fans in on the inspiration and context behind various songs, including “Reasons.” During the third act of the film, Bailey drops the bomb that the song, on which he sings the lead vocals, is not a love song in the way we think, despite how the culture has interpreted it.
“How could people think that this song is a love song?” Bailey asked before sharing the song’s backstory.
“Let’s talk about ‘Reasons!’ There was a sister who was fine as hell. She came to my hotel, got to my room, ‘bam-bam.’ I feel like the champion,” he recalled. “So early that morning, I hear her [saying] ‘yes, honey.’ She’s talking to her dude! It’s just a sex call, you know? That’s it! So if you played it at your wedding, I’m sorry!”
Wait, wait, wait. You mean to tell us that this amazing, falsetto-riddled song was about a one-night stand with a chick who already had a man at home? “Reasons” isn’t about all the reasons why this man loves his woman but is instead about a booty call? Wow.
I guess when you think about it in that context, the lyrics: “In the morning when I rise, no longer feeling hypnotized. Find our reasons, our reasons, our reasons had no pride” kind of explain themselves.
Speaking with Bailey ahead of the documentary’s premiere, he told us that he was tickled at people’s interpretation of the song and further expressed why he felt the need to dispel the misinformation.
“‘Reasons’ sticks out there because so many people said ‘this is my wedding song’ and all that kind of stuff, and so you had to go into the lyrics and be like ‘look, listen to this!’” Bailey told The Root.
He later gave another small bit of insight into another hit that dropped two years later, explaining: “‘Serpentine Fire’ is speaking of the male sex drive, and people would not know that.”
Well, color us shocked but extremely educated. “Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World)” hits HBO and HBO Max on June 7.
