That’s The Way of the World

“That’s The Way of the World,” a certified classic jam from the Earth, Wind & Fire album of the same name, was originally composed by Charles Stepney, alone, working in the basement of his home on the South Side of Chicago.

Rubie & Charles

“Rubie & Charles” is a song from Step on Step, the forthcoming double LP collection of home recordings by Charles Stepney, which will be released by International Anthem on September 9th. The song was composed by Stepney but he never named it, and it was never recorded by any other artist. The title “Rubie & Charles” was chosen by Stepney’s daughters Eibur, Charlene, and Chanté. Eibur (whose first name is “Rubie” spelled backwards) says that her father used to rely on their mother Rubie for her intuitiveness (when he was faced with a difficult decision, he would often ask her: “Rubie, is God telling you anything?”). Reminiscing about her parents’ connection, Eibur also shares: “When they were dating, my father invited my mother to come hear him play. She said he had the band play the song “Rubie” all night in so many different ways that the audience didn’t notice or at least they didn’t seem to mind.”

Reasons

Another gem from the Earth, Wind & Fire album That’s The Way of the World, the music of “Reasons” was originally composed by Charles Stepney in his basement studio, before he fully realized the song in collaboration with EWF’s Philip Bailey and Maurice White.