486 - Earth, Wind & Fire - That's The Way Of The World - Wanda Sykes

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EPISODE SUMMARY:

Everyone remembers the first album they ever bought for themselves. For comedy legend Wanda Sykes, it was Earth, Wind & Fire’s 1975 release That’s the Way of the World.

And to that 11-year old version of herself, there was nothing else in the world quite like the invigorating funky riffs and uplifting, soulful lyrics of a band making their first dip into the mainstream. Little did she know then that she would be thinking back on those smooth, supple sounds nearly 45 years later and examining just how important their message of staying positive and looking to the future with hope would be in her life.

Now, with multiple comedy albums, awards, and television and movie appearances to her credit, Wanda can back fondly and remember that no matter what, she knew that the first step on her path to greatness was believing she could be whatever she truly wanted to be.

SHOW NOTES:

00:00 – Intro
06:00 – Episode starts
06:45 – Wanda learned the drums because her parents were cheap
08:30 – That’s the Way of the World is the first album Wanda ever bought
10:45 – Positivity pours out of this album
13:30 – You don’t need to find crossover appeal if you start out mainstream
16:00 – When you hear ‘Shining Star’s bass-line, you’re about to have fun
17:30 – Even when you think you’ve made it, there’s still room to grow
19:30 – You’ve got to fight to not be overshadowed
22:15 – What to do when the world is cruel
25:45 – Wanda broke her foot trying to do two TV shows at once
30:00 – Loving yourself in order to love others
34:30 – Once you’re on TV you must be famous, right?
38:30 – Wanda bombed at a charity event, and it turned into a riot
44:15 – Seeing the light in the darkness
45:45 – Facts!
50:30 – When the project flopped but Wanda didn’t
53:45 – On a scale of blackness, how black are Earth, Wind, and Fire?
56:30 – Hanging backstage with Wu-Tang
01:02:00 – Outro

ABLUM STREAM - THAT’S THE WAY OF THE WORLD:

NEW ARTIST INFLUENCED BY EARTH, WIND & FIRE:

“Beat 54 (All Good Now)” by Jungle