Sun Goddess is a smooth soul song written by Maurice White with Jon Lind, who also produced it. Jazz pianist Ramsey Lewis recorded it with the band Earth, Wind & Fire, and the version first appeared on Lewis's 1974 album Sun Goddess, released on Columbia Records. The album reached No. 12 on the Billboard Top Pop Albums listing and No. 1 on the Top Jazz and Top Soul Albums listings, and it received RIAA Gold certification.
In 1975 the song was issued as a single on Columbia, with "Jungle Strut" on the B-side. It peaked at No. 20 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart. The album version runs 8:28, the US single 3:08 and the UK single 3:57. Later, the song served as the basis for E-40's single "Hope I Don't Go Back". Henry Mancini and His Concert Orchestra recorded a version in 1975, and Nicholas Payton recorded one in 1999.
