That's the Way of the World is a song by Earth, Wind & Fire and the title track of their 1975 album of the same name. The album, released March 3, 1975, is also the soundtrack for a 1975 film and is the band's sixth studio album. The track was produced by Maurice White and Charles Stepney and written by Maurice White, Charles Stepney, and Verdine White. The single version runs 3 minutes 12 seconds while the album version is 5 minutes 45 seconds. The song reached No 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No 5 on the Hot Soul Singles chart. The album topped the Billboard 200 and the Top Soul Albums charts and has been certified Triple Platinum in the US; it features the hit Shining Star, which went to No 1 on both the Hot 100 and Hot Soul Singles and won a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The record is celebrated for blending soul, funk, progressive soul and pop, and has received lasting critical acclaim, including induction into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004 and ranking on Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. The 1999 Legacy reissue added bonus material, and a live version appeared on the 2002 release That’s the Way of the World: Alive in ’75.
