Spirit is the seventh studio album by American band Earth, Wind & Fire, released on September 28, 1976 by Columbia Records. The album rose to No. 2 on both the Billboard 200 and Top Soul Albums charts. Spirit has also been certified Double Platinum in the US by the RIAA. Singles "Getaway" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart. The single also rose to No. 12 on both the Billboard Hot 100 and Disco Action Top 30 charts. "Saturday Nite, peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 21 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song also reached No. 12 on Billboard's Disco Action Top 30 chart and No. 17 on the UK Pop Singles chart. Overview The band's long time collaborator Charles Stepney died in the midst of its recording sessions, Maurice White went on to mostly arrange and produce the album. The LP was entitled Spirit in dedication to Stepney. Critical reception Craig Werner of Vibe gave a 4.5 out of 5 rating, calling Spirit "one of the group's defining moments" and "gospel soul for the ages". Billboard found that the album's "arrangements, songs, sweet floating vocal harmonies and punching instrumental phrases are all best described as impeccable". Joe McEwen of Rolling Stone exclaimed "Though most of Spirit maintains a high level of artistic competence, I find the new album to be like a bean-sprout salad — undeniably nutritious, but hardly filling." With a 4.5 out of 5 stars rating Alex Henderson of Allmusic called the record "outstanding". Henderson added "Maurice White's message and vision (an interesting blend of Afro-American Christianity and Eastern philosophy) was as positive and uplifting as ever, and as always, EWF expressed this positivity without being Pollyanna-ish or corny. And even if one didn't take EWF's calls for unity, hard work, self-respect, and faith in God to heart, they had no problem with their solid grooves." Robert Christgau of the Village Voice gave a B grade saying "Most of these songs are fun to listen to." Music Week proclaimed "With a more spiritual, ethereal feel than the six albums that had already cut to that point, it really marks a turning point in their career and is crammed with excellent tunes." Rick Atkinson of The Record wrote "Any album that can hit the album charts, the single charts, and discos all at once is a