What does the song sound like?

While this song is a classic late 70s R&B soul jam, it has elements of other genres as well, like doo-
wop, something you can hear in the falsetto vocals of Philip Bailey and Maurice White. White
came up with the melody for this song. In a Billboard interview from 1979, the year after this track
came out, White said: My principle for producing is to pay attention to the roots of America,
which is doo-wop music.

The four chord progression for this song was the original musical element that the rest of the track
was built around. That progression was constructed by EWF guitarist Al McKay. White wrote the
melody based on those chords, then recruited Alee Willis for lyrical assistance. The horns were
provided by the Phenix Horns, a group that played with EWF as well as Phil Collins and more. Bass
was played by Verdine White, brother of Maurice.