Earth, Wind & Fire frontman Philip Bailey has shared the real inspiration for the band's 1975 hit 'Reasons' in a new documentary clip. The song, long a wedding staple, stems from a one-night stand rather than romance.
In a clip from Questlove's documentary Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World), Bailey recounts writing the track after spending the night with a woman who was already in a relationship. He woke to hear her on the phone with her partner, describing the encounter as simply a sex call. Anderson .Paak and H.E.R. appear in the clip expressing surprise at the song's origins, noting they had always interpreted Bailey's falsetto as conveying pure romance. Bailey responds with incredulity, asking how listeners could view it as a love song. The documentary, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, is scheduled to debut on HBO June 7. It includes interviews with band members Verdine White and Ralph Johnson along with Barack and Michelle Obama, who recall the track playing at high school dances.