‘It’s a Sex Call!’: Earth, Wind and Fire Singer Shares the Real Story Behind a Wedding Classic

Earth, Wind and Fire’s 1975 song “Reasons” is widely considered one of the defining love songs of the past 50 years. The sweeping R&B ballad, flush with horns and string and a yearning groove presided over by Philip Bailey’s impassioned falsetto, is so synonymous with the rich, full purity of true love that it’s become a wedding staple, soundtracking countless first dances over the decades.

But “Reasons” is not about that. At all. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. In Questlove’s new documentary about the legendary band, Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World), Bailey finally tells the whole story behind the That’s the Way of the World classic: It was inspired after a one-night stand… with a woman who was in a relationship.

In a new clip from the film, premiering exclusively on Rolling Stone, Anderson .Paak and H.E.R. speak for most people when they explain how they thought “Reasons” was just a regular love song. “I thought ‘Reasons’ was going down the list of all the reasons that he loved this person,” .Paak says with a sheepish smile, while H.E.R. adds: “When you have a falsetto like Philip, he can say anything and you’re gonna be like, ‘This is so beautiful, it’s so romantic!’”

Bailey finally gets the chance to respond with delighted incredulity: “How could people think that this song is a love song?”

As Bailey explains, “Reasons” came about after he spent the night with a woman, then woke up the next morning to hear her talking to someone on the phone. “She’s talking to her dude!” he remembers with a chuckle, adding, “It’s just a sex call! That’s it. So, if you played it at your wedding, I’m sorry.” (Capping off the clip, you can hear Questlove cackling behind the camera while Bailey offers a deadpan smile.)

Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs That’s the Weight of the World) had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, and it’s set to arrive on HBO June 7. The film offers a comprehensive look at the band’s history, music, and legacy, featuring interviews with Bailey and other surviving members of the band, including Verdine White and Ralph Johnson, plus an array of former members. But its center is the group’s founder and leader Maurice White, a complicated musical visionary who created some of the most indelible funk and pop gems while running the group with an iron fist and underpaying most of the other members.

There are also interviews with musicians like Stevie Wonder, Lionel Richie, and Flea. Former president and first lady Barack and Michelle Obama pop up as well, and even provide some commentary on “Reasons,” reminiscing about how it frequently played at high school dances. While Barack remembered if a girl said yes to slow-dancing with you during “Reasons,” that meant a whole five minutes to relish it, Michelle countered with, “If you said yes to a dude that was a little too sweaty, you were stuck!”