’September’

A Reason To Smile

Credit: Getty Images

I have been waiting years to make Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” our reason to smile. Years because today is the 21st of September … which is in the song’s first line: “Do you remember, the 21st night of September?” Following one of the best opening horn sections in popular music.

Earth, Wind & Fire front man Maurice White was often asked the significance of the date September 21. For years he downplayed it, saying it was chosen because it worked with the rest of the song’s lyrics, but his wife later revealed it was their son’s due date.

White wrote the song with future Grammy winner Allee Willis. When she arrived at the studio in 1978 to start writing the group’s new album, they were already working on the song.

“As I open the door, they had just written the intro to ‘September.’ And I just thought, ‘Dear God, let this be what they want me to write!’ Cause it was obviously the happiest-sounding song in the world," Willis told NPR.

White ad-libbed the “ba-dee-ya” lyric. Reportedly, Willis wasn’t thrilled with it and asked White what the gibberish meant. He told her no one cares. “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him, which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove,” she said.

Thankfully they haven’t updated the very-1970s video. It adds to the joy of the song.

The song has been used in television shows and commercials. It’s been added to video games and played at both Republican and Democratic national conventions. Even Taylor Swift has covered it.

But nothing compares to the original.

If you want to enjoy all the songs chosen for A Reason To Smile, you can listen to this Spotify playlist, which is updated weekly.

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Stay Steady,

Dan