Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’ Inspired a Holiday in Los Angeles
TL;DR:
- Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” as a difficult song to write, which is why it includes nonsense lines.
- A line from the song inspired a holiday called Earth, Wind & Fire Day in Los Angeles, California.
- The song reached the top 10, but it didn’t chart as highly as some of the band’s other singles.
Earth, Wind & Fire’s Maurice White | Richard E. Aaron / Contributor
One line from Earth, Wind & Fire’s “September” became one of the most famous lines in the history of music. Subsequently, the tune inspired a holiday: Earth, Wind & Fire Day. Here’s a look at how the holiday became official in Los Angeles, California.
Why Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’ includes a nonsense line
During a 2021 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Earth, Wind & Fire’s Verdine White discussed the origin of “September.” “What was great about that song is that [band member] Al [McKay] — we called him Sweets — always was working on this lick,” said White. “Al always was in the pocket.”
White said songwriters Allee Willis and Maurice White struggled to come up with a chorus for “September.” Then they decided to go for a chorus that was a “vibe.” “When we didn’t have words for different stuff, we would ‘ba-dee-ya’ the melody,” Philip Bailey said. “And so once they kept doing it, Maurice just said, ‘You know what? If it’s grooving, just leave it alone.'” “Ba-dee-ya” became part of the song’s lyrics.
How and why Los Angeles gave the world Earth, Wind & Fire Day
“September” famously references “the 21st night of September.” “Sept. 21 is actually Earth, Wind & Fire Day in Los Angeles,” Bailey said. “We went down [to City Hall], and they made it official.” According to ABC7, the Los Angeles City Council declared the date Earth, Wind & Fire Day in 2019. Councilman Marqueece Harris-Dawson was happy to dedicate a day to the band because they made Los Angeles their home.
In the aforementioned interview with Entertainment Weekly, Bailey discussed the longevity of his band. “We’re very blessed and thankful that the music has really stood the test of time and … put us in places that we never would have dreamt as young men,” he said.
How ‘September’ and its parent album performed on the charts in the United States
“September” became a hit in the United States. It reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, staying on the chart for 17 weeks. The tune did not chart as highly as other Earth, Wind & Fire singles as “Let’s Groove,” “After The Love Has Gone,” and “Shining Star.” Despite this, “September” is not arguably the group’s most famous song by a longshot. It has appeared in movies like Night at the Museum and Trolls and inspired an out-of-left field acoustic cover by Taylor Swift.
“September” originally appeared on the album The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1. The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200, staying on the chart for 60 weeks.
“September” remains one of the most popular funk songs of all time and it even inspired a holiday.
