"September" has a funk
groove based on a four-measure pattern that is consistent between verses and choruses, built on a
circle of fifths.[6]
Using a chord progression written by Earth, Wind & Fire guitarist
Al McKay, vocalist
Maurice White and songwriter
Allee Willis wrote the song over one month. Willis was initially bothered by the gibberish "ba-dee-ya" lyric White used through the song, and begged him to rewrite it: "I just said, 'What the fuck does 'ba-dee-ya' mean?' And he essentially said, 'Who the fuck cares?' I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him, which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove."[7] The song was included on the band's first compilation—The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1—solely to boost sales with original content.[8]
Although several theories about the significance of the date have been suggested, the songwriter Maurice White claimed he simply chose the 21st due to how it sounded when sung.[9] His wife, Marilyn White, however, claimed that September21 was the due date of their son, Kahbran, according to lyricist Allee Willis.[10]
"September" has been one of the biggest commercial and critical successes of Earth, Wind & Fire's career, and vocalist Philip Bailey considers it one of the group's best songs.[13] The song was certified silver by the
British Phonographic Industry and certified gold in the US (until the
RIAA lowered the sales levels for certified singles in 1989, a Gold single equaled 1million units sold.) "September" was later certified Gold for
digital sales by the RIAA,[14][15][16] and has sold over 2million digital copies in the US as of September 2017.[17]Record World called it a "smooth, quick song that captures the mood of autumn nostalgia, and should capture radio audiences too."[18] In 2021, Rolling Stone included "September" at No.65 on their updated list of the "
500 Greatest Songs of All Time."[19]
"September" is one of the group's biggest hits in several decades of performing. A 2005 retrospective on Earth, Wind & Fire by Billboard ranked this song sixth on their top singles.[20] Earth, Wind & Fire recorded a new version of the song, retitled "December", for their 2014 Christmas album Holiday.
Cultural impact
"September" has had renewed interest in the 21st century and has been an
Internet meme as well as the source of original content by social media users.[21][22]
The song has been featured in many films:
Sisqó and
Vitamin C cover the song during the closing credits of the film Get Over It (2001), Night at the Museum (2006) has it in the last scene before the end credits, and a version featuring the band accompanied by
Anna Kendrick and
Justin Timberlake is featured in the 2016 film Trolls. The 2019 film Polar features the song playing during its opening sequence, with the characters singing along to it together after pulling off a successful hit. The 2023 film Robot Dreams uses the song multiple times, including to accompany the climax.
In the United Kingdom the song has been popular as the basis of
football chants at a number of clubs: according to a Guardian article this originated at
Newcastle United F.C. where fans started singing a chant about player
Chancel Mbemba in the autumn of 2015.[23] It was also adapted by fans of the
England national football team at the
2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia: "Woah, England are in Russia / Woah, drinking all the vodka / Woah, England’s going all the way".[24]
Comedian
Demi Adejuyigbe is known for creating annual videos of himself dancing to the song on September 21; he began this tradition in 2016 and each year receives millions of
YouTube views.[25][22][26] He concluded the annual events in 2021 with a video that featured Earth, Wind & Fire.[27] Renewed popularity in the song led the city of Los Angeles to declare September 21 "Earth, Wind & Fire Day" in 2019 and the band celebrated the following year's event by releasing an EP of remixes by
Eric Kupper.[28]
With "September" changed to "December", the song appears in a 2022 Christmas TV commercial for
Kohl's.[29]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.
Steve Jones of USA Today wrote: "Franklin turns the energetic 'September' into a gospel-fueled romp."[90]
James Christopher Monger of
AllMusic found "Kirk Franklin offering up an impeccable, if nearly identical rendition of 'September'."[91] Mike Joseph of PopMatters said "Kirk Franklin takes the band's 'September' (literally, by sampling the original version) and refashions it into an anthem of survival, using 'September' as a metaphor for a time when things aren't going so well, and using his talented choir of singers to give the lyrics a jubilant reading."[92]People exclaimed "Kirk Franklin turns 'September' into a rousing celebration of faith."[93]
References
^
abEarth, Wind & Fire: September. ARC/Columbia Records. 1978.
^"The album that puts all the elements together". Jet. 55 (12): 15. December 7, 1978.
ISSN0021-5996.
^Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Record Research. p. 179.
^Bailey, Philip; Zimmerman, Keith; Zimmerman, Kent (April 15, 2014). Shining Star: Braving the Elements of Earth, Wind & Fire. Penguin Publishing Group. p. 183.
ISBN9781101607930.