Earth, Wind & Fire – September

About The Song

Certainly, the question “Do you remember the 21st night of September?” may ring a familiar tune, especially if you’ve attended weddings, proms, Bar/Bat Mitzvahs, high school reunions, or any joyous social event. This iconic line originates from the Earth, Wind & Fire classic released as a single in 1978. The track found its place in the band’s album “The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1,” soaring to number one on the US R&B chart, number eight on the Billboard Hot 100, and number three on the UK singles chart.

While its catchy melody captivates listeners, the story behind the song is equally intriguing. In 1978, Allee Willis, a struggling songwriter in LA, received a life-changing call from Maurice White, Earth, Wind & Fire’s leader. White invited her to co-write the band’s upcoming album. Willis, filled with hope, entered the studio the next day, praying it wasn’t a cosmic joke.

Upon her arrival, Willis found the band had just composed the opening to “September.” The song’s infectious joy struck her immediately. With a melody crafted by Earth, Wind & Fire guitarist Al McKay, White and Willis spent a month weaving lyrics that conjured images of clear skies and dancing beneath the stars. Willis, who appreciates songs that tell stories, worried the lyrics, at some point, might seem too simplistic. One particular phrase bothered her—an incomprehensible “ba-dee-ya.”

“The go-to phrase that Maurice used in every song he wrote was ‘ba-dee-ya,’” she recalls. “He was singing, ‘Ba-dee-ya, say, do you remember / Ba-dee-ya, dancing in September.’ And I said, ‘We are going to change ‘ba-dee-ya’ to real words, right?’”

However, her request was denied. At the final vocal session, frustrated, she implored White to revise the part.

“When it was so obvious that he was not going to do it, I just said, ‘What the heck does ‘ba-dee-ya’ mean?’ And he essentially said, ‘Who cares?’” she remembers. “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him, which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.”

Video

Lyric

Do you remember the
21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds awayOur hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember how the stars stole the night awayBa de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – never was a cloudy dayBa duda, ba duda, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love
Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Now December found the love we shared in September
Only blue talk and love
Remember the true love we share today

Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – golden dreams were shiny days

The bell was ringing, aha
Our souls were singing
Do you remember
Never a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya – say do you remember
Ba de ya – dancing in September
Ba de ya – golden dreams were shiny days

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
De ya

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya

Guitar chord

Intro
||:  Dmaj7    C#m7   Bm7  C#m7 |         F#m7      :||
 |   Dmaj7    C#m7   Bm7  C#m7 |   C#7/E#    F#m7   |  
||:  Gmaj7/A   : ||

Verse 1
                  Dmaj7  C#m7  Bm7 
Do you remember 
C#m7     F#m7             Dmaj7  C#m7  Bm7 
the 21st night of September?
C#m7                               F#m7             Dmaj7  C#m7  Bm7 
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
C#m7       C#7/E#  F#m7    Gmaj7/A 
While chasing the clouds away

Verse 2
Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing.
As we danced in the night,
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Chorus
Bm7   E7   C#m7          F#m7 
Ba de ya - say do you remember
Bm7   E7   C#m7          F#m7 
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Bm7   E7   C#m7          F#m7     Gmaj7/A 
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya (Chorus chords)

Verse 3
My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love,
Remember how we knew love was here to stay

Verse 4
Now December found the love that we shared in September.
Only blue talk and love,
Remember the true love we share today

Chorus
Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - never was a cloudy day

Ba de ya - say do you remember
Ba de ya - dancing in September
Ba de ya - golden dreams were shiny days