Earth, Wind And Fire

[Verse 1]

Do you remember the 21st night of September?

Love was changin’ the minds of pretenders

While chasin’ the clouds away

Our hearts were ringin’ in the key that our souls were singin’

As we danced in the night, remember

How the stars stole the night away, oh yeah

[Chorus]

Hey, hey, hey!

Ba-dee ya, say, do you remember?

Ba-dee ya, dancin’ in September

Ba-dee ya, never was a cloudy day

[Bridge]

Ba duda, ba duda, ba duda, badu

Ba duda, badu, ba duda, badu

Ba duda, badu, ba duda

[Verse 2]

My thoughts are with you, holdin’ 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 that we shared in September

Only blue talk and love, remember, the true love we share today

[Chorus]

Hey, hey, hey!

Ba-dee ya, say, do you remember?

Ba-dee ya, dancin’ in September

Ba-dee ya, never was a cloudy day

There was a…

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) say, do you remember?

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) dancin’ in September

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) golden dreams were shiny days

[Bridge]

The bell was ringin’, oh-oh

Our souls were singin’

Do you remember never a cloudy day? Yow

[Chorus]

There was a…

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) say, do you remember?

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) dancin’ in September

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) never was a cloudy day

And we’ll say…

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) say, do you remember?

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) dancin’ in September

Ba-dee ya, (dee ya dee ya) golden dreams were shiny days

[Outro]

Ba-dee ya, dee ya dee ya

Ba-dee ya, dee ya dee ya

Ba-dee ya, dee ya dee ya, dee ya!

Ba-dee ya, dee ya dee ya

Ba-dee ya, dee ya dee ya

Ba-dee ya, dee ya dee ya, dee ya!

September

While this song is a classic late ‘70s R&B soul jam, it has elements of other genres as well, like doo-wop, something you can hear in the falsetto vocals of Philip Bailey and Maurice White. White came up with the melody for this song. In a Billboard interview from 1979, the year after this track came out, White said: “My principle for producing is to pay attention to the roots of America, which is doo-wop music.”

The four chord progression for this song was the original musical element that the rest of the track was built around. That progression was constructed by EWF guitarist Al McKay. White wrote the melody based on those chords, then recruited Alee Willis for lyrical assistance. The horns were provided by the Phenix Horns, a group that played with EWF as well as Phil Collins and more. Bass was played by Verdine White, brother of Maurice.

SEPTEMBER