Do You Remember?

The 21st Night of September? Love Was Changin' the Minds of Pretenders

This 1978 song is an absolute classic and a whole-ass banger to boot.

It’s got the disco funk that is, for some strange and unknowable reason, absolutely timeless. Play it once a year on the day or whenever you need a pick me up, this Earth, Wind & Fire classic will get you nodding along and smiling in spite of whatever naughty mood you find yourself in.

“I think the song’s just eternally uplifting. It’s impossible to be depressed when you hear it.”

—Allee Willis, one of the late co-writers of “September”

It combines soul, R&B, jazz, and funk to bop into a memorable hiphop state of mind. The faster disco dance BPM turns what could have been a melancholic song into one of optimistic nostalgia, reminding us of memories past and good times we’ve all lived.

At it’s core, it is a feels good song, the rhythm steady and upbeat and happy. That is the best way to describe what this song is and what it does to you when you hear it: you feel happy.

NPR goes into a whole spiel on why “September” is so memorable, looking at musical progression and the emotional state that creates, but I’m a simple plebian with simple wants and needs.

I like how it sounds. I like how it makes me feel when I throw it up on Spotify. I like that when I play it, in private or in public, we all remember something good that happened to us and we can’t help but smile. Even a little bit.