What Happened on the 21st Night of September? 4 Decades of Earth, Wind & Fire’s ‘September’
“Do you remember the 21st night of September?”
struggling songwriter in Los Angeles living off food stamps. When White reached out and asked Willis to help write the next Earth, Wind & Fire hit, it was truly her big break. White and Willis proved to be excellent songwriting partners, but they clashed over one key element of the song: the nonsensical phrase “ba-dee-ya,” which White included in the chorus. Throughout the songwriting process, Willis begged to change the phrase to real words. At the final vocal session, Willis finally demanded to know what ba-dee-ya meant. White replied, “Who cares?” “I learned my greatest lesson ever in songwriting from him,” Willis recalled in a 2014 interview with NPR, “which was never let the lyric get in the way of the groove.”
In 1978, Maurice White of the band Earth, Wind & Fire first asked this question in the song “September,” a funky disco song that quickly topped the charts. While disco may be dead today, “September” certainly isn’t. The song is still featured in movies, TV shows, and wedding playlists. On Sept. 21, 2019, the funk hit was streamed over 2.5 million times. It’s no wonder that the Los Angeles City Council declared Sept. 21 Earth, Wind & Fire Day. The story behind “September” is almost as enduring as the song itself. It was co-written by White and Allee Willis, who eventually became a Grammy-winning songwriter and Tony nominee. But before any of that, Willis was a
The groove is why “September” has stood the test of time, right from that very first lyric. For decades, people have asked Willis and members of the band about the significance of Sept. 21. As it turns out, there isn’t much beyond the sound. “We went through all the dates: ‘Do you remember the first, the second, the third, the fourth …’ and the one that just felt the best was the 21st,” Willis explained. The truth is that nothing happened on the 21st night of September — except a whole lot of dancing.
Be Inspired!
BALSAMICMARINATED FLANK STEAK
The summer isn’t over yet! Get out the grill for this delicious steak dinner.
Ingredients
• • • • •
• • • •
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for grilling
1 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 3-lb flank steak Kosher salt, to taste
2 tbsp whole-grain mustard 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Combine garlic, rosemary, oregano, mustard, and vinegar in a blender. Purée until garlic is minced. 2. Add oil and continue blending until creamy, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Reserve 1/4 cup. 3. Place steak in a ceramic or glass
4. Remove steak from marinade and let excess marinade drip off. Sprinkle the steak lightly with salt and pepper. 5. Light grill and oil grates with olive oil. 6. Grill steak over moderate heat for 10– 12 minutes, turning halfway through, until steak is lightly charred and the internal temperature reaches 125 F. 7. Let the steak rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice, drizzle reserved sauce, and serve.
baking dish and cover steak with the remaining marinade. Turn to coat the other side, cover, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
Inspired by FoodandWine.com
740-452-8484 • 3
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online