"September" by Earth, Wind & Fire

Ba de ya! Say that you remember! Ba de ya! Dancing in September! Ba de yah! Musical analysiiiis!

It's finally time for Strong Songs to take on one of the strongest bands of all, the great Earth, Wind & Fire. In honor of September 21, Kirk does a deep dive on EWF's timeless tribute to the end of summertime - those layered grooves, those funky bass parts, and those glossy, effortless vocals.

Written by: Maurice White, Al McKay & Alee Willis

Produced by: Maurice White

Album: The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire Vol. 1, 1978

Listen/Buy via Album.Link

ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED:

“Shining Star” and “Way of the World” by Earth, Wind & Fire from That’s The Way of the World, 1975
“Serpentine Fire” by Earth, Wind & Fire from All N’ All, 1977
“In The Stone” by EWF from I Am, 1979
“Easy Lover” by Phillip Bailey, Phil Collins and Nathan East, 1990
“Neutron Dance” by Alee Willis performed by the Pointer Sisters on Break Out, 1984
“Celebration” by Kool & The Gang, 1980
“Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” by Elton John and Bernie Taupin from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, 1973

OUTRO SOLOIST: Erik Elligers

Erik is a Connecticut-based multi-instrumentalist and music educator. He plays saxophone with the New London Big Band and sings and plays guitar for the fabulous band Goodnight Blue Moon - check them out, you won't regret it: https://www.goodnightbluemoon.com/

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SEPTEMBER 2021 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS

Rob Bosworth – Josh Pearson – Kyle Cooke – Donald Mackie – Melissa Osborne – Christopher Miller – Tim Byrne – Jamie White – Christopher Kupski – Christopher McConnell – Joshua Jarvis – Niko – Joe Laska – Laurie Acreman – Ken Hirsh – Jez – Jenness Gardner – Simon Cammell – Guinevere Boostrom – Narelle Horn – Nathaniel Bauernfeind – Bill Rosinger – Anne Britt – David Zahm – Erin – Aidan Coughlan – Jeanneret Manning Family Four – Doug Paton – Robert Paul – Viki Dun – Dave Sharpe – Christer Lindqvist – Sami Samhuri – AccessViolation – Ryan Torvik – Merlin Mann – Glenn – Jim Chokey – Andre Bremer – Mark Schechter – Dave Florey – Dan Apczynski

SEPTEMBER 2021 HALF-NOTE PATRONS

Kurt Wendelken – Adam Stofsky – Zak Remer – Rishi Sahay – Stefan Niebrügge – Jason Reitman – Karen Liu – Greg Burgess – Ailie Fraser – Simon Prieto – Breck Jones – Paul McGreal – Karen Arnold – Natalie Mistilis – Josh Singer – Phino DeLeon – Schloss Edward J., MD – Rhyanon Murray – Amy Lynn Thornsen – Adam W – Kelli Brockington – Stephen Rawlings – Ben Machta – Victoria Yu – Kevin Rivers – Gray Dyer – Brad Clark – Christopher – Michael J. Cunningham – Kari Kirk – Mark Boggs – Mino Capossela – Steve Paquin – Mary Schoenmaker – Sarah – David Joske – Emma Sklar – Bernard Khoo – Marc – Robert Heuer – Matthew Golden – Brian Meldrum – David Noah – Geraldine Butler – Richard Cambier – Madeleine Mader – Fernando Rodriguez – Timothy Dougherty – Jason Pratt – Stewart Oak – Caroline Miller – Abbie Berg – Sam Norton – Nicole Schleicher – Doug Belew – Dermot Crowley – Achint Srivastava – Ryan Rairigh – Michael Berman – Stephen Matthews – Bridget Lyons – Olivia Bishop – John Gisselquist – Elaine Martin – Kouroth – Sharon Tree – Belinda McGrath-Steer – Liz Seger – Eoin de Burca – Kevin Potter – M. Shane Borders – Pete Simm – Dallas Hockley – Jana J – Jason Gerry – Rich Roskopf – Melissa Gallo – Nathan Gouwens – Will Dwyer – Alethea Lee – Lauren Reay – Eric Prestemon – Cookies250 – Spencer Shirley – Damian Brady – Angela Livingstone – Jeffrey C. Yarnell – David Friedman – Phillip Dalton – Sarah Sulan – Diane Hughes – Kenneth Tiong – Jo Sutherland – Michael Casner – Michael York – Barb Courtney – Derek Bender – Jen Small – Lowell Meyer – Etele Illes – Stephen Tsoneff – Lorenz Schwarz – Becca Sample – Wen – Jack Sjogren – Benedict Pennington – Geoff Golden – Robyn Fraser – Alexander Geddes – Pascal Rueger – Randy Souza – JC – Brendan Jubb – Clare Holberton – Diane Turner – Tom Coleman – Mark Perry – Dhu Wik – Mel – Eric Helm – Jake Roberts – Briony Leo – Bill Fuller – Jonathan Daniels – Michael Flaherty – Jarrod Schindler – Zoe Little – Caro Field – Michael Bochner – Duncan – David Cushman – Alexander – Jeremy Dawson – Chris K – Gavin Doig – Sam Fenn – Tanner Morton – AJ Schuster – Jennifer Bush – David Stroud – Amanda Furlotti – Andrew Baker – Juan Carlos Montemayor Elosua – Matt Gaskell – Jules Bailey – Eero Wahlstedt – Bill Thornton – Brian Amoebas – Brett Douville – Jeffrey Olson – Matt Betzel – Mueller – Nate from Kalamazoo – Melanie Stivers – Richard Toller – Alexander Polson – Earl Lozada – Jon O’Keefe – Justin McElroy – Arjun Sharma – James Johnson – Andrew Lee – Kevin Morrell – Kevin Pennyfeather – Nicholas Schechter – Emily Williams

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