As the production of "September" continued, Allee Willis feared that the lyrics were too simple, as they cohesively did not tell a story (via NPR). More specifically, she wanted to exclude "ba-dee-ya" from the song as it had no true meaning. Maurice White, however, did not relent, and the lyrics stayed. Willis later said that she learned one of the greatest lessons in songwriting: never let the lyrics get in the way of the music (per American Songwriter). As for the date, according to Insider, September 21st was chosen simply because it sounded the best. In other words, it has no actual meaning, and it's a complete coincidence that it happens to be the first day of fall (many believe the song is about the seasons changing). Willis stated that it's ultimately up to the listener to interpret the date on their own.
In 2019, "September" was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. Willis died a few months later, but not before leaving her enduring mark on the music world. Per The Guardian, she also wrote the "Friends" theme song, "I'll Be There For You," as well as "Boogie Wonderland" — another Earth, Wind, & Fire hit.
