HOLLYWOOD - JULY 7: (L-R) Musicians Verdine White, Maurice Bailey, Philip Bailey and Ralph Johnson pose for a photograph at Earth, Wind & Fire's induction into the Hollywood RockWalk of Fame at Guitar Center on July 7, 2003 in Hollywood, Cal …
Among the handful of songs that nearly everyone can recognize in an instant is Earth, Wind & Fire's "September."
The song became the group's biggest hit when it was released in 1978 and features a question that has since then become rather iconic: "Do you remember the 21st night of September?"
The lyrics of the song allude to the date being a fun one between two lovers, but the exact significance is never revealed.
As is turns out, that's because the significance is a bit murky even to the songwriters.
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Co-writer Allee Willis spoke to Songfacts back in 2008 -- and the interview recently resurfaced via Ultimate Classic Rock.on Monday -- where she revealed that she came into contact with Earth, Wind & Fire bassist Verdine White after working with Patti Labelle and Herbie Hancock.
Eventually, the band's frontman Maurice White caught wind of Willis and gave her a call, years before Willis' passing in 2016.
"Is this Allee Willis?" she remembered being asked.
"Yeah," responded Willis.
"This is Maurice White. I want you to come write the next Earth, Wind & Fire album," said the funk icon.
The band was a longtime favorite of hers, so Willis jumped on board and joined the group for a writing session.
"Just as I opened the door and I heard that little guitar intro, I thought, 'Oh God, please let this be what they want to work with me on,'" Willis recalled. "Because it was so obviously a hit."
The song had a loose concept of what became the chorus.
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