Chords + Lyrics | September
Intro
||: Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#m7 F#m9 F#m7 :|| x3
| Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A N.C |
Verse 1
| Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#m7 F#m9 F#m7 |
Do you remember, the 21st night of September?
| Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#m7 F#m9 F#m7 |
Love was changin’ the minds of pretenders.
| Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#7 F#m9 F#m7 | G/A | Gmaj7/A N.C |
While chasin’ the clouds away.
Verse 2
Our hearts were ringin’ in the key that our souls were singin’
As we danced in the night, remember.
| Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#7 F#m9 F#m7 | Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A |
How the stars stole the night away, oh, yeah. Hey, hey, hey.
Chorus 1
| Bm9 E6 | C#m7 F#m9 F#m7 |
Ba-dee-ya, say do you remember?
| Bm9 E6 | C#m7 F#m9 F#m7 |
Ba-dee-ya, dancin’ in September.
| Bm9 E6 | C#m7 F#m9 F#m7 | Gadd9/A | Gadd9/A |
Ba-dee-ya, never was a cloudy day.
Chorus tag 1
| Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#m7 F#m7 |
Ba-du-da, ba-du-da, ba-du-da, ba-du.
| Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#m7 F#m7 |
Ba-du-da, ba-du, ba-du-da, ba-du.
| Dmaj7 C#m7 Bm7 | C#m7 F#m7 | Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A |
Ba-du-da, ba-du, ba-du-da. Hey.
Verse 3 (as verse 2)
My thoughts are with you holdin’ hands with your heart to see you.
Only blue talk and love, remember.
How we knew love was here to stay.
Verse 4 (as verse 2)
Now December, found the love that we shared in September.
Only blue talk and love, remember.
The true love we share today. Hey, hey, hey.
Chorus 2
Ba-dee-ya, say do you remember?
Ba-dee-ya, dancin’ in September.
Ba-dee-ya, never was a cloudy day.
Chorus 3
There was a ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), say, do you remember?
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), dancin’ in September.
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), golden dreams were shiny days.
Verse 5 (as verse 2)
The bell was ringin’, oh, oh.
Our souls were singin’.
Do you remember, never a cloudy day? Yow.
Chorus 4
There was a ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), say, do you remember?
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), dancin’ in September.
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), never was a cloudy day.
Chorus 5
And we’ll say ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), say, do you remember?
Ba-dee-ya (dee-ya, dee-ya), dancin’ in September.
Ba-dee-ya (dee ya, dee-ya), golden dreams were shiny days.
Chorus tag 2
| Bm9 E6 | C#m7 F#m7 |
Ba-dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya
| Bm9 E6 | C#m7 F#m7 |
Ba-dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya
| Bm9 E6 | C#m7 F#m7 | Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A |
Ba-dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya!
Chorus tag 3 (as chorus tag 2)
Ba-dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya
Ba-dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya
Ba-dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya, dee-ya!
September Chords: Unlocking the Hidden Details of the Classic
There are a surprising number of tiny details in September’s chords that I only discovered once I sat down and took the progression seriously. It turns out I’ve been playing this wrong for years!
Intro
The intro, which is similar to the verse but not exactly the same, starts like this:
||: Dmaj7 (IV) C#m7 (III) Bm7 (II) | C#m7 F#m9 (VI) F#m7 :||
In the key of A, we are moving IV–III–II–III–VI. No harmonic rules are broken here. Play this progression three times before moving on to these chords:
| Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A N.C |
Normally, I prefer calling a G/A an A11, but since this chord is a Gmaj7/A, it feels more logical to describe it that way. Later on, we use a Gadd9/A instead.
Here, harmonic rules are broken, and it’s as if we’re no longer in the key of A but in the key of D instead, where the A11 variation functions as the V chord. As with many tunes in this genre, we’re straddling two keys at once.
This is a caseof modal interchange, moving from A Ionian to A Mixolydian.
Verse
For the verse, we first play the same progression as the intro twice. The third time, instead of continuing with the regular pattern, we play a C#7 (IIIx), like this:
| Dmaj7 (IV) C#m7 (III) Bm7 (II) |
| C#7 (IIIx) F#m9 (VI) F#m7 |
| Gmaj7/A | Gmaj7/A N.C. |
I can tell you this for sure: I’ve never heard a band get that C#7 right! In the key of A, this is the IIIx.
For TAB showing how to play all these chords, check that part of the lesson here: September – Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Chorus
Now, let’s check out the chorus:
| Bm9 (II) E6 (V) | C#m7 (III) F#m9 (VI) F#m7 |
If we’re in the key of A, this progression is II–V–III–VI.
What’s incredibly cool is that Bm9 and Dmaj7 are almost the same chord, as are C#m7 and E6.
Another small detail is the F#m9, which appears just before the F#m7.
Play along with the original using the video at the top of this page, following the chords and lyrics above, and you’ll soon realise how details like the C#7 and F#m9 really do make a difference.
After 20 years of playing September, I’ll definitely get the chords right from now on — it’s about time!
Here’s a chord chart.
September Chord Chart | PDF + iReal Pro Download
Download my chart, give it to your band mates and impress them with the C#7:
September TAB | Course Preview
In the course, we explore how to play every section of September, even combining the two guitar parts into one, as you’re most likely the only guitarist in the band.
As a preview, here’s the chorus — and don’t forget to switch that compressor pedal on!
Earth, Wind & Fire’s greatest tune
September is a Disco classic that, in many ways, has come to define the late ’70s era and the sound of the band that wrote and recorded it, Earth, Wind & Fire.
Released in 1978, it was an instant success, claiming the #1 spot in the U.S., #3 in the U.K., and landing in the top 20 in twelve other countries around the world.
Since its release, September has enjoyed regular radio play and has remained a secret weapon for DJs and bands at parties.
Sales are just as impressive, with almost 10 million copies sold. It even ranks #65 on the famous 500 Greatest Songs list.
As a guitarist, you can gain a significant edge over the competition by getting September’s chords right—study what you see above carefully!
September Chords: Continue Learning
Want to master this song? Check out the full TAB lesson here: September (Earth, Wind & Fire) Guitar Lesson with TAB.
Alternatively, here are five similar tunes you might enjoy:
