“Do you remember, the 21st night of September?”

This iconic line is from the catchy song “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire, which made the date September 21 well known since it was released in 1978.

As the song suggests, this date is a time for joy, singing, and dancing.

“September” was released as a single, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Soul Songs chart and No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and it also scored No. 3 on the UK Singles Chart.

Because the date is mentioned in the song, many creative internet users have celebrated it by creating and sharing memes over the years. These memes often feature Maurice White, the band’s founder and co-lead singer, performing in the song’s music video.

Why was the 21st of September specifically chosen?

In 1978, Maurice White invited songwriter Allee Willis to help with the band’s new album. In a 2014 NPR interview, Willis shared that she was curious if it was a prank when she arrived at the studio the next day.

“As I opened the door, they had just completed the intro to ‘September,’ and I thought, ‘Please let this be what they want me to write!’ It just sounded so incredibly joyful,” she recounted to NPR.

Willis explained that she and the band considered various dates: “Do you remember the first, the second, the third, the fourth  and the one that felt right was the 21st.”

She noted, “People are always thrilled to ask me about the meaning behind the date. But really, it was just the date that fit best musically. No deep meaning, sorry!”

’21st night of September’ memes

Each year, the internet is flooded with “21st night of September” memes, similar to how social media fills with Justin Timberlake’s expressions every May.

Let’s take a look at some of these memes.

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at YSL News. You can follow him on X @GabeHauari