Every time I hear the lyrics— “Do you remember the twenty-first night of September?”—I immediately am inclined to do a little boogie and belt along, no matter where I am— a frat party, a grocery store aisle, or the gym. Today, or rather yesterday as I write this at 1:31 a.m., was the twenty-first of September, the day I’ve been waiting for all month, so that I can sing my ba de ya’s to my heart’s fullest content and not feel a tinge of social unacceptance. However, at this moment, I hope that I do not remember the twenty-first of September; why? you may ask. Well, because I’m feeling quite dramatic today, but I’m not gonna tell you all the details because boundaries–let’s just say my day started with me waking up from a stress nightmare and ended with me discovering that acne can inconveniently develop along my collar bone, and what happened in between was also no good.
But, listen, just because I don’t want to remember my September 21 in this year of 2018, it doesn’t mean I want to disrespect Earth, Wind, and Fire entirely– I’m fine with remembering any other September 21 in the history of the world. Like, just take a look at some of the other September Twenty-Firsts worthy of my memory and yours.
-
Henry Tingle Wilde was born on this day way back in 1872, and with a middle name like that who wouldn’t to remember the birthday of this chief officer of the Titanic? Was he one of the fishy characters on the boat? Possibly. But, man, that middle name says something about this day.
-
Stephen King was also born on this day in 1947, and try imagining your spooky season without this man’s spookalicious stories.
-
Same goes for Bill Murray–Ghostbusters, anyone?–and Faith Hill, the musician behind so many of everyone’s go-to country tunes.
-
For all you fellow classics nerds, Vergil, the very man who blessed us with the Aeneid, supposedly died on this day. (Also, don’t you dare tell me to spell his name like Virgil. I gotta respect the true Latin roots.)
-
The Hobbit was published on September 21, 1937. I’ve never read The Hobbit, but I like Orlando Bloom, and he was in the movie, right? So it has to be important enough to remember.
-
On this day in 1981, the U.S. Senate approved Sandra Day O’Connor as the first female Supreme Court Justice–hello, girl power!
So yes, the twenty-first of September is worth remembering. Heck, it’s also World Gratitude Day, Pecan Cookie Day, and Miniature Golf Day, so it’s obviously a day of the ages! But September 21, 2018 is a day not to be remembered–at least not for me, and maybe you feel that way, too. If that’s the case, I’m sorry, my pal, but it’ll all be okay.
I know you don’t know me, nor I you, but I feel it’s necessary for me to tell you that no matter how memorable your twenty-first of September was, you are a ray of sunshine, so sing your ba de ya’s any day, any time, any place, any way you’d like.
Credit:giphy
P.S. If you’ve never heard “September” by Earth, Wind, and Fire, please please please take a listen to it here. Not only because it’s an amazing throw-back, but also because I realize that everything I wrote above will mean nothing to you unless you’ve heard this glorious tune. (But even if you heard it a million times yesterday, go ahead and click the link—it’ll brighten your day.)