Tag Archives: Maurice White

♫ After The Love Has Gone ♫d (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, music, History

I have good intentions, but … less energy than my intentions require!  And thus, my friends, I am reduxing one yet again, this one I last played in July 2020, but it is one that I really like … it gives me, somehow, that warm, glowy feeling.  I promise that soon I will come up with a few new ones that you guys have requested … honest I will!!!

Released in 1979, this hit #2 in the U.S. and #4 in the UK.  This was written by David Foster, Jay Graydon and Bill Champlin.  Says Graydon …

“David Foster produced an album for Jaye P. Morgan in 1976. It’s a great record. It’s available in Japan, and never did anything here, really. Then he was at Motown playing some songs with Jaye to try to get a deal over there.

He was in the middle of playing a song and he forgot the chorus, and he ad-libbed the chorus to ‘After The Love Has Gone.’ He comes over to my house, and we went into my little dinky studio. He sits down at the piano, and he says, ‘Listen to this chorus.’ He plays it, and I said, ‘Hey, here’s an idea for a verse.’ And I went, ‘da da dom, A major 7, da-D-minor-6, da da A major 7, bom ba da da da F-sharp minor.’ And he just immediately continued on with that, and we had the whole song written in about half an hour/45 minutes.

We called Champlin: ‘Bill, get over here, we need a lyric.’ David was producing Champlin at the time. David recorded it with Champlin, maybe three different versions. He got one that he really liked, though. But then David was also writing with Maurice White for Earth, Wind & Fire for the I Am album. He played the song for Maurice, and Maurice loved it. David called me and says, ‘Hey, man, Earth, Wind & Fire wants to record it, but I don’t want to tell Champlin that it’s gonna have to get pulled off his record. Will you do it?’ I said, ‘I sure will.’ (laughs) I called Bill and I said, ‘Bill, here’s the story.’ And he says, ‘I’m not an idiot, man.’ (laughing) I said, ‘I’m glad you say you’re not an idiot. Because they say this thing’s gonna be a single for sure. And this could be big.’ Needless to say, that song still generates good money. It’s unbelievable.”

The song won two Grammy Awards. Earth, Wind & Fire took the trophy for Best Rhythm & Blues Vocal Performance by a Group, an award they won four times in their career.  The track also won for Best Rhythm & Blues Song, which is bestowed on the writers. It was the first win for David Foster, who would go on to win a total of 16 Grammys. In 1993, he was named Billboard’s Top Singles Producer and Top R&B Producer, while receiving the largest number of Grammy nominations and winning Producer of the Year for Whitney Houston’s soundtrack to The Bodyguard. He also co-wrote the #1 single St. Elmo’s Fire with John Parr.

After the Love Has Gone
Earth, Wind & Fire

For a while, to love was all we could do
We were young and we knew, and our eyes were alive
Deep inside we knew our love was true
For a while we paid no mind to the past
We knew love would last
Every night somethin’ right
Would invite us to begin the dance
Somethin’ happened along the way
What used to be happy was sad
Somethin’ happened along the way
And yesterday was all we had

Oh, after the love has gone
How could you lead me one
And not let me stay around?
Oh, after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love that’s lost be found?
For a while to love each other
With all we would ever need
Love was strong for so long
Never knew that what was wrong
Baby, wasn’t right
We tried to find what we had
Til sadness was all we shared
We were scared this affair
Would lead our love into
Somethin’ happened along the way
Yesterday was all we had
Somethin’ happened along the way
What used to be happy is sad
Somethin’ happened along the way
What used to be was all we had

Oh, after the love has gone
How could you lead me on
And not let me stay around?
Oh, oh, after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love that’s lost be found?

Oh, oh, after the love has gone
What used to be right is wrong
Can love that’s lost be found
Oh, oh, after the love has gone

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: David Foster / Jay Graydon / William B. Champlin
After the Love Has Gone lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG Rights Management

♫ September ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under Bits 'n Pieces, music, History

Tonight I wanted something upbeat and fun, and after a bit of searching and listening, this one came ‘cross my radar and I let out a shout … “YES!” said I!  I hope you enjoy it … and while it is a redux, I haven’t played it in over two years, so it’s fair game for reduxing!

The story of the song begins in 1978. Allee Willis was a struggling songwriter in LA — until the night she got a call from Maurice White, the leader of Earth, Wind & Fire. White offered her the chance of a lifetime: to co-write the band’s next album.Willis arrived at the studio the next day hoping it wasn’t some kind of cosmic joke.

“As I open the door, they had just written the intro to ‘September.’ And I just thought, ‘Dear God, let this be what they want me to write!’ Cause it was obviously the happiest-sounding song in the world.”

There’s some interesting history about the month-long writing of the song on NPR if anybody is interested.

In July 2016, this song was used at the Republican National Convention, without prior approval, and Earth, Wind & Fire was none too happy, tweeting “Another unauthorized use (September) at the Republican Convention, against our wishes.” 

The song reached #3 in the UK, and #8 in both the U.S. and Canada.

September
Earth, Wind & Fire

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Hey hey hey
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

Ba duda, ba duda, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love
Remember how we knew love was here to stay
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
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, golden dreams were shiny days

The bell was ringing
Our souls were singing
Do you remember, never a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, golden dreams were shinny days

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya de ya

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya de ya

Songwriters: Al McKay / Maurice White / Allee Willis
September lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Rhythm Records Inc D/B/A Steelchest Music

♫ September ♫ (Redux)

Posted on by under music

I am reduxing tonight … for one reason only … I am too exhausted to go in search of backstory for a new song at the moment.  I last played this one two years ago, so it should be almost new, or “gently used” as they say in the thrift shops!  And, it’s one of those songs that you can’t help but love.

The story of the song begins in 1978. Allee Willis was a struggling songwriter in LA — until the night she got a call from Maurice White, the leader of Earth, Wind & Fire. White offered her the chance of a lifetime: to co-write the band’s next album.Willis arrived at the studio the next day hoping it wasn’t some kind of cosmic joke.

“As I open the door, they had just written the intro to ‘September.’ And I just thought, ‘Dear God, let this be what they want me to write!’ Cause it was obviously the happiest-sounding song in the world.”

There’s some interesting history about the month-long writing of the song on NPR if anybody is interested.

In July 2016, this song was used at the Republican National Convention, without prior approval, and Earth, Wind & Fire was none too happy, tweeting “Another unauthorized use (September) at the Republican Convention, against our wishes.” 

September
Earth, Wind & Fire

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Hey hey hey
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

Ba duda, ba duda, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love
Remember how we knew love was here to stay
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
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, golden dreams were shiny days

The bell was ringing
Our souls were singing
Do you remember, never a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, golden dreams were shinny days

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya de ya

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya de ya

Songwriters: Al McKay / Maurice White / Allee Willis
September lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Rhythm Records Inc D/B/A Steelchest Music

♫ September ♫

Posted on by under music

I had a song picked out, but decided it was a bit on the dark side and we needed something lighter to cheer us today, so I thumbed through my playlist and settled on September by Earth, Wind & Fire.

The story of the song begins in 1978. Allee Willis was a struggling songwriter in LA — until the night she got a call from Maurice White, the leader of Earth, Wind & Fire. White offered her the chance of a lifetime: to co-write the band’s next album.Willis arrived at the studio the next day hoping it wasn’t some kind of cosmic joke.

“As I open the door, they had just written the intro to ‘September.’ And I just thought, ‘Dear God, let this be what they want me to write!’ Cause it was obviously the happiest-sounding song in the world.”

There’s some interesting history about the month-long writing of the song on NPR if anybody is interested.

In July 2016, this song was used at the Republican National Convention, without prior approval, and Earth, Wind & Fire was none too happy, tweeting “Another unauthorized use (September) at the Republican Convention, against our wishes.” 

September
Earth, Wind & Fire

Do you remember the 21st night of September?
Love was changing the minds of pretenders
While chasing the clouds away

Our hearts were ringing
In the key that our souls were singing
As we danced in the night
Remember how the stars stole the night away

Hey hey hey
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

Ba duda, ba duda, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda, badu
Ba duda, badu, ba duda

My thoughts are with you
Holding hands with your heart to see you
Only blue talk and love
Remember how we knew love was here to stay
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
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, golden dreams were shinny days

The bell was ringing
Our souls were singing
Do you remember, never a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, never was a cloudy day

There was a
Ba de ya, say do you remember
Ba de ya, dancing in September
Ba de ya, golden dreams were shinny days

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya de ya

Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya
Ba de ya de ya de ya de ya

Songwriters: Al McKay / Maurice White / Allee Willis
September lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group, Rhythm Records Inc D/B/A Steelchest Music