September: A Month of Melancholy and Nostalgia
As the warmth of summer begins to dissipate, September arrives with a crisp breeze, painting the world in shades of gold and crimson. A time for reflection, self-assessment, and bidding farewell to the fleeting warmth of the sun. Throughout history, September has inspired countless works of art, music, and literature. In this article, we’ll explore seven songs that capture the essence of the month – a blend of melancholy, nostalgia, and renewal.
Big Star: "September Gurls"
I would be remiss if I did not include this autumnal gem from one of my all-time favorite bands, the power-pop cult heroes Big Star. "December boy’s got it bad," the frontman Alex Chilton (a Capricorn) sings on this bittersweet ode to juggling relationships with multiple Libras — one of the band’s finest and most succinctly perfect songs.
Listen to "September Gurls" on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
Felt: "September Lady"
The jangly English indie-rock band Felt made quintessentially autumnal music, and the mononymous frontman Lawrence seems to have acknowledged this by including, on Felt’s great 1986 album "Forever Breathes the Lonely World," a lightly melancholic song called "September Lady." Amid lush backing vocals, chiming guitars and playful tempo changes, he sings of a minor romantic disappointment: "September lady’s just not for you/You can try someone new."
Listen to "September Lady" on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
Fiona Apple: "Pale September"
Many of the songs on Fiona Apple’s striking 1996 debut, "Tidal," sound like long-forgotten jazz standards, but all were written by the precocious Apple when she was just a teenager. She imbues this piano ballad with a sophistication well beyond her years.
Listen to "Pale September" on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
Barry White: "September When I First Met You"
Released the same year as Earth, Wind & Fire’s classic, this tune from Barry White’s 1978 album "The Man" also makes use of the trusty September/remember rhyme scheme, here employed as a hypnotic backing vocal that recurs throughout the sensuous, mid-tempo track.
Listen to "September When I First Met You" on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
Frank Sinatra: "The September of My Years"
Recorded and released shortly before his 50th birthday, Frank Sinatra’s ruminative, orchestral 1965 release "September of My Years" is a kind of concept album about middle age. (Its songs include "How Old Am I?" and the classic "It Was a Very Good Year.") For all the poignancy of the title track, Sinatra does not experience this metaphorical September as a cold season: "I find that I’m sighing softly as I near September," he sings. "The warm September of my years."
Listen to "The September of My Years" on Spotify, Apple Music, or YouTube.
Green Day: "Wake Me Up When September Ends"
The played-out memes that recur each year on Oct. 1 — somebody wake up Billie Joe Armstrong! — disregard the personal pathos at the heart of this song, from Green Day’s hit 2004 album "American Idiot." Armstrong wrote the punky power-ballad about his father, who died in September 1982, when the Green Day frontman was 10. The small changes that unfold across the song’s verses — from "seven years has gone so fast" to, eventually, 20 — suggest the calendar’s cycle of renewal and remembrance. Each subsequent September is, somehow, both a fresh start and a resonant echo of the past.
Listen to "Wake Me Up When September Ends" on Spotify.
Conclusion
September’s association with nostalgia, melancholy, and renewal is more than just a seasonal characteristic – it’s a universally relatable experience. From Big Star’s autumnal ode to Green Day’s poignant reflection, these songs capture the essence of September’s introspective mood.
FAQs
Q: What is the significance of September in music and literature?
A: September is often associated with nostalgia, melancholy, and renewal, which resonates with many artists, writers, and listeners alike.
Q: Who wrote "Wake Me Up When September Ends"?
A: Billie Joe Armstrong, the lead vocalist and guitarist of Green Day, wrote the song "Wake Me Up When September Ends" about his father’s death in September 1982.
Q: Is "September When I First Met You" a new song?
A: No, it’s a 1978 single by Barry White, taken from his album "The Man."
Q: What is the concept album "September of My Years" about?
A: It’s a kind of concept album about middle age, with Frank Sinatra reflecting on his life and experiences.
Q: Which song features a sophisticated, jazz-influenced style?
A: "Pale September" by Fiona Apple, from her 1996 debut album "Tidal," features a sophisticated, jazz-influenced style.
