Are the leaves of brown tumbling down yet?

What is it about fall? Those dropping leaves have inspired countless songs. Most of them with unimaginative titles, like 'September'.

Somebody asked Richard Strauss what his September song was about. He said death. That's highbrow composers for you, morbid.

Personally, we'd rather go with the upbeat Earth, Wind and Fire. It's got a beat, and you can dance to it.

A word about Flo Ziegfeld: he liked lots of pretty girl dancers with strange things on their heads. He also decided it would be cool to get in on the scandalous popularity of that painting. Was that painting Art? Well, maybe, maybe not. But it sure was fun to get the Morality Police all riled up. Once the Chicago shop owners starting putting nudie pics in the hardware store window, it was all over but the giggling.

Check out the answers below.

1. The Happenings sang this song about a student who really wanted to get back to school. (His girl was there, you see.) It's featured in the film American Graffitti. See You in September..
2. Flo Ziegfeld made a musical about this controversial autumn-themed painting in 1913. September Morn. Why was Anthony Comstock outraged? Read all about it.
3. The thirteenth album by Neil Diamond. September Morn. (No, it has nothing to do with that painting. Shut up, Anthony Comstock.)
4. This weather-related song first appeared in 1937. September in the Rain..
5. Barry White got all, er, romantic – or whatever it is he did – with this ninth-month-related song. September When I First Met You. Okay, Barry either floats your boat, or he doesn't. Don't argue.
6. This is the ultimate title, of course – by Kurt Weill and Maxwell Anderson. September Song, from Knickerbocker Holiday.
7. Earth, Wind and Fire sang this song, appropriately named September. But what particular night did they urge us to remember? The 21st night of September. Apparently, love was 'changing the minds of pretenders'. Whatever that means.
8. Name – spell! – the fall song by The Bangles. September Gurls. And don't you forget it.
9. Let's get all classical: what suite of songs by Richard Strauss contains his 'September'? Last Songs. Check out Jesse Norman.
10. Country fans: What did Johnny Cash say would happen in the fall, in September When It Comes? I'll let you in. (It's kind of mysterious.)

Did you know them all? Then you've got eclectic tastes. Tell everybody that – they'll hate you.

In fact, they'll probably make you rake the leaves.

Dmitri Gheorgheni

16.09.13 Front Page

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