The Rembrandts “I’ll Be There for You” topped the Billboard airplay chart

I’ll Be There for You The Rembrandts

Writer(s): Allee Willis, Danny Wilde, David Crane, Marta Kauffman, Phil Sōlem (see lyrics here) Released: May 1, 1995 First Charted: May 19, 1995 Peak: 17 US, 18 CB, 18 RR, 17 AC, 23 MR, 3 UK, 15 CN, 3 AU, 1 DF (Click for codes to singles charts.) Sales (in millions): -- US, 0.93 UK, 1.0 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): -- radio, 26.2 video, 183.89 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: This was the theme song for the TV sitcom Friends, which ran on NBC from 1994 to 2004. Originally Warner Bros. Television asked R.E.M. to use their song “Shiny Happy People.” After they said no, the show’s creators David Crane and Marta Kauffman co-wrote “I’ll Be There for You” with help from songwriters Allee Willis and Michael Skloff. It was recorded by the Rembrandts, the only available band on Warner Bros. Records. She had written hits for Earth, Wind & Fire while he was married to Marta. The song played over the opening credits for the show with the six stars splashing around in a mock-up of a fountain in Central Park’s New York City. Jennifer Aniston said, “No one was really a big fan of that theme song…A fountain felt sort of odd, but we did it.” SF The six later ended up starring alongside the Rembrandts in the full-length video of the song. SF It was, however, originally less than a minute long. Charlie Quinn, a Nashville program director, and Tom Peace, a radio announcer and music director, looped it to to create a full-length track. They broadcast it on Nashville’s WYHY radio station and it became so popular that there was demand for an extended version. The Rembrandts’ Phil Sōlem and Danny Wilde added verses to make it into a three-minute song. That version was released in May 1995 to U.S. radio but not available originally as a single. It topped the Billboard airplay chart for eight weeks, but became the first song to not appear on the Billboard Hot 100. It wasn’t eligible for that chart since it hadn’t been released as a single. It was later released as a double-A side with “This House Is Not a Home” and reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100. Amusingly, Blender magazine called it one of the “50 Worst Songs Ever” even as other magazines, including Paste, Complex, and Observer, celebrated it as one of the best TV theme songs of all time. Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for The Rembrandts SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 9/3/2022.

Earth, Wind & Fire “September” hit #1 on R&B chart

September Earth, Wind & Fire

Writer(s): Al McKay, Maurice White, Allee Willis (see lyrics here) First Charted: November 17, 1978 Peak: 8 US, 6 CB, 4 GR, 4 HR, 5 RR, 41 AC, 11 RB, 3 UK, 8 CN, 12 AU, 4 DF (Click for codes to charts.) Sales (in millions): 7.0 US, 1.8 UK, 10.24 world (includes US + UK) Airplay/Streaming (in millions): 1.0 radio, 760.24 video, 1305.23 streaming

Awards: Click on award for more details.

About the Song: Earth, Wind & Fire formed in Chicago in 1969. Helmed by Maurice White, the group mixed R&B, funk, and disco for sales of more than 90 million records worldwide. They reached their greatest commercial peak in 1975 with the #1 single “Shining Star” and followed it with top-10 hits “Sing a Song,” “Got to Get You into My Life,” “Boogie Wonderland,” “After the Love Has Gone,” and “Let’s Groove” over the next six years. While it wasn’t their biggest hit from a chart standpoint, their most enduring song has been “September.” The song was a new cut released on the group’s compilation The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1. The song was a top-10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the R&B chart. It has been sampled and covered multiple times. WK Record World called “September” “a smooth, quick song that captures the mood of autumn nostalgia.” WK Singer Maurice White said he chose the date of September 21 for the song just because it sounded good phonetically. SF However, his wife says it was the due date of their son, Kahbran WK and he put it in the song as a secret message. SF White and songwriter Allee Willis wrote the lyrics based on a chord progression from guitarist Al McKay. It was the first song Willis wrote with the band. SF He didn’t like the nonsensical “ba-dee-ya” lyric and begged White to rewrite it WK but White said, “No, that feels great. That’s what people are going to remember.” SF Willis said he learned his “greatest lesson ever in songwriting…never let the lyric get in the way to groove.” WK Resources: DMDB encyclopedia entry for Earth, Wind & Fire SF Songfacts WK Wikipedia First posted 7/19/2023.