The Wonderfully Forthright Allee Willis Talks About Writing ‘September’ and the ‘Friends’ Theme Song

The very forthright Allee Willis, award-winning and nominated songwriter, artist, director, collector, art director, social artist and party thrower behind such hits as “September” and “I’ll Be There For You” (Friends theme song), welcomed Great Big Story into her studio to talk about how she goes about writing such iconic hits. Willis also shared how things were when she first started her career and how quickly things changed.

The beginning of 1978 I was on food stamps medical assistance really as close as you could be to welfare without actually being on it. By the end of the year I’d sold 10 million records. It was a surreal experience which my entire life is. If I wasn’t allowed to be creative I’d shrivel up. When die, I think open the coffin when you throw me in there that’s when I stop.