The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Allee Willis, Maurice White & Al McKay), no dispute found — same band as “Let’s Groove,” also in this catalogue.
Quick Facts
Released1978
GenreFunk, R&B, Disco
LabelARC / Columbia Records
ProducerMaurice White
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Allee Willis, Maurice White & Al McKay
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — originally ARC/Columbia; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
One of the most enduring pop/funk standards; the band recorded a reworked “December” version for their 2014 holiday album. Same band as “Let’s Groove” (this batch).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record and no dispute found.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
Same band (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Allee Willis, Maurice White & Al McKay
The nonsense-hook exchangeAllee Willis has recounted that Maurice White’s signature nonsense phrase in the chorus was originally just a placeholder she assumed would be replaced with real words. She kept pushing him to change it, right up until they prepared to record vocals — until finally, in frustration, she asked what it actually meant. White’s blunt reply was essentially that it didn’t matter. Willis has said this taught her the greatest lesson of her career: never let the lyric get in the way of the groove. No lyrics reproduced.
A poignant reveal about the dateWillis has stated there was no symbolic significance to the date named in the song — the team simply tried different dates until they found the one that sang best. Years later she learned, from Maurice White’s widow Marilyn, that the date happened to be the actual due date for the couple’s son, Kahbran — a touching personal connection Willis herself wasn’t aware of during the writing.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A real, ongoing fan tradition
Fans have created an annual tradition of holding parties worldwide around the date every year. The band directly recorded a reworked version, retitled “December,” for their 2014 Christmas album “Holiday.”
Bill Petro · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
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Times sampled
One of the most enduring pop/funk standards
Covers
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First flip
Who to Contact
SE
Allee Willis, Maurice White & Al McKay (Columbia)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 13)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass