The Day (Babyface album)

The Day is the fourth studio album by American R&B singer Babyface. It was released by Epic Records on October 22, 1996, in the United States.[1] The album peaked at number 6 on the US Billboard 200 and number 4 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums, also reaching the top ten on the Dutch Albums Chart.[2][3] The Day was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[4] and received Grammy Award nominations for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album respectively.[5]

The Day
Studio album by
ReleasedOctober 22, 1996
Studio
Various
GenreR&B
Length46:12
LabelEpic
ProducerKenneth "Babyface" Edmonds
Babyface chronology
For the Cool in You
(1993)
The Day
(1996)
Unplugged
(1997)
Singles from The Day
  1. "This Is for the Lover in You"
    Released: October 5, 1996
  2. "Talk to Me"
    Released: October 29, 1996
  3. "Every Time I Close My Eyes"
    Released: January 14, 1997
  4. "How Come, How Long"
    Released: July 7, 1997

From the album, the track "Every Time I Close My Eyes" was nominated for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance. A duet with Stevie Wonder, titled "How Come, How Long", was also Grammy nominated for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.[5] Additionally, the singles "This Is for the Lover in You" and "Every Time I Close My Eyes" both reached number 6 on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[6]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[7]
Los Angeles Times[8]
Muzik[9]
The New York Times(Mixed)[10]
The Village VoiceA−[11]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[12]

AllMusic editor Leo Stanley found that The Day "confirms his skill for subtle, inventive songwriting and accessible, polished yet soulful production [...] He is still compelling – his voice is as smooth as silk, and nearly as seductive – but it doesn't quite have the force of personality as his greatest productions. Nevertheless, The Day qualifies as state-of-the-art mid-'90s soul, featuring a handful of terrific songs, and a lot of extremely pleasurable filler."[6] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly wrote that on the album, Babyface "immerses himself in the same hot-tub soul he's applied to everyone from Toni Braxton to Eric Clapton. All the Babyface trademarks — the crisp, unobtrusive percussion, the silky guitars, the harmonies that blanket the melodies like a quilt — are laid out like a three-piece suit. But more so than any previous album he’s made, The Day is chockful of luscious, gently persuasive songs, from doe-eyed testimonials to his devotion to misty childhood reminiscences.[7]

Track listing

The Day track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Every Time I Close My Eyes" (featuring Kenny G and Mariah Carey)Kenneth EdmondsBabyface4:56
2."Talk to Me"EdmondsBabyface4:54
3."I Said I Love You"EdmondsBabyface4:05
4."When Your Body Gets Weak"EdmondsBabyface5:40
5."Simple Days"
  • Babyface
  • Spalter[a]
4:31
6."All Day Thinkin'"Edmonds
  • Babyface
  • Gerald Baillergeau[a]
4:23
7."Seven Seas"Babyface4:02
8."The Day (That You Gave Me a Son)"EdmondsBabyface4:29
9."How Come, How Long" (featuring Stevie Wonder)
  • Edmonds
  • Wonder
Babyface5:15
10."This Is for the Lover in You" (featuring LL Cool J, Howard Hewett, Jody Watley, and Jeffrey Daniels)
  • Babyface
  • LL Cool J[a]
5:26
Total length:46:12
Bonus tracks (2001 reissue)
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
11."Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Timbaland Remix)Edmonds
4:50
12."Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Urban Soul Basement Mix)Edmonds
  • Babyface
  • Urban Soul[b]
4:40
13."This Is for the Lover in You" (Honey Lookin' Laced Extended Remix)
  • Hewett
  • Meyers
Babyface5:26

Notes

  • ^[a] denotes a co-producer
  • ^[b] denotes an additional producer

Personnel

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[13]

  • Engineered by Brad Gilderman and Thom Russo
  • Mixed by Jon Gass, Mick Guzauski and Bob Brockmann
  • Strings on "The Day" engineered by Humberto Gatica
  • Background vocals on "Every Time I Close My Eyes" engineered by Mike Scott
  • Mastered by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering
  • MIDI Programmer: Randy Walker
  • Production coordinator: Ivy Skoff
  • Art direction: Bennet/Novak and company
  • Design: Vincent Oto
  • Booklet and Spike Photography: Anton Corbijn
  • Cover photography: Beisig and Taylor
  • Styling: Bernard C. Jacobs
  • Grooming: Melvonne
  • Hair: Tim Carter

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[29] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[30] Platinum 100,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[31] Gold 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[32] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[1] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. "American album certifications – Babyface – The Day". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  2. "Babyface: The Day (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  3. "Babyface: The Day (Top R&B Albums)". Billboard.
  4. "Babyface: The Day". riaa.com.
  5. "Babyface". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
  6. "Babyface: The Day". allmusic.com.
  7. Browne, David (November 1, 1996). "MUSIC REVIEW > The Day > Kenneth Babyface Edmonds". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  8. Johnson, Connie (October 20, 1996). "Record Rack: Why Can't All Men Be Like Babyface?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  9. Springer, Jacqueline (December 1996). "Babyface: The Day" (PDF). Muzik. No. 19. p. 136. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022.
  10. Parales, John (November 24, 1996). "Silky Crooners Who Can Rap, Rest Assured". nytimes.com. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  11. Christgau, Robert (July 22, 1997). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  12. Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  13. The Day (booklet). Epic Records. 1996.
  14. "Australiancharts.com – Babyface – The Day". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  15. "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 64, No. 13" (PHP). RPM. November 11, 1996. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  16. "Dutchcharts.nl – Babyface – The Day" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  17. "Lescharts.com – Babyface – The Day". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  18. "Offiziellecharts.de – Babyface – The Day" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  19. "デイ/ベイビーフェイス-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック" [Highest position and charting weeks for The Day by Babyface]. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Original Confidence. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  20. "Charts.nz – Babyface – The Day". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  21. "Babyface | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  22. "Babyface Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  23. "Babyface Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  24. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  25. "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1997". aria.com.au. Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  26. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1997" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  27. "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End – 1997". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  28. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  29. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  30. "Canadian album certifications – Babyface – The Day". Music Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  31. "Japanese album certifications – Babyface – The Day" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan. Retrieved March 2, 2014. Select 1997年1月 on the drop-down menu
  32. "British album certifications – Babyface – The Day". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 2, 2014. Select albums in the Format field. Select Silver in the Certification field. Type The Day in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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