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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.[2] 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.[3][4] The Day was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA),[5] and received Grammy Award nominations for Album of the Year and Best R&B Album respectively.[6]

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.[6] 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[7]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[8]
Los Angeles Times[9]
Muzik[10]
The New York Times(Mixed)[11]
The Village VoiceA−[12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[13]

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."[7] 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.[8]

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.[14]

  • 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 Certification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[30] Gold 35,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[31] Platinum 100,000^
Japan (RIAJ)[32] Gold 100,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[33] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[2] 2× Platinum 2,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ https://books.google.com/books?id=wQkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA30&dq=Every+time+I+close+my+eyes&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj2no3r1aGMAxWoM9AFHRIbHe44HhDoAXoECAcQAw#v=onepage&q=Every%20time%20I%20close%20my%20eyes&f=
  2. ^ a b "American album certifications – Babyface – The Day". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  3. ^ "Babyface: The Day (Billboard 200)". Billboard.
  4. ^ "Babyface: The Day (Top R&B Albums)". Billboard.
  5. ^ "Babyface: The Day". riaa.com.
  6. ^ a b "Babyface". grammy.com. The Recording Academy.
  7. ^ a b "Babyface: The Day". allmusic.com.
  8. ^ a b Browne, David (November 1, 1996). "MUSIC REVIEW > The Day > Kenneth Babyface Edmonds". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  9. ^ Johnson, Connie (October 20, 1996). "Record Rack: Why Can't All Men Be Like Babyface?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  10. ^ 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.
  11. ^ Parales, John (November 24, 1996). "Silky Crooners Who Can Rap, Rest Assured". nytimes.com. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  12. ^ Christgau, Robert (July 22, 1997). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  13. ^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. ISBN 9780743201698. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  14. ^ The Day (booklet). Epic Records. 1996.
  15. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Babyface – The Day". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  16. ^ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 64, No. 13" (PHP). RPM. November 11, 1996. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  17. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Babyface – The Day" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  18. ^ "Lescharts.com – Babyface – The Day". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  19. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Babyface – The Day" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  20. ^ "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.
  21. ^ "Charts.nz – Babyface – The Day". Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  22. ^ "Babyface | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  23. ^ "Babyface Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  24. ^ "Babyface Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
  25. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1996". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  26. ^ "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.
  27. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1997" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2014.
  28. ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End – 1997". Billboard. Retrieved September 9, 2020.
  29. ^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1997". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  30. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved March 2, 2014.
  31. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Babyface – The Day". Music Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  32. ^ "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
  33. ^ "British album certifications – Babyface – The Day". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved March 2, 2014.