This article is about the Ruby & the Romantics single. For the 2010 French film, see Our Day Will Come (film). For the Irish Republican slogan translated as "Our Day Will Come", see Tiocfaidh ár lá.
The song's composers were hoping to place "Our Day Will Come" with an established easy listening act and only agreed to let the new R&B group Ruby & the Romantics record the song after Kapp Records' A&R director Al Stanton promised that, if the Ruby & the Romantics' single failed, Kapp would record the song with Jack Jones. Stanton cut two versions of "Our Day Will Come" with Ruby & the Romantics, one with a mid-tempo arrangement and the other in a bossa nova style; the latter version, featuring a Hammond organ solo, was selected for release as a single in December 1962 and reached #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 the week of March 23, 1963.[2] "Our Day Will Come" also charted at #11 in Australia and at #38 the United Kingdom.[3] The personnel on the original recording were: Leroy Glover on organ; Vinnie Bell, Al Gorgoni and Kenny Burrell on guitars; Russ Savakus on bass; Gary Chester on drums; and George Devens on percussion.
American singer Frankie Valli recorded and released "Our Day Will Come" in 1975. His rendition features Patti Austin on accompanying vocals. Cash Box said that "minimum use of strings on top as the artist’s cutting sound and super-fine alto sax provides that icing that balances out the broad bottom indigenous to disco dance depots."[11]
Valli's version reached #11 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and spent two weeks at #2 on the Adult Contemporary chart. Internationally, it also reached the #30 in Canada.
Record World called it "one of [Valli's] uniquely patented vocal workouts."[12]
Recorded for her 2003 debut album Frank, the Amy Winehouse remake of "Our Day Will Come" was first issued on the singer's posthumous compilation album Lioness: Hidden Treasures. The song was released to UK contemporary hit radio on November 2, 2011, as the album's second single,[21] Winehouse's first solo single release since "Love Is a Losing Game" in 2007 (a duet with Tony Bennett on "Body and Soul" had been issued as a single on September 14, 2011, which would have been her 28th birthday).
Producer Salaam Remi who had worked with Winehouse on her albums Frank and Back to Black, as well as on the posthumous compilation, stated that "Our Day Will Come" will serve as a poignant reminder of the star's talent. The music video for "Our Day Will Come": a montage of Winehouse throughout her career with clips from music videos, live performances and press coverage, was sent to UK music channels on 21 November 2011. Following the release of the music video, Winehouse's father tweeted: "I just almost watched Amy's 'Our Day Will Come' video. She is so lovely." Robert Copsey of Digital Spy gave the song four stars out of five and a positive review, stating:
That said, the thinking behind the decision to release Winehouse's rendition of Ruby and the Romantics' 1963 hit 'Our Day Will Come' quickly becomes apparent. Over a smoky melody and reggae-tinged beat she promises wistfully, "Our day will come, and we'll have everything," before professing her everlasting love for her beau. The result serves as a timely reminder that beneath the demons that plagued her final years, her raw talent was undeniable.[22]
^Burke, Ken (January 1, 1998). "Frankie Valli/Four Seasons". In Knopper, Steve (ed.). MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 465–466.