"One Fine Day" is a song written by

Gerry Goffin Gerald Goffin (February 11, 1939 – June 19, 2014) was an American lyricist. Collaborating initially with his first wife, Carole King, he co-wrote many international pop hits of the early and mid-1960s, including the US No.1 hits " Will You Lo ...

and

Carole King Carole King Klein (born Carol Joan Klein; February 9, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and musician who has been active since 1958, initially as one of the staff songwriters at 1650 Broadway and later as a solo artist. Regarded as one ...

. It first became a popular hit in the summer of 1963 for American

girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of wh ...

the Chiffons, who reached the top five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. In 1980, King covered it herself and charted at No. 12 on the Hot 100 with her version, becoming her last top 40 hit. The song has subsequently been covered by numerous artists over the years.

The Chiffons version

Background

Goffin and King were inspired by the title of the aria "Un bel di vedremo" from the Puccini opera ''

Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...

''. Intended for Little Eva, "One Fine Day" was prepped as a demo by Goffin and King with King providing a guide vocal but – despite a propulsive piano riff courtesy of King – Goffin and King were unable to construct a viable arrangement and eventually gave up, passing the song to

The Tokens The Tokens were an American doo-wop band and record production company group from Brooklyn, New York City. The group has had four top 40 hits on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, all in the 1960s, their biggest being the chart-topping 1961 hit si ...

who had recently produced the #1 hit "

He's So Fine "He's So Fine" is a song written by Ronnie Mack. It was recorded by The Chiffons who topped the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 for four weeks in the spring of 1963. One of the most instantly recognizable golden oldies with its ''doo-lang doo-lang doo-la ...

" by The Chiffons for whom it was thought another "fine" song had hit potential. The piano work by King (whose vocal was erased) was retained for The Chiffons' recording and King attended the session at which The Chiffons recorded their vocals. However the Tokens radically re-worked the Goffin/King demo of "One Fine Day" for The Chiffons' version; Gerry Goffin commented that the Tokens "really earned their production credit". The personnel on the original recording included Carl Lynch and Charles Marcy on guitar, Dick Romoff on bass,

Artie Kaplan Artie Kaplan is an American recording artist, songwriter and a session musician. He has also been a music contractor where he was hired to musicians for sessions. In the 1960s, he was casting musicians for sessions for Aldon Music. When musicia ...

, Sid Jekowsky, and Joe Grimaldi on sax, and Gary Chester and

Buddy Saltzman Buddy Saltzman (born Hilliard Saltzman; October 17, 1924 – April 30, 2012) was an American session drummer who played on many hit songs during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s. He is especially remembered for his work with The Four Seasons. On "Daw ...

on drums.

Reception

"One Fine Day" by the Chiffons reached No. 5 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100: its R&B chart peak was No. 6. The single was an international hit charting in the UK (#29),

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

(#18), and New Zealand (#6). The Chiffons' "One Fine Day" was ranked #460 on '' Rolling Stone Magazine''s list of

The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time" is a recurring survey compiled by the American magazine ''Rolling Stone''. It is based on weighted votes from selected musicians, critics, and industry figures. The first list was published in December 2004 in ...

. ''

Cash Box ''Cashbox'', also known as ''Cash Box'', was an American music industry trade magazine, originally published weekly from July 1942 to November 1996. Ten years after its dissolution, it was revived and continues as ''Cashbox Magazine'', an onli ...

'' described it as "a sizzling, rock-a-twist’er...that the femmes and their ork support belt in ultra-commercial fashion" with "infectious keyboard work." The Chiffons' placing two "fine" songs in the top ten motivated the Tokens to especially prep the group's next single "A Love So Fine" which only managed a #40 peak. ''Billboard'' named the song #27 on their list of 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time.

Soundtracks

The Chiffons' version has made numerous soundtrack appearances including: '' Fingers'' (1978), ''

The Hollywood Knights ''The Hollywood Knights'' is a 1980 American teen comedy film written and directed by Floyd Mutrux depicting the crass and mischievous antics and practical jokes of the remaining members of a 1950s-era car club turned social fraternity in and aro ...

'' (1980), ''

The Flamingo Kid ''The Flamingo Kid'' is a 1984 American romantic comedy film directed by Garry Marshall and produced by Michael Phillips. It stars Matt Dillon, Richard Crenna, Héctor Elizondo and Jessica Walter. The film tells the story of a working class boy ...

'' (1984), ''

Desperately Seeking Susan ''Desperately Seeking Susan'' is a 1985 American comedy-drama film directed by Susan Seidelman and starring Rosanna Arquette, Aidan Quinn and Madonna. Set in New York City, the plot involves the interaction between two women – a bored housew ...

'' (the track's classic piano riff opens the film) (1985), ''

A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon ''A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon'', also known as ''Aren't You Even Gonna Kiss Me Goodbye?'', is a 1988 American coming of age drama film written and directed by William Richert and starring River Phoenix, Ann Magnuson, Meredith Salenger, M ...

'' (1988), '' The Joy Luck Club'' (1993), the 1996 film '' One Fine Day'', ''

Riding in Cars with Boys ''Riding in Cars with Boys'' is a 2001 American biographical film based on the autobiography of the same name by Beverly Donofrio, about a woman who overcame difficulties, including being a teen mother, and who later earned a master's degree. The ...

'' (2001), '' The Wedding Date'' (2005), '' And When Did You Last See Your Father?'' (2007) and '' Flipped'' (2010). The song is also featured in ''

The Simpsons ''The Simpsons'' is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical depiction of American life, epitomized by the Simpson family, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, ...

'' episode "

Bart the Murderer "Bart the Murderer" is the fourth episode of the third season of the American animated television series ''The Simpsons''. It originally aired on the Fox network in the United States on October 10, 1991. In the episode, Bart stumbles upon a Mafia ...

" and at the conclusion of the ''Pen15'' episode "Opening Night" (2020).

Carole King version

Background

had the only major hit remake of her own composition when she recorded "One Fine Day" for her studio album '' Pearls: Songs of Goffin and King'' which mostly comprised King's renditions of pop music she had co-written with

Reception

Prior to the song's official release, ''Billboard'' described the backing instruments as "hot and tight" but said that King's voice was too mature to be "believable" in expressing the youthful sentiment of the song. King's version of "One Fine Day" reached No. 12 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in the summer of 1980. Her cover of "One Fine Day" was ranked at #73 on ''Billboards list of the top 100 hits of 1980;. The single also reached No. 19 on the ''Cashbox'' chart. Despite the single's success, it has not been included on King's "best of" compilations.

Other versions

*The French-language rendering of "One Fine Day", "Un beau jour" was a 1963 single release for Jacky Moulière ( fr) becoming his most successful single with a peak of #20 on the hit parade for France. The track was also included on Moulière's 1964 self-titled album release. *

Jimmy Fontana Jimmy Fontana (13 November 1934 – 11 September 2013) was an Italian actor, composer and singer-songwriter. Two of his most famous songs are " Che sarà", performed also by José Feliciano with Ricchi e Poveri, and " Il Mondo". Biography Born ...

("Una Sola" Italian: album ''Jimmy Fontana'' 1963). * The Fouryo's ( nl) ("Op Een Dag" Dutch 1963). *

The Mindbenders The Mindbenders were an English beat group from Manchester, England. Originally the backing group for Wayne Fontana, they were one of several acts that were successful in the mid-1960s British Invasion of the US charts, achieving major chart ...

cut a version of "One Fine Day" which served as the B-side of their #28 UK hit "Can't Live with You (Can't Live Without You)" (1966). *

Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is an Indian-born British musican, singer, producer, entrepreneur and philanthropist who holds both British and Barbadian citizenship. He has total sales of over 21.5 million ...

on album '' Don't Stop Me Now!'' (1967). *In 1967 Ken Sparkes, then a

dee jay is a fictional character in the ''Street Fighter'' series. He made his first appearance in the 1993's '' Super Street Fighter II'' as one of the four new characters introduced in the game. In the series, he is a Jamaican kickboxer and karateka ...

3AK 3AK is the call sign of SEN 1116, an earlier the on-air name of a former Melbourne talk-back radio and music station, which, in 2003, leased its licence to sports network SEN 1116. A number of unusual events and precedents throughout the stati ...

Radio in Melbourne, recorded a version of "One Fine Day" which that March reached the Melbourne hit parade at #49, ranking at #86 on the chart for Australia. * Doris on album ''Svenssons Doris!'' (1969). *

Helena Vondráčková Helena Vondráčková (born 24 June 1947, in Prague) is a Czech singer whose career has spanned five decades. Early life/career Beginnings Vondráčková spent her childhood years in the town of Slatiňany. She took piano lessons from an ea ...

("První krásný den" Czech 1970). *

Bo Donaldson and the Heywoods Bo Donaldson and The Heywoods are an American pop music group, known mainly for their 1970s hit singles, "Billy Don't Be a Hero" and "Who Do You Think You Are". History The band was formed in Cincinnati, Ohio in 1965 by their leader, Robert Wa ...

on album ''Special Someone'' (1972). *

David Lasley David Eldon Lasley (August 20, 1947 – December 9, 2021) was an American recording artist, singer, musician and songwriter. He was best known as a touring background singer for James Taylor, as a session singer on recordings by artists including ...

in 1973. *

The Carpenters The Carpenters (officially known as Carpenters) were an American vocal and instrumental duo consisting of siblings Karen (1950–1983) and Richard Carpenter (born 1946). They produced a distinct, soft, musical style, combining Karen's contr ...

on album '' Now and Then'' (1973). *The first remake of "One Fine Day" to chart in the US was that by veteran cabaret singer Julie Budd whose disco version – credited to Julie – reached #93 in 1976; Budd's only charting track, "One Fine Day" was produced by top '60s producer

Herb Bernstein Herb Bernstein is an American record producer, composer, arranger, and conductor. Professional life Herb Bernstein arranged and produced records in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s for Laura Nyro, John Denver, Joel Grey, The Four Seasons, Bob Dylan, ...

. The version of "One Fine Day" by

Julie Budd Julie Budd (born May 7, 1954) is an American recording artist and actress. Early life and education Budd was born Edith Erdman in Brooklyn, New York, the second of three daughters of Joan and Saul Erdman, a bottling company executive. She att ...

is featured in the film ''

The Driver ''The Driver'' is a 1978 American neo-noir crime thriller film written and directed by Walter Hill. It stars Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern, and Isabelle Adjani. O'Neal is the getaway driver for robberies whose exceptional talent has prevented him be ...

'' (1978). *"One Fine Day" next charted in the autumn of 1979 for

Rita Coolidge Rita Coolidge (born May 1, 1945) is an American recording artist. During the 1970s and 1980s, her songs were on ''Billboard'' magazine's pop, country, adult contemporary, and jazz charts, and she won two Grammy Awards with fellow musician and the ...

whose version, prominently featuring Michael McDonald, reached #66 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and #15 on ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large adverti ...

Easy Listening chart The Adult Contemporary chart is published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and lists the most popular songs on adult contemporary radio stations in the United States. The chart is compiled based on airplay data submitted to ''Billboard'' by sta ...

. Coolidge's version of "One Fine Day" also reached #68 in Australia. *

Susie Allanson Susan Allanson (born March 17, 1952 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an American country music actress, recording artist and writer. Susie was raised in Southern California and lived in Las Vegas for the early part of her life. Before beginning her ...

on album ''Heart to Heart'' (1979). * Kids Incorporated covered the song in 1985 in the Season 2 episode "No Rhyme or Reason". Kids Incorporated covered "One Fine Day" again in 1987 in the Season 4 episode "Win A Date With Renee". *

The Nylons The Nylons are an a cappella group founded in 1978 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, best known for their covers of pop songs such as The Turtles' " Happy Together", Steam's "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye", and The Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight ...

on album ''4 On the Floor - Live in Concert'' (1991). * Even in Blackouts on album ''Zeitgeit's Echo'' (2005). *"One Fine Day" served as title cut for a 2005 release by Sandy Posey on which she returned to the

countrypolitan The Nashville Sound originated during the mid-1950s as a subgenre of American country music, replacing the chart dominance of the rough honky tonk music, which was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s, with "smooth strings and choruses", "sophist ...

sound of her own 1960s successes via covers of classic pop hits. *

Natalie Merchant Natalie Anne Merchant (born October 26, 1963) is an American alternative rock singer-songwriter. She joined the band 10,000 Maniacs in 1981 and was lead vocalist and primary lyricist for the group. She remained with the group for their first se ...

did an acoustic-style remake of the Chiffons' hit for the 1996 film '' One Fine Day''. The

romcom Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

featured her song as its theme. * S Club Juniors on album ''Together'' (2002). *

Liane Carroll Liane Carroll (born 9 February 1964, London) is an English vocalist, pianist and keyboardist. Jazz critic Dave Gelly of ''The Observer'' has described her as "one of the most stylistically flexible pianists around, with a marvellous, slightl ...

on album ''Slow Down'' (2007). *

Rachael MacFarlane Rachael Ann MacFarlane Laudiero (born March 21, 1976) is an American voice actress and singer. Her voice credits include Hayley Smith on the animated television show ''American Dad!'', Supreme Leader Numbuh 362 in the television series '' Code ...

on album ''Hayley Sings'' (2012). *

Bette Midler Bette Midler (;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American singer, actress, comedian and author. Throughout her career, which spans over five decades, Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Be ...

on album '' It's the Girls!'' (2014). *

The Mountain Goats The Mountain Goats are an American band formed in Claremont, California, by singer-songwriter John Darnielle. The band is currently based in Durham, North Carolina. For many years, the sole member of the Mountain Goats was Darnielle, despite the ...

. *

Aaron Neville Aaron Joseph Neville (born January 24, 1941) is a retired American R&B and soul singer. He has had four platinum albums and four Top 10 hits in the United States, including three that reached number one on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart. ...

. *

Darren Criss Darren Everett Criss (born February 5, 1987) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. He rose to fame starring on the television series ''Glee'' (2010–2015) and received Emmy and Golden Globe acting awards for his leading role as spree ...

recorded a version of the song to celebrate the fourth production of ''

Elsie Fest Elsie Fest is an annual music festival in New York City co-created and produced by Darren Criss, Ricky Rollins, Lea Michele, and Jordan Roth. The yearly festival is touted as "New York City’s first outdoor music festival celebrating tunes from t ...

'' (2018).

References

{{Authority control 1963 songs 1963 singles 1980 singles The Chiffons songs Carole King songs Rita Coolidge songs Songs with lyrics by Gerry Goffin Songs written by Carole King Capitol Records singles Laurie Records singles