"Seven Whole Days" is a song performed by American singer

Toni Braxton Toni Michele Braxton (born October 7, 1967) is an American Contemporary R&B, R&B singer, songwriter, actress and television personality. She has sold over 70 million records worldwide and is one of the best-selling female artists in history. ...

. It serves as the third single from her self-titled debut album (1993). It was released on October 8, 1993 by

LaFace LaFace Records was an American record label based in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated as a unit of Sony Music Entertainment from 2008 to 2011 and was historically a part of Bertelsmann Music Group from 1989 to 2004. It was most active and achie ...

and

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

. Written and produced by

Kenneth Edmonds Kenneth Brian Edmonds (born April 10, 1959), better known by his stage name Babyface, is an American singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has written and produced over 26 number-one R&B hits throughout his career and has won 12 Grammy A ...

Antonio Reid Antonio Marquis "L.A." Reid (born June 7, 1956) is an American record executive, A&R representative, and record producer. He is the founder and served as co-chairman of Hitco Entertainment. He also previously served as the chairman and CEO of Ep ...

and

Daryl Simmons Daryl L. Simmons is an American R&B musician, songwriter and record producer, who worked with the production duo of L.A. Reid and Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds. In 1977–1980 Daryl, with Manchild (band) recorded 2 soul & funk albums & the minor h ...

, the track describes a romance that was fading. As the single was not commercially released in the United States, it was ineligible to chart on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, and only managed to chart on the

Hot 100 Airplay The Radio Songs chart (previously named Hot 100 Airplay until 2014 and Top 40 Radio Monitor until 1991) is released weekly by ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' magazine and measures the airplay of songs being played on radio stations throughout ...

at number forty-eight in early March 1994. Nevertheless, it successfully topped the

Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay (previously known as Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay) is a chart published by ''Billboard'' magazine that ranks the top R&B and hip hop songs in the United States, based on audience impressions from a panel of radio stations monitored ...

in late January 1994. "Seven Whole Days" is featured on

The Essential Toni Braxton ''The Essential Toni Braxton'' is a compilation album by the American recording artist Toni Braxton in Sony BMG's ''The Essential'' series. Released in February 2007, it follows the earlier compilations ''Ultimate Toni Braxton'', released in 2003, ...

and Playlist: The Very Best of Toni Braxton.

Critical reception

In his review of ''

'', John Martinucci from the ''

Gavin Report The ''Gavin Report'' was a San Francisco-based radio industry trade publication. The publication was founded by radio performer Bill Gavin in 1958. Its Top 40 listings were used for many years by programmers to decide content of programs. The pu ...

'' said that Braxton "creates steamy sensuality" with "Seven Whole Days". Caroline Sullivan from ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

'' noted the singer's "a boys-beware growl" on the "easy-going" track. Pan-European magazine ''

Music & Media ''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...

'' wrote that it "could melt even the

North Pole The North Pole, also known as the Geographic North Pole or Terrestrial North Pole, is the point in the Northern Hemisphere where the Earth's axis of rotation meets its surface. It is called the True North Pole to distinguish from the Mag ...

." Ralph Tee from ''

Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...

s ''RM'' Dance Update stated that it is "the closest Toni gets to

Anita Baker Anita Denise Baker (born January 26, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter. She is one of the most popular singers of soulful ballads, especially renowned for her work during the height of the quiet storm period in the 1980s. Starting her career ...

territory vocally."

Music video

The official

music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotion (marketing), promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a m ...

for "Seven Whole Days" was shot while Braxton was on tour with her four sisters Traci, Towanda,

Trina Katrina Laverne Taylor (born December 3, 1978), known professionally as Trina, is an American rapper. She rose to prominence in 1998 with her appearance on the Trick Daddy single "Nann Nigga". Trina has been described by '' XXL'' as "the most ...

and Tamar featured as background singers. It was released in 1993 and directed by Lionel C. Martin. The video was later released on Braxton's

VEVO Vevo ( , an abbreviation for "Video Evolution", stylized as VEVO until 2013) is an American multinational video hosting service, best known for providing music videos to YouTube. The service is also available as an app on selected smart TVs, di ...

channel on October 25, 2009, and is in both color and black and white. It has amassed more than 19 million views as of October 2021.

Track listing

* US Vinyl, 12", 33 ⅓ RPM (73008-24063-1) #A1 "Seven Whole Days" (Ghetto Vibe) – 6:35 #A2 "Seven Whole Days" (Ghetto Vibe Instrumental) – 6:36 #B1 "Seven Whole Days" (Album Version) – 6:22 #B2 "Seven Whole Days" (Live Version) – 6:15 #B3 "The Christmas Song" – 3:25 * US Promo CD (LFPCD-4062) #"Seven Whole Days" (Radio Edit) – 4:42 #"Seven Whole Days" (Live Radio Edit) – 4:42 #"Seven Whole Days" (Album Version) – 6:22 #"Seven Whole Days" (Live Version) – 6:15 #"Seven Whole Days" (Ghetto Vibe) – 6:35 #"Seven Whole Days" (Quiet Mix) – 6:12 #"

The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire) "The Christmas Song" (commonly subtitled "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire" or, as it was originally subtitled, "Merry Christmas to You") is a classic Christmas song written in 1945 by Robert Wells and Mel Tormé. The Nat King Cole Trio fir ...

" – 3:25

Credits and personnel

Credits taken from Discogs website. ; Performers and musicians *Toni Braxton - Vocals, Background *Keisha Jackson - Background (tracks 1–6) *Pamela Copeland - Background (tracks 1–6) *Tammy Davis - Background (tracks 1–6) ; Technical personnel *A&R - Bryant Reid *Engineer - Jim "Z" Zumpano *Engineer, Mixing and Programming - John Frye (tracks 1–6) *Executive Producer - L.A Reid and Babyface (tracks 1–6) *Written by - L.A Reid and Babyface (tracks 1–6) *Published By - ECAF, Sony Songs Inc., Cuff Link Music, Edwin H. Morris & Co.

Charts

Cover versions

In 2002, bassist Michael Manson presented his version from his album "The Bottom Line." Saxophonist

Steve Cole Steve Cole (born August 17, 1970) is an American smooth jazz saxophonist. He is also a professor/adviser of music business at the University of St. Thomas. Early career and education Cole was born in Chicago, Illinois and began to play music ...

is a special guest on this song.

References

{{Authority control 1990s ballads 1993 singles Contemporary R&B ballads Songs written by Babyface (musician) Songs written by L.A. Reid Toni Braxton songs Song recordings produced by Babyface (musician) 1993 songs Song recordings produced by L.A. Reid Song recordings produced by Daryl Simmons Arista Records singles LaFace Records singles Songs about heartache Soul ballads