Perfect Day
Encyclopedia
"Perfect Day" is a song written by Lou Reed
in 1972, originally featured on Transformer
, Reed's second post-Velvet Underground solo album. Its fame was given a boost in the 1990s when it was featured in the 1996 film Trainspotting
, and after its release as a star-studded BBC
charity single in 1997, which became the UK's number one single for three weeks. Reed re-recorded the song for his 2003 album The Raven.
A cover recorded by Duran Duran
reached #28 on the UK Singles Chart
in 1995.
, with guitarist Mick Ronson
providing the arrangement.
The song has a sombre vocal delivery and slow, piano-based instrumental backing balancing tones of sweet nostalgia ("it's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spent it with you") with an undercurrent of menace ("you're gonna reap just what you sow"). The line alludes to Galatians
6:7: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
The song's lyrics are often considered to suggest simple, conventional romantic devotion, possibly alluding to Reed's relationship with Bettye Kronstadt (soon to become his first wife) and Reed’s own conflicts with his sexuality
, drug use, and ego.
Some commentators have further seen the lyrical subtext as displaying Reed's romanticized attitude towards a period of his own addiction to heroin; this popular understanding of the song as an ode to addiction
led to its inclusion in the soundtrack for Trainspotting
, a film about the lives of heroin users.
Reed's original recording was featured on an AT&T
commercial featuring snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler
that ran during the 2010 Olympics.
of "Perfect Day" was the first single from the Duran Duran
covers album Thank You
. It reached #28 on the UK Singles Chart
in 1995.
Lou Reed has been cited as an inspiration by several members of Duran Duran, and the album Thank You was intended to be a tribute to the band's influences, in the style of David Bowie
's Pin Ups
.
The song featured a rare appearance by Duran Duran's first drummer Roger Taylor, who left the band at the height of their fame in 1986, and had had little contact with them in the ten years afterward. He joined Duran Duran in the studio to record "Perfect Day", "Watching the Detectives
" and "Jeepster
" for the covers album. Taylor also appeared in the video and in a promotional appearance on Top of the Pops
.
Backing vocals were provided by longtime Duran Duran collaborator Tessa Niles
. The recording was produced by John Jones
and David Richards
, with additional programming by Mark Tinley
.
The music video
was filmed in February 1995 by director Nick Egan
, and first aired in March. It featured the band with their instruments inside the box of a sound stage
lined with vivid red walls, and the video is intensely saturated
, even overexposed
at times. Clips of a melancholy Simon Le Bon
singing, and other band members performing or reacting to the lyrics, are interspersed with snippets of surreal images. The camera occasionally pulls back to show the entire stage structure and its supports, increasing the sense of unreality.
The single was released in several versions, including numerous different remixes of the title track and other Duran Duran songs. In addition to the single and the Thank You album, the song also appeared in Duran Duran's Singles Box Set 1986–1995, released in 2004.
On Duran Duran's episode of Behind the Music
, Reed admitted that their version might be better than his original version, saying, "I think Duran Duran's version of 'Perfect Day' is possibly the best rerecording of a song of mine. I'm not sure that I sang it as well as Simon [Le Bon
] sang it. I think he sings it better than I [did]. If I could've sung it the way he did, I would've. It wasn't from lack of trying. They recorded it the way I meant [to record] it, which is a real big thrill for me, so thank you, Duran Duran."
ice cream cone cover.
The bonus track
s on the double CD set issued in the US and the UK included two more covers which were not included on the album: "The Needle and the Damage Done
", originally by Neil Young
, and "Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile)
" originally by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
.
With:
Also credited:
covered the song on her second album The Gift
and also released it on 8 November 2010 as a single.
at the last minute. She had planned to sing Perfect Day, but two hours before the show, she was told that Lou Reed had intervened, refusing her permission to perform his song and to include it on her forthcoming album The Gift. As she and her choir didn't have time to rehearse another number, she decided to cancel her performance. A couple of days later, representatives of Lou Reed stated that he had nothing to do with the decision and that it was just a licensing glitch.
A couple of weeks later, Lou Reed agreed not only to let her include the song on The Gift, but also to produce her music video of the song. It was shot on the banks of Loch Lomond
and premiered on 7 November 2010.
. She also performed this again at the 82nd Royal Variety Performance, performed on the 9th December 2010.
s of "Perfect Day" have been recorded by various artists.
Live covers:
Dutch-language covers
Lou Reed
Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed is an American rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of The Velvet Underground, and for his successful solo career, which has spanned several decades...
in 1972, originally featured on Transformer
Transformer (album)
Transformer is the second studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in November 1972.-Background:Unlike its predecessor, Lou Reed, eight songs of which were written during his Velvet Underground days, Transformer contains mainly new material...
, Reed's second post-Velvet Underground solo album. Its fame was given a boost in the 1990s when it was featured in the 1996 film Trainspotting
Trainspotting (film)
Trainspotting is a 1996 British satirical/drama film directed by Danny Boyle based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh. The movie follows a group of heroin addicts in a late 1980s economically depressed area of Edinburgh and their passage through life...
, and after its release as a star-studded BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
charity single in 1997, which became the UK's number one single for three weeks. Reed re-recorded the song for his 2003 album The Raven.
A cover recorded by Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
reached #28 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1995.
About the song
The original recording, like the rest of the Transformer album, was produced by David BowieDavid Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
, with guitarist Mick Ronson
Mick Ronson
Michael "Mick" Ronson was an English guitarist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, arranger and producer. He is best known for his work with David Bowie, as one of The Spiders from Mars...
providing the arrangement.
The song has a sombre vocal delivery and slow, piano-based instrumental backing balancing tones of sweet nostalgia ("it's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spent it with you") with an undercurrent of menace ("you're gonna reap just what you sow"). The line alludes to Galatians
Epistle to the Galatians
The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, often shortened to Galatians, is the ninth book of the New Testament. It is a letter from Paul of Tarsus to a number of Early Christian communities in the Roman province of Galatia in central Anatolia...
6:7: "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap."
The song's lyrics are often considered to suggest simple, conventional romantic devotion, possibly alluding to Reed's relationship with Bettye Kronstadt (soon to become his first wife) and Reed’s own conflicts with his sexuality
Human male sexuality
Human male sexuality covers physiological, psychological, social, cultural, and political aspects of the human male sexual response and related phenomenon...
, drug use, and ego.
Some commentators have further seen the lyrical subtext as displaying Reed's romanticized attitude towards a period of his own addiction to heroin; this popular understanding of the song as an ode to addiction
Substance dependence
The section about substance dependence in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders does not use the word addiction at all. It explains:...
led to its inclusion in the soundtrack for Trainspotting
Trainspotting (soundtrack)
-Trainspotting #2: Music from the Motion Picture, Vol. #2:-Complete soundtrack list:The following is a complete list of songs that appear in Trainspotting in order of appearance:#"Lust for Life" - Iggy Pop#"Carmen Suite No.2" - Georges Bizet...
, a film about the lives of heroin users.
Reed's original recording was featured on an AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
commercial featuring snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler
Gretchen Bleiler
Gretchen Bleiler is an American professional halfpipe snowboarder. She currently resides in Aspen, Colorado and is married to Chris Hotell.-Career:...
that ran during the 2010 Olympics.
BBC corporate film and charity release
A cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
of "Perfect Day" was the first single from the Duran Duran
Duran Duran
Duran Duran are an English band, formed in Birmingham in 1978. They were one of the most successful bands of the 1980s and a leading band in the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" of the United States...
covers album Thank You
Thank You (Duran Duran album)
Thank You is a covers album by Duran Duran released in April 1995, their follow-up to 1993's Duran Duran . It did well on the charts , but was received very negatively by critics...
. It reached #28 on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
in 1995.
Lou Reed has been cited as an inspiration by several members of Duran Duran, and the album Thank You was intended to be a tribute to the band's influences, in the style of David Bowie
David Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
's Pin Ups
Pin Ups
- Personnel :* David Bowie – vocals, guitar, tenor and alto saxophone, harmonica, arrangements, backing vocals, Moog synthesizer* Mick Ronson – guitar, piano, vocals, arrangements* Trevor Bolder – bass* Aynsley Dunbar – drums- Additional personnel :...
.
The song featured a rare appearance by Duran Duran's first drummer Roger Taylor, who left the band at the height of their fame in 1986, and had had little contact with them in the ten years afterward. He joined Duran Duran in the studio to record "Perfect Day", "Watching the Detectives
Watching the Detectives (song)
"Watching the Detectives" is a 1977 single by English singer-songwriter Elvis Costello. It was his first single that credited his backing band, the Attractions, and gave him his first UK hit single...
" and "Jeepster
Jeepster (song)
"Jeepster" was a 1971 single by the British glam rock band T. Rex, both taken from the group's second album, Electric Warrior....
" for the covers album. Taylor also appeared in the video and in a promotional appearance on Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops
Top of the Pops, also known as TOTP, is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly from 1 January 1964 to 30 July 2006. After 25 December 2006 it became a radio program, now hosted by Tony Blackburn...
.
Backing vocals were provided by longtime Duran Duran collaborator Tessa Niles
Tessa Niles
Tessa Niles is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of artists.-Early life and career:Born in Kent, Niles began her professional singing career, as both a lead and a backing vocalist, in 1979...
. The recording was produced by John Jones
John Jones (record producer)
John Idris Jones is a musician and record producer who has worked with Duran Duran and many high-profile rock and pop musicians.-Background:...
and David Richards
David Richards (record producer)
David Richards is an English-born Swiss-based record producer, engineer and musician. In the Mountain Studios in Montreux, owned by the rock band Queen, and in Attalens he engineered and co-produced many albums by Queen, David Bowie and other artists. Richards also played keyboards on some records...
, with additional programming by Mark Tinley
Mark Tinley
Mark Ty-Wharton is a British author, composer and philosophical speaker who specialises in presentations using sound art....
.
The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was filmed in February 1995 by director Nick Egan
Nick Egan
Nick Egan is a visual design artist, and director of music videos, commercials and film. He graduated from the Watford College of Art and Design with a DGA in 1976...
, and first aired in March. It featured the band with their instruments inside the box of a sound stage
Sound stage
In common usage, a sound stage is a soundproof, hangar-like structure, building, or room, used for the production of theatrical filmmaking and television production, usually located on a secure movie studio property.-Overview:...
lined with vivid red walls, and the video is intensely saturated
Saturation (color theory)
In colorimetry and color theory, colorfulness, chroma, and saturation are related but distinct concepts referring to the perceived intensity of a specific color. Colorfulness is the degree of difference between a color and gray. Chroma is the colorfulness relative to the brightness of another color...
, even overexposed
Clipping (photography)
In digital photography and digital video, clipping is a result of capturing or processing an image where the intensity in a certain area falls outside the minimum and maximum intensity which can be represented. It is an instance of signal clipping in the image domain...
at times. Clips of a melancholy Simon Le Bon
Simon Le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
singing, and other band members performing or reacting to the lyrics, are interspersed with snippets of surreal images. The camera occasionally pulls back to show the entire stage structure and its supports, increasing the sense of unreality.
The single was released in several versions, including numerous different remixes of the title track and other Duran Duran songs. In addition to the single and the Thank You album, the song also appeared in Duran Duran's Singles Box Set 1986–1995, released in 2004.
On Duran Duran's episode of Behind the Music
Behind the Music
Behind the Music is a television series on VH1. It originally ran from 1997 to 2006, before it was stopped and only aired new episodes sporadically. The series places its generality on documentation of musical artists or groups who are interviewed and profiled, and discuss how their careers became...
, Reed admitted that their version might be better than his original version, saying, "I think Duran Duran's version of 'Perfect Day' is possibly the best rerecording of a song of mine. I'm not sure that I sang it as well as Simon [Le Bon
Simon Le Bon
Simon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
] sang it. I think he sings it better than I [did]. If I could've sung it the way he did, I would've. It wasn't from lack of trying. They recorded it the way I meant [to record] it, which is a real big thrill for me, so thank you, Duran Duran."
B-sides, bonus tracks and remixes
The UK release included a 2-CD set ("Part 1" and "Part 2"), containing different mixes and bonus tracks, sold both separately and together. A limited edition release included a scratch and sniffScratch and sniff
Scratch and sniff technology generally refers to things that have been treated with a microfragrance coating. When scratched, the coating releases an odor that is normally related to an image being displayed under the coating...
ice cream cone cover.
The bonus track
Bonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
s on the double CD set issued in the US and the UK included two more covers which were not included on the album: "The Needle and the Damage Done
The Needle and the Damage Done
"The Needle and the Damage Done" is a song by Neil Young that describes the descent into heroin addiction of musicians he knew. It was written about the heroin use of his Crazy Horse guitarist Danny Whitten, and previews the theme of "Tonight's the Night", a song that addresses the heroin overdose...
", originally by Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
, and "Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile)
Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)
"Make Me Smile " is a song written and recorded by Steve Harley. It was originally recorded by his band Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel on the album The Best Years of Our Lives and released as a single in 1975...
" originally by Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel are an English rock band from the early 1970s. Their music covers a range of styles from pop to progressive rock. Over the years they have had five albums in the UK Albums Chart and twelve singles in the UK Singles Chart.-Career:...
.
CD: Parlophone CD DD 20 (UK)
- "Perfect Day" – 3:53
- "Love Voodoo" (remix) – 7:36
- "The Needle and the Damage Done" – 2:03
- "911 is a Joke" (alternative version) – 3:49
CD: Parlophone CD DDS 20 (UK)
- "Perfect Day" – 3:53
- "Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile)" – 4:56
- "Perfect Day" (acoustic version) – 3:44
- "Femme Fatale" (alternative mix) – 4:14
- This CD came in a 2-CD case that also housed CD DD 20.
CD: Capitol C2 7243 8 58392 2 1 (US)
- "Perfect Day" (album version) – 3:44
- "White Lines" (live version) – 5:33
- "White Lines" (Oakland Funk Edit) – 4:24
- "White Lines" (Junior's Freestyle Edit) – 4:06
- "None of the Above" (Remix) – 4:07
- "White Lines" (live version) recorded at Wembley ArenaWembley ArenaWembley Arena is an indoor arena, at Wembley, in the London Borough of Brent. The building is opposite Wembley Stadium.-History:...
, London April 1994.
CD: Capitol C2 7243 8 58393 2 0 (US)
- "Perfect Day" (acoustic version) – 3:25
- "White Lines" (Junior's House Mix Edit) – 4:02
- "White Lines" (Global Groove Edit) – 3:56
- "White Lines" (Blizzard Mix) – 4:35
- "The Needle and the Damage Done" – 2:02
CD: Part of Singles Box Set 1986-1995 box set
- "Perfect Day" – 3:53
- "Femme Fatale" (alternative mix) – 4:14
- "Love Voodoo" (remix) – 7:36
- "The Needle and the Damage Done" – 2:03
- "911 is a Joke" (alternative version) – 3:49
- "Come Up and See Me (Make Me Smile)" – 4:56
- "Perfect Day" (acoustic version) – 3:44
CD: Capitol DPRO-79599 (US)
- "Perfect Day" (album version) – 3:53
- "Perfect Day" (acoustic version) – 3:44
Other appearances
Apart from the single, "Perfect Day" also appears on the albums- Thank YouThank You (Duran Duran album)Thank You is a covers album by Duran Duran released in April 1995, their follow-up to 1993's Duran Duran . It did well on the charts , but was received very negatively by critics...
(1995) - Singles Box Set 1986–1995 (2004)
Personnel
Duran Duran are:- Simon Le BonSimon Le BonSimon John Charles Le Bon is an English musician, best known as the lead singer, lyricist and musician of the band Duran Duran and its offshoot, Arcadia.-Early life:...
– vocals - Nick RhodesNick RhodesNick Rhodes is an English musician, is best known as the keyboardist of the pop rock band Duran Duran...
– keyboards - John TaylorNigel John TaylorJohn Taylor is an English musician who is best known as the bass guitarist and co-founder of pop rock band Duran Duran....
– bass guitar - Warren CuccurulloWarren CuccurulloWarren Bruce Cuccurullo in Brooklyn, New York is an American rock musician who worked with Frank Zappa, was a founding member of Missing Persons, and has been a long term member of Duran Duran. He also has some notoriety in the porn industry after making nude appearances in a magazine and...
– guitar
With:
- Roger TaylorRoger Andrew TaylorRoger Andrew Taylor is an English double grammy award winning musician who is best known as the drummer of British rock band Duran Duran from their inception until 1985, and again from 2001 onwards, the band selling in excess of 80 million records worldwide in the process.-Early life:Taylor began...
– drums - Tessa NilesTessa NilesTessa Niles is an English singer, best known as a backing singer for a wide variety of artists.-Early life and career:Born in Kent, Niles began her professional singing career, as both a lead and a backing vocalist, in 1979...
– backing vocals
Also credited:
- John JonesJohn Jones (record producer)John Idris Jones is a musician and record producer who has worked with Duran Duran and many high-profile rock and pop musicians.-Background:...
, Anthony J. Resta, Bob St. John – additional production and engineering - David RichardsDavid Richards (record producer)David Richards is an English-born Swiss-based record producer, engineer and musician. In the Mountain Studios in Montreux, owned by the rock band Queen, and in Attalens he engineered and co-produced many albums by Queen, David Bowie and other artists. Richards also played keyboards on some records...
– mixing - Mark TinleyMark TinleyMark Ty-Wharton is a British author, composer and philosophical speaker who specialises in presentations using sound art....
– additional programming
Susan Boyle version
Scottish recording artist Susan BoyleSusan Boyle
Susan Magdalane Boyle is a Scottish singer who came to international public attention when she appeared as a contestant on the TV programme Britain's Got Talent on 11 April 2009, singing "I Dreamed a Dream" from ...
covered the song on her second album The Gift
The Gift (Susan Boyle album)
The Gift is the second album by Scottish singer Susan Boyle, which was released on 8 November 2010. Boyle hinted that the album has a 1960s feel "because that was [her] era".-Background:...
and also released it on 8 November 2010 as a single.
Conflict with Lou Reed
In September 2010, Susan Boyle had to cancel a performance on America's Got TalentAmerica's Got Talent
America's Got Talent is an American reality television series on the NBC television network, and part of the global British Got Talent franchise. It is a talent show that features singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, and other performers of all ages competing for the advertised top prize of...
at the last minute. She had planned to sing Perfect Day, but two hours before the show, she was told that Lou Reed had intervened, refusing her permission to perform his song and to include it on her forthcoming album The Gift. As she and her choir didn't have time to rehearse another number, she decided to cancel her performance. A couple of days later, representatives of Lou Reed stated that he had nothing to do with the decision and that it was just a licensing glitch.
A couple of weeks later, Lou Reed agreed not only to let her include the song on The Gift, but also to produce her music video of the song. It was shot on the banks of Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
and premiered on 7 November 2010.
Live performances
On 19 November 2010 she performed the song on Children in NeedChildren in Need
Children in Need is an annual British charity appeal organised by the BBC. Since 1980 it has raised over £500 million. The highlight of the Children in Need appeal is an annual telethon, held in November. A teddy bear named "Pudsey Bear" fronts the campaign, while Terry Wogan is a long...
. She also performed this again at the 82nd Royal Variety Performance, performed on the 9th December 2010.
Chart performance
| Chart (2010) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (The Official Charts Company UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... ) |
124 |
Other versions
Several other cover versionCover version
In popular music, a cover version or cover song, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording of a contemporary or previously recorded, commercially released song or popular song...
s of "Perfect Day" have been recorded by various artists.
- Glenn GregoryGlenn GregoryGlenn Gregory is an English musician. A founding member of Heaven 17, he was partly responsible for hit records such as "Temptation"....
, vocalist of Heaven 17Heaven 17Heaven 17 are an English synthpop band originating from Sheffield in the early 1980s. The trio comprises Martyn Ware , Ian Craig Marsh and Glenn Gregory...
, covered the song on the 1982 British Electric Foundation album Music of Quality and Distinction Volume 1. - Helen Hoffner recorded her version on her 1993 album Wild About Nothing.
- Kirsty MacCollKirsty MacCollKirsty Anna MacColl was an English singer-songwriter.MacColl scored several pop hits from the early 1980s to the early 1990s...
recorded her version as a duet with Evan DandoEvan DandoEvan Griffith Dando is an American musician, most famous for fronting the alternative rock band The Lemonheads. He is the only original member left in the current Lemonheads line-up, having served as lead singer since the band's original formation in 1986...
on her 1995 album Galore. - Chris WhitleyChris WhitleyChristopher Becker Whitley was an American blues singer-songwriter and guitarist.Whitley changed his sound frequently, and achieved modest mainstream success while maintaining a small but devoted following...
used it as the title and covered the song for his 2000 album, Perfect DayPerfect Day (Chris Whitley album)Perfect Day is the sixth album by singer-songwriter and guitarist, Chris Whitley. It is his fifth studio album.It is a full length release of cover versions of "love songs". The album was recorded a trio and is subtitled "Featuring Billy Martin and Chris Wood". Martin and Wood are the rhythm...
. - Antony HegartyAntony HegartyAntony Hegarty is an English singer-songwriter, best known as the lead singer of the band Antony and the Johnsons.-Early life:...
recorded his version on his 2003 album Raven, at Reed's request. - California punk band T.S.O.L. recorded a cover for their 4 Songs - 2005 EP.
- Leningrad CowboysLeningrad CowboysThe Leningrad Cowboys is a Finnish rock band famous for humorously making rock and roll covers of popular songs, exaggerated pompadour hairstyles, long, pointy shoes, often featuring a Russian military band, the Alexandrov Ensemble.-Beginnings:...
, a Finnish Hard Rock band, covered it on their 2006 album, Zombie's Paradise. - Patti SmithPatti SmithPatricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist, who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement with her 1975 debut album Horses....
recorded a cover for her 2007 Two More EP. - Taiwanese singer Faith YangFaith YangFaith Yang is a rock musician and fashion model. She grew up in Sydney, Australia and studied biology and genetics at Sydney University. In 2000 Faith won the Taiwan Golden Music awards for Best Female Performer got nominated for Best Album ....
collaborated with Hong Kong singer Eason ChanEason ChanEason Chan Yik-shun is a prominent male singer in Hong Kong's music industry. Undoubtedly one of the most dominant male singers in the post-1997 era of Hong Kong music industry. Eason Chan has been praised by Time magazine as a front runner in the next generation of Cantopop...
to record a cover for Yang's 2009 album Self-Selected. - Dionysis SavvopoulosDionysis SavvopoulosDionysis Savvopoulos is a Greek music composer, lyricist and singer.He was born in Thessaloniki. In 1963 he moved to Athens, terminating his law studies in favour of his career in music...
set his own lyrics to the song's melody for Μέρα Όμορφη (Mera Omorfi, "Beautiful Day")- Tzimis PanousisTzimis PanousisTzimis Panousis is a Greek musician and stand-up comedian born in Athens on February 12, 1954, where he has spent most of his life. His fans often refer to him as “Tzimakos”...
recorded a parody of Savvopoulos's Greek song, called Πρέζα Όμορφη (Preza Omorfi, "Beautiful Heroin").
- Tzimis Panousis
- Amanda LearAmanda LearAmanda Lear is a French singer, lyricist, composer, painter, TV presenter, actress and novelist....
recorded an acoustic and a dance version of this song in her 2009's CD Brief EncountersBrief EncountersFor the 1945 film, see Brief Encounter.For the 1967 film, see Brief Encounters .Brief Encounters is the fourteenth studio album by French singer Amanda Lear. The album was released in Italy on October 16, 2009 as a double CD set containing twenty five new recordings sung in both English and French,...
. - Metric included a version on their 2010 Spotify Covers EP
- The Jolly BoysThe Jolly BoysThe Jolly Boys is a mento band from Port Antonio, Jamaica. It was formed in 1955 and had great commercial success in the late 1980s and 1990s among reggae and world music fans...
covered the song on their 2010 album Great Expectation.
Live covers:
- Lou Reed sang the verses with Luciano PavarottiLuciano Pavarottiright|thumb|Luciano Pavarotti performing at the opening of the Constantine Palace in [[Strelna]], 31 May 2003. The concert was part of the celebrations for the 300th anniversary of [[St...
singing the chorus during his Pavarotti and Friends benefit concert for AngolaAngolaAngola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
in 2002. - ColdplayColdplayColdplay are a British alternative rock band formed in 1996 by lead vocalist Chris Martin and lead guitarist Jonny Buckland at University College London. After they formed Pectoralz, Guy Berryman joined the group as a bassist and they changed their name to Starfish. Will Champion joined as a...
played an acoustic version at the Isle of Wight FestivalIsle of Wight FestivalThe Isle of Wight Festival is a music festival which takes place every year on the Isle of Wight in England. It was originally held from 1968 to 1970. These original events were promoted and organised by the Foulk brothers under the banner of their company Fiery Creations Limited...
in 2006 after Reed had asked them to backstage after he had finished his set but forgot to perform it himself (as Martin explained beforehand). - Amanda PalmerAmanda PalmerAmanda MacKinnon Gaiman Palmer , sometimes known as Amanda Fucking Palmer, is an American performer who first rose to prominence as the lead singer, pianist, and lyricist/composer of the duo The Dresden Dolls...
during her 2006 "Fuck the Back Row" tour. - ZemfiraZemfiraZemfira, officially Zemfira Talgatovna Ramazanova ; born 26 August 1976 in Ufa, Bashkortostan) is a Russian rock artist of Bashkir descent...
during her 2006 "Vendetta" tour. - WolfmotherWolfmotherWolfmother is an Australian rock band from Erskineville, Sydney. Formed in 2000, the group was originally a trio composed of vocalist and guitarist Andrew Stockdale, bassist and keyboardist Chris Ross and drummer Myles Heskett. Wolfmother released their self-titled debut album in October 2005,...
played it at the "Andy Warhol Up Late" gig in 2008. - The village of BlagdonBlagdonBlagdon is a village and civil parish in the ceremonial county of Somerset, within the unitary authority of North Somerset, in England. It is located in the Mendip Hills, a recognised Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. According to the 2001 census it has a population of 1,172...
performed a version in 2007. - Australian singer-songwriter Andy BullAndy BullAndy Bull is an Australian alt-pop/piano rock singer-songwriter, based in Sydney. He is best known for the single "Dog," from his 2010 Phantom Pains EP, a duet with former Australian Idol contestant Lisa Mitchell, as well as his prolific Australian touring....
frequently covers the song in his live shows, particularly when performing solo.
Dutch-language covers
- Rob de NijsRob de NijsRob de Nijs is a Dutch singer and actor, active since the 1960s.-1962-68:De Nijs, backed by The Lords, released his first single in 1962, Ritme van de Regen. In 1966 he embarked on a joint circus-tour with Johnny Lion...
recorded it for his 1977 album Tussen Zomer en Winter as Lome Dag chronicling a lazy day. - The 1997 cover of the charity version (Mooie Dag) stayed close to the original lyrics.
See also
- List of number-one singles from the 1990s (UK)
- List of number-one singles of 1997 (Ireland)