This Is the Day (Ivy song)

{{Infobox song

| name = This Is the Day

| cover = Ivy "This Is the Day".jpg

| alt = A collage of the three band members walking on a sidewalk, climbing up a staircase, and closing a door; shots of a library and a wooden floor also appear, with the song's title in orange and white in the center of the collage.

| type = single

| artist = Ivy

| album = Apartment Life

| released = {{Start date|1998|10|19}}

| recorded = 1997

| studio = The Place, Duotone Studios, Compositions
(New York City)

| venue =

| genre = {{hlist|Pop|alternative pop}}

| length = {{duration|m=3|s=33}}

| label = 550 Music

| writer = {{flatlist|

Dominique Durand
Adam Schlesinger
Andy Chase

}}

| producer = {{flatlist|

Adam Schlesinger
Andy Chase

}}

| prev_title = I've Got a Feeling

| prev_year = 1997

| next_title = You Don't Know Anything

| next_year = 1999

}}

"This Is the Day" is a song by American band Ivy, included on their second studio album, Apartment Life (1997). It was released as the record's third single in the United States on October 19, 1998 by 550 Music following its inclusion in the 1998 American comedy film There's Something About Mary. The group had just been dropped by Atlantic Records but eventually signed to 550 Music after they reissued the parent album. The track was written by Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, with the latter two producing it. It is a pop and alternative pop song that features the use of horns and was compared to the works of the Smiths.

It was released as a CD single in two different formats, with the commercial release featuring two previously unreleased bonus tracks and the promotional release featuring just the album version of "This Is the Day". Music critics liked the track, with most considering it a standout track and noting the possibility of it making Apartment Life more successful.

Background and release

The song was recorded in 1997 at three different recording studios in New York City and included on Ivy's second studio album, Apartment Life, released on October 7, 1997 by Atlantic Records. "This Is the Day" was prominently featured in the 1998 movie comedy There's Something About Mary and was included on the film's soundtrack album.{{cite news|last1=Erlewine|first1=Stephen Thomas|authorlink1=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|title=Original Soundtrack – There's Something About Mary|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/theres-something-about-mary-mw0000041063|access-date=April 22, 2017|publisher=AllMusic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161101085443/http://www.allmusic.com/album/theres-something-about-mary-mw0000041063|archive-date=November 1, 2016}} Reflecting on its use in the film, Durand said it was unimaginable to see their songs in several scenes and that she "feels so grateful to have something like that in a movie."{{cite news|last1=Ragogna|first1=Mike|title=Jack's Mannequin, Ivy & Scars on 45: Chatting with Andrew McMahon, Dominique Durand and Danny Bemrose, Michael Parks' Download|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/jacks-mannequin-ivy-scars_b_984387.html|access-date=May 9, 2017|work=The Huffington Post|date=September 28, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120326222539/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mike-ragogna/jacks-mannequin-ivy-scars_b_984387.html|archive-date=March 26, 2012}}

Atlantic Records had signed Ivy earlier in 1997, but the band was later dropped and then picked up by 550 Music, a division of Sony Music Entertainment. Following the song's inclusion in the film, 550 Music distributed the song to radio stations across the United States on October 19, 1998.{{cite journal|title=Ivy's Change of Address Notice: Their 'Apartment Life' Album Moves to 550 Music Effective October 1998|publisher=Business Wire|date=October 9, 1998}} The track was issued as a CD single in the U.S.{{cite journal|title=Artist News|journal=CMJ New Music Monthly|date=November 2, 1998|volume=56|issue=594|page=10|access-date=April 22, 2017|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wuH6GvuKk-0C|publisher=CMJ Network, Inc.|issn=0890-0795}} that included the bonus tracks "Sleeping Late" and "Sweet Mary." 550 Music also reissued Apartment Life in the U.S. with new cover art, digitally remastered tracks,{{cite web|title=Discog|url=http://www.thebandivy.com/discog/|publisher=The Band Ivy|access-date=April 22, 2017|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160513180204/http://www.thebandivy.com/discog/|archive-date=May 13, 2016}}{{cite magazine|last1=Cohen|first1=Jonathan|title=Billboard Bits: Ivy, Backstreet Boys, Company Flow|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/80554/billboard-bits-ivy-backstreet-boys-company-flow|access-date=April 22, 2017|magazine=Billboard|date=February 21, 2001|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422133414/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/80554/billboard-bits-ivy-backstreet-boys-company-flow|archive-date=April 22, 2017}} and four of the songs remixed by Schlesinger and Chase, who opened a new recording studio in New York, Stratosphere, in June 1999.{{cite magazine|last1=Verna|first1=Paul|title=With a Neve 8068, The Place Upgrades to the Stratosphere|magazine=Billboard|date=June 19, 1999|volume=111|issue=25|page=46|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9AwEAAAAMBAJ|access-date=April 22, 2017|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|issn=0006-2510}} "This Is the Day" would also be included on the compilation albums Pepsi Pop Culture (1998) and Live a Little, Vol. 1 (1999).{{cite AV media notes |title=Pepsi Pop Culture |others=Various artists |year=1998 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Warner Special Products |id=OPCD 1825}}{{cite news|title=Various Artists – Live a Little, Vol. 1|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-a-little-vol-1-mw0001443304|access-date=April 22, 2017|publisher=AllMusic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422131708/http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-a-little-vol-1-mw0001443304|archive-date=April 22, 2017}}

Composition and recording

"This Is the Day" was cowritten by Ivy members Dominique Durand, Adam Schlesinger and Andy Chase, with Schlesinger and Chase serving as producers. In the indie pop song, Durand sings about an ended relationship, stating in the chorus: "She's never com-ing back."{{cite web|title=Ivy, "Apartment Life"|url=https://hauntedjukebox.com/2016/12/11/ivy-apartment-life/|website=Haunted Jukebox|access-date=April 22, 2017|date=December 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230155857/https://hauntedjukebox.com/2016/12/11/ivy-apartment-life/|archive-date=December 30, 2016}}

The track features backing vocals by musician James Iha and the addition of horns – a brand new element for Ivy, as they tried to incorporate more instruments into the songs on Apartment Life.{{cite magazine|last1=Rosen|first1=Craig|title=Atlantic Sees Green in Ivy|magazine=Billboard|date=September 6, 1997|volume=109|issue=36|page=26|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BwoEAAAAMBAJ|access-date=April 22, 2017|publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc.|issn=0006-2510}} The song was mixed by Paul Q. Kolderie and Sean Slade, assisted by Matthew Ellard; and Bob Ludwig finalized the mastering.{{cite AV media notes |title=Apartment Life |others=Ivy |year=1997 |type=Liner notes |publisher=Atlantic |id=83042-2}}

Critical reception

"This Is the Day" received praise and favorable feedback from music critics. Frank Tortorici of MTV News wrote that the "bouncy, Blondie-esque" song shows that Ivy is different from Schlesinger's other band Fountains of Wayne, and that the track would help Apartment Life become a successful release.{{cite web|last1=Tortorici|first1=Frank|title=Archive: New Album From Ivy|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/502728/new-album-from-ivy/|publisher=MTV News|access-date=April 22, 2017|date=October 23, 1998|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018031540/http://www.mtv.com/news/502728/new-album-from-ivy/|archive-date=October 18, 2016}}

Noting the use of "60s-ish horns," AllMusic reviewer Jack Rabid called it "la-la-la pop personified."{{cite news|last1=Rabid|first1=Jack|title=Ivy – Apartment Life|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/apartment-life-mw0000028460|access-date=April 22, 2017|publisher=AllMusic|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520072713/http://www.allmusic.com/album/apartment-life-mw0000028460|archive-date=May 20, 2016}} Also referencing the horn section, Kurt B. Reighley from CMJ New Music Monthly joked that the Smiths must have "overlooked" the song and its "punchy melody."{{cite journal|title=Best New Music: The 6 Best Releases This Month|last1=Reighley|first1=Kurt B.|journal=CMJ New Music Monthly|date=November 1997|volume=51|issue=582|page=17|access-date=April 22, 2017|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pCkEAAAAMBAJ|publisher=CMJ Network, Inc.|issn=0890-0795}} Agreeing, Vickie Gilmer and Ira Robbins from Trouser Press compared it to the same group and called the track "jaunty."{{cite news|last1=Gilmer|first1=Vickie|last2=Robbins|first2=Ira|title=Ivy / Brookville|url=http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=ivy|access-date=April 22, 2017|work=Trouser Press|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160317011631/http://www.trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=ivy|archive-date=March 17, 2016}}

Along with "The Best Thing" (1997) and "You Don't Know Anything" (1999), Rabid said the single is one of the "pleasantly produced, precisely structured pop dreams that makes fans sing along" on Apartment Life. An editor at ROCKRGRL felt that given "This Is the Day", Ivy should have "gained more than a moment's attention".{{cite journal|title=Dominique Durand fronts the band|journal=ROCKRGRL|date=2002|volume=43-49|page=11|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ogk5AQAAIAAJ|access-date=April 22, 2017|publisher=Rockgryl, 2002}} Hans Koller and Joyce Grenfell, contributors to The Encyclopedia of Popular Music, considered "This Is the Day" and "Baker" as the two best tracks on Apartment Life.{{harvnb|Grenfell|Koller|2006|p=514}} Additionally, a Sputnikmusic member noted in their album review that "if you only have a dollar", the listener should "download th[is] track".{{cite web|author1=EndSerenading|title=Ivy: Apartment Life|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/37884/Ivy-Apartment-Life/|publisher=Sputnikmusic|access-date=April 22, 2017|date=July 13, 2010}}

Track listings

CD single{{cite AV media notes |title="This Is the Day" |others=Ivy |year=1998 |type=Liner notes / CD single |publisher=550 Music |id=666669 2}}

"This Is the Day"{{spaced ndash}} 3:33
"Sleeping Late"{{spaced ndash}} 2:30
"Sweet Mary"{{spaced ndash}} 3:14

Promotional CD single{{cite AV media notes |title="This Is the Day" |edition=Promotional |others=Ivy |year=1998 |type=Liner notes / CD single |publisher=550 Music |id=BSK 41445}}

"This Is the Day"{{spaced ndash}} 3:33

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel adapted from Apartment Life.

;Management

Recorded at The Place, New York City; Duotone Studios, New York City; and Compositions, New York City

;Personnel

Andy Chase – engineering, executive producer, mixing
Dominique Durand – lead and background vocals
Matthew Ellard – assistant mixing
Philippe Garcia – photography
Josh Grier – legal
James Iha – background vocals, additional production

Paul Q. Kolderie – mixing
Bob Ludwig – mastering
Q Prime – management
Brenda Rotheiser – art direction, design
Adam Schlesinger – engineering, executive producer, mixing
Sean Slade – mixing

References

= Citations =

= Bibliography =

{{cite book|last1=Grenfell|first1=Joyce|last2=Koller|first2=Hans|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|date=2006|publisher=Muze|isbn=0195313739|edition=fourth}}

Category:Ivy (band) songs

Category:1997 songs

Category:1998 singles

Category:550 Music singles

Category:Songs written by Adam Schlesinger

Category:Songs written by Dominique Durand

Category:Songs written by Andy Chase