"What a Diff'rence a Day Made", also recorded as "What a Difference a Day Makes", is a popular

song A song is a musical composition intended to be performed by the human voice. This is often done at distinct and fixed pitches (melodies) using patterns of sound and silence. Songs contain various forms, such as those including the repetiti ...

originally written in

Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: ** Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Ca ...

María Grever María Grever (14 September 1885 – 15 December 1951) was the first female Mexican composer to achieve international acclaim.Rodríguez, Lee M. L. María Grever: Poeta Y Compositora. Potomac, Md: Scripta Humanistica, 1994. Print. She is best kno ...

, a Mexican songwriter, in 1934 with the title "Cuando vuelva a tu lado" ("When I Return to Your Side") and first recorded by Orquesta Pedro Vía that same year. A popular version in Spanish was later recorded by trio

Los Panchos Originally, Trio Los Panchos are a '' trío romántico'' formed in New York City in 1944 by Alfredo Gil, Chucho Navarro, and Hernando Avilés. The trio became one of the leading exponents of the bolero and the romantic ballad in Latin America. ...

with

Eydie Gormé Eydie Gormé ( ; born Edith Gormezano; August 16, 1928 – August 10, 2013) was an American singer who had hits on the pop and Latin pop charts. She sang solo and in the duo Steve and Eydie with her husband, Steve Lawrence, on albums and tele ...

in 1964. The song is also known in English as "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes", as popularized by

Dinah Washington Dinah Washington (born Ruth Lee Jones; August 29, 1924 – December 14, 1963) was an American singer and pianist, who has been cited as "the most popular black female recording artist of the 1950s songs". Primarily a jazz vocalist, she performe ...

in 1959.

English adaptation

The English lyrics were written by Stanley Adams, and was played by

Harry Roy Harry Roy (12 January 1900 – 1 February 1971) was a British dance band leader and clarinet player from the 1920s to the 1960s. He performed several songs with suggestive lyrics, including "My Girl's Pussy" (1931), and " She Had to Go and Lose ...

& his Orchestra. It was published in late 1934. The most successful early recording, in 1934, was by the

Dorsey Brothers The Dorsey Brothers were an American studio dance band, led by Tommy Dorsey, Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. They started recording in 1928 for OKeh Records. History The Dorsey Brothers recorded songs for the dime store labels (Banner Records, Banner, C ...

, although it was first recorded in English by Cleveland crooner Jimmy Ague.

Dinah Washington version

won a

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...

in 1959 for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance with this song. Her version was also inducted into the

Grammy Hall of Fame The Grammy Hall of Fame is a hall of fame to honor musical recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance. Inductees are selected annually by a special member committee of eminent and knowledgeable professionals from all branches of ...

in 1998. It also earned her first top ten pop hit, reaching number 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100.

Charts

Esther Phillips version

In 1975,

Esther Phillips Esther Phillips (born Esther Mae Jones; December 23, 1935 – August 7, 1984) was an American singer, best known for her R&B vocals.Santelli, Robert (2001). ''The Big Book of Blues: A Biographical Encyclopedia''. Penguin Books. p. 376. . She ...

recorded her version of the song. Her comeback record had a disco feel to it. The Esther Phillips version reached number two on the disco charts. Her version also did well on the US soul and

Top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or "conte ...

charts. Phillips performed the song on ''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock. Michaels currently serve ...

'', during its first season.

Charts

Other versions

* Andy Russell, a

Mexican-American Mexican Americans ( es, mexicano-estadounidenses, , or ) are Americans of full or partial Mexican heritage. In 2019, Mexican Americans comprised 11.3% of the US population and 61.5% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexic ...

singer, recorded a bilingual version of the song in 1944 (Capitol #167, paired with "Don't You Notice Anything New?"), which reached number 15 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. *

Alfredo Antonini Alfredo Antonini (May 31, 1901 – November 3, 1983) was a leading Italian-American symphony conductor and composer who was active on the international concert stage as well as on the CBS radio and television networks from the 1930s through the ...

and his orchestra collaborated with Victoria Cordova and

John Serry Sr. John Serry Sr. (born John Serrapica; January 29, 1915 – September 14, 2003) was an American concert accordionist, arranger, composer, organist, and educator. He performed on the CBS Radio and Television networks and contributed to Voic ...

to record the song for

Muzak Muzak is an American brand of background music played in retail stores and other public establishments. The name has been in use since 1934, and has been owned by a division or subsidiary of one or another company ever since. In 1981, Westing ...

in 1949. *

Vaughn Monroe Vaughn Wilton Monroe (October 7, 1911 – May 21, 1973) was an American baritone singer, trumpeter, big band leader, actor, and businessman, who was most popular in the 1940s and 1950s. He has two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, one for rec ...

's 1955 version reached number 60 in the US Music Vendor survey. *

Dean Martin Dean Martin (born Dino Paul Crocetti; June 7, 1917 – December 25, 1995) was an American singer, actor and comedian. One of the most popular and enduring American entertainers of the mid-20th century, Martin was nicknamed "The King of Cool". M ...

covered it in his album '' Dino Latino'' in 1962. *

Ben E. King Benjamin Earl King (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of " Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later i ...

covered the song on his album ''

Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers ''Ben E. King Sings for Soulful Lovers'' is the second studio album by Ben E. King. The album was released by Atlantic Records in 1962. Track listing #" My Heart Cries for You" ( Percy Faith, Carl Sigman) – 2:21 #"He Will Break Your Heart" ( ...

'' in 1962. *

Little Anthony and the Imperials Little Anthony and the Imperials is an American rhythm and blues/soul vocal group from New York City founded by Clarence Collins in the 1950s and named in part for its lead singer, Jerome Anthony "Little Anthony" Gourdine, who was noted for his h ...

on their album ''Goin' Out Of My Head'' (1964). *

Bobby Darin Bobby Darin (born Walden Robert Cassotto; May 14, 1936 – December 20, 1973) was an American musician and actor. He performed jazz, pop, rock and roll, folk, swing, and country music. He started his career as a songwriter for Connie Fran ...

's version of the song is on his album ''Winners'', released in 1964, although he recorded it in 1960. * Iris Chacon performed the English language version of the song in a musical number for the 1977 Spanish film "La mujer es un buen negocio". *Australian group

The Black Sorrows The Black Sorrows are an Australian blues rock band formed in 1983 by mainstay vocalist Joe Camilleri (ex- Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons), who also plays saxophone and guitar. Camilleri has used various line-ups to record 17 albums, with five reachin ...

released a version as their debut single in 1984. It was included on their debut studio album, '' Sonola''. *An instrumental version featuring keyboardist

Clare Fischer Douglas Clare Fischer (October 22, 1928 – January 26, 2012) was an American keyboardist, composer, arranger, and bandleader. After graduating from Michigan State University (from which, five decades later, he would receive an honorary doctorate ...

on piano with strings arranged by Jorge Calandrelli was recorded by Etore Stratta and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra on their 1993 album ''Symphonic Boleros''. *

Jacky Terrasson Jacky Terrasson (born November 27, 1965) is a French jazz pianist and composer. Background Terrasson's mother is African-American from Georgia, and his father is French. From his parents he heard classical music as a child. He began piano lesson ...

included the song in his 1994 self-titled album. *

Randy Crawford Veronica "Randy" Crawford (born February 18, 1952) is an American jazz and R&B singer. She has been more successful in Europe than in the United States, where she has not entered the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 as a solo artist. However, she has ap ...

recorded the song on her 1995 album '' Naked And True''. *

The Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...

'' For Lovers Only'' 1995. *

Natalie Cole Natalie Maria Cole (February 6, 1950 – December 31, 2015) was an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She was the daughter of American singer and jazz pianist Nat King Cole. She rose to success in the mid-1970s as an R&B singer with the ...

recorded the song on her 1996 album ''

Stardust Stardust may refer to: * A type of cosmic dust, composed of particles in space Entertainment Songs * “Stardust” (1927 song), by Hoagy Carmichael * “Stardust” (David Essex song), 1974 * “Stardust” (Lena Meyer-Landrut song), 2012 * ...

'', and later in 2013 a bilingual Spanish/English version was included as an iTunes bonus track of her album

Natalie Cole en Español ''Natalie Cole en Español'' is the 20th and final studio album by Natalie Cole, released on June 25, 2013 through Verve Records. Produced by the Cuban American composer Rudy Pérez, it is her first and only Spanish album and her first record relea ...

. *It was recorded by

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...

in 1972, but not released until thirty-four years later when her ''

Blue Blue is one of the three primary colours in the RYB colour model (traditional colour theory), as well as in the RGB (additive) colour model. It lies between violet and cyan on the spectrum of visible light. The eye perceives blue when ...

'' album was discovered in the

Motown Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''mot ...

vaults and released in 2006. *

Barry Manilow Barry Manilow (born Barry Alan Pincus; June 17, 1943) is an American singer and songwriter with a career that spans seven decades. His hit recordings include "Could It Be Magic", " Somewhere Down the Road", " Mandy", "I Write the Songs", " Can ...

recorded the song on his 2006 album '' The Greatest Songs of the Fifties''. *In 2007 R&B/ Dance singer

Deborah Cox Deborah Cox (born July 13, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before ...

recorded the song for her album '' Destination Moon''. Also in 2007, former

Kiss A kiss is the touch or pressing of one's lips against another person or an object. Cultural connotations of kissing vary widely. Depending on the culture and context, a kiss can express sentiments of love, passion, romance, sexual attraction, ...

drummer,

Peter Criss George Peter John Criscuola (born December 20, 1945), better known by his stage name Peter Criss, is a retired American musician, best known as a co-founder, original drummer, and vocalist of the hard rock band Kiss. Criss established The Catm ...

, covered the song on his album '' One for All''. *

Deana Martin Deana Martin is an American singer and actress. She is the daughter of singer Dean Martin. Film and television Martin was born in Manhattan to Dean Martin and his first wife, Elizabeth Anne "Betty" McDonald. She moved to Beverly Hills, Californ ...

recorded “What a Difference a Day Made” on her 2009 album ''Volare''. * China Moses covered the song with Raphael Lemonnier in 2009 in their album ''This One's for Dinah'' in 2009. *

Rod Stewart Sir Roderick David Stewart (born 10 January 1945) is a British rock and pop singer and songwriter. Born and raised in London, he is of Scottish and English ancestry. With his distinctive raspy singing voice, Stewart is among the best-selling ...

- ''Fly Me to the Moon... The Great American Songbook - Volume V'' (2010) *In 2021, artist and songwriter, SHELLS and producer Robin Pearkes (aka PALMR) recorded an English version entitled "What a Difference a Day Makes". It was commissioned for the UK's

National Health Service The National Health Service (NHS) is the umbrella term for the publicly funded healthcare systems of the United Kingdom (UK). Since 1948, they have been funded out of general taxation. There are three systems which are referred to using the " ...

(NHS). * Lonnie Johnson covered the song on his album ''Losing Game''. *

Julie Dawn Julie Dawn (originally Juliana Rosalba Maria Theresa Mostosi; 2 August 1920 – 18 May 2000) was an English singer, singing with leading dance bands in the 1940s and 1950s, and making recordings and radio broadcasts. In later years she presented ...

and Roy Marsh and His Swingtette released a version of the track paired with "I am Going to Love That Guy" (this track bringing together Julie Dawn and

Frank Deniz Francisco "Frank" Antonio Deniz (31 July 1912 – 17 July 2005) was a British jazz guitarist. He performed in London from the 1930s, and in the 1950s gave radio broadcasts. With his brothers José and Laurence he formed the Hermanos Deniz Cuban Rh ...

and His Spirits of Rhythm). The exact release date unknown at the moment (Decca 8034 Matrix numbers I 1320 and I 1322). *Paul Pata - sa guitare et son quintette, on the album ''Week-End aux Puces'', as the instrumental ''Tous Les Jours Se Ressemblent''. * Other artists who covered the song include : Sarah Vaughan, : Renee Olstead, :

Aretha Franklin Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the "Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...

on her 1964 album, '' Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington'', :

on the 1964 album ''Eydie Gormé canta en Español con

'', : Freddy Fender recorded a version for his 1976 LP '' If You're Ever in Texas'', : Bobby Lewis (released on the single “Ace of Hearts 7622” in 1977), :

Cher Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female autonomy in a male-dominated industr ...

performs the song in ''The Cher Show'', :

Luis Miguel Luis Miguel Gallego Basteri (born 19 April 1970) is a Puerto Rican-born Mexican singer, often referred to as ''El Sol de México'' (The Sun of Mexico), which is the nickname his mother gave him as a child—"mi sol". Luis Miguel has sung in mu ...

on his 1991 album '' Romance'', : Laura Fygi on ''The Latin Touch'' (2000), :

Jamie Cullum Jamie Cullum (born 20 August 1979) is an English jazz-pop singer, songwriter and radio presenter. Although primarily a vocalist and pianist, he also accompanies himself on other instruments, including guitar and drums. He has recorded nine st ...

on his 2003 album, '' Twentysomething'', : Brazilian band Eldissa in their 2005 album "What A Difference...", :

Gloria Estefan Gloria Estefan (; born Gloria María Milagrosa Fajardo García; born 1 September 1957) is a Cuban-American singer, actress, and businesswoman. Estefan is a seven-time Grammy Award winner, a Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient, and has bee ...

on her 2013 album, ''

The Standards ''The Standards'' is the thirteenth studio album by Cuban-American recording artist Gloria Estefan. The singer's first English-language album since 2011's ''Miss Little Havana'', and her twenty-seventh overall, it was released on September 10, 20 ...

''.

In popular culture

The song, as performed by Dinah Washington, is used in the soundtrack of the following films: * ''

Waves Waves most often refers to: * Waves, oscillations accompanied by a transfer of energy that travel through space or mass. *Wind waves, surface waves that occur on the free surface of bodies of water. Waves may also refer to: Music *Waves (band ...

'', directed by

Trey Edward Shults Trey Edward Shults (born October 6, 1988) is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. He is best known as the director and writer of the drama ''Krisha'' (2015), the psychological horror film ''It Comes at Night'' (2017), and dram ...

(2019) * '' Going in Style'', directed by

Zach Braff Zachary Israel Braff'Scrubs' Star Zach Braff Wows ...

(2017) * ''

Niagara Motel ''Niagara Motel'' is a 2006 Canadian drama film directed by Gary Yates. It was adapted by George F. Walker from ''Suburban Motel'' his series of six plays. The film earned numerous nominations, including a Genie Award for Best Supporting Actres ...

'', directed by Gary Yates (2005) * '' The Best of Youth'', directed by

Marco Tullio Giordana Marco Tullio Giordana (born 1 October 1950) is an Italian director and screenwriter. Biography Born in Milan, during the 1970s he approaches the cinema by collaborating on the screenplay of Roberto Faenza's 1977 documentary ''Forza Italia!'', ...

(2003) * ''

Run Lola Run ''Run Lola Run'' (german: Lola rennt}, lit. "Lola Runs") is a 1998 German experimental thriller film written and directed by Tom Tykwer. The story follows a woman named Lola ( Franka Potente) who needs to obtain 100,000 Deutschmarks in twenty ...

'', directed by

Tom Tykwer Tom Tykwer (; born 23 May 1965) is a German film director, producer, screenwriter, and composer. He is best known internationally for directing the thriller films ''Run Lola Run'' (1998), ''Heaven'' (2002), '' Perfume: The Story of a Murderer'' ...

(1998) * '' Faithful'', directed by

Paul Mazursky Irwin Lawrence "Paul" Mazursky (April 25, 1930 – June 30, 2014) was an American film director, screenwriter, and actor. Known for his dramatic comedies that often dealt with modern social issues, he was nominated for five Academy Awards: three t ...

(1996) * ''

Casino A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live enterta ...

'', directed by

Martin Scorsese Martin Charles Scorsese ( , ; born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor. Scorsese emerged as one of the major figures of the New Hollywood era. He is the recipient of many major accolades, incl ...

(1995) * ''

Chungking Express ''Chungking Express'' is a 1994 Hong Kong romantic crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Wong Kar-wai. The film consists of two stories told in sequence, each about a lovesick Hong Kong policeman mulling over his relationship with a ...

'', directed by

Wong Kar-wai Wong Kar-wai (born 17 July 1958) is a Hong Kong film director, screenwriter, and producer. His films are characterised by nonlinear narratives, atmospheric music, and vivid cinematography involving bold, saturated colours. A pivotal figure ...

(1994) * '' Corrina, Corrina'', directed by Jessie Nelson (1994) *The song, performed by

Tony Bennett Anthony Dominick Benedetto (born August 3, 1926), known professionally as Tony Bennett, is an American retired singer of traditional pop standards, big band, show tunes, and jazz. Bennett is also a painter, having created works under his bir ...

, is in the film '' One Fine Day'' (1996), starring

George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (born May 6, 1961) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by George Clooney, numerous accolades, including a British Academy Film Awards, British Academy Film A ...

. *The song, performed by

, is used at the end of the 1996 film '' The Sunchaser'', directed by

Michael Cimino Michael Antonio Cimino ( ; February 3, 1939 – July 2, 2016) was an American filmmaker. One of the " New Hollywood" directors, Cimino achieved fame with '' The Deer Hunter'' (1978), which won five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Be ...

, starring

Woody Harrelson Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor and playwright. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a Primetime Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:What A Diff'rence A Day Made 1934 songs 1959 singles Dinah Washington songs The Black Sorrows songs Songs written by Stanley Adams (singer) Boleros Mercury Records singles