See the Day

"See the Day" is a song by English singer Dee C. Lee, released as a single on 21 October 1985. On 2 December it peaked at number 3 on the UK Singles Chart where it stayed for two weeks. The single sold in excess of 250,000 copies, receiving a silver certification, and became Lee's biggest hit single and her only UK top-40 hit, peaking at number three. "See the Day" also charted in Australia, the Netherlands, and West Germany. The B-side of the single, "The Paris Match", features Lee's future husband Paul Weller and his band the Style Council, of which Lee was a part-time member.

For the song by Hypetraxx, see See the Day (Hypetraxx song). For the song by Al Lindsay, see Thrillville: Off the Rails.

"See the Day"
Single by Dee C. Lee
from the album Shrine
B-side"The Paris Match"
Released21 October 1985
Genre
LabelCBS
Songwriter(s)Dee C. Lee
Producer(s)Brian Robson
Dee C. Lee singles chronology
"Don't Do It Baby"
(1984)		 "See the Day"
(1985)		 "Come Hell or Waters High"
(1986)

"See the Day" was covered by Girls Aloud in 2005, where it reached number nine on the UK Singles Chart.

Track listings

7-inch single

A. "See the Day"
B. "The Paris Match"

12-inch single

A1 "See the Day"
A2 "The Paris Match"
B1 "Luck" (live version)
B2 "Don't Do It Baby" (remix)

Charts

Girls Aloud version
"See the Day"
Single by Girls Aloud
from the album Chemistry
B-side
  • "It's Magic"
  • "I Don't Really Hate You"
Released19 December 2005
Recorded2005
GenrePop
Length4:04
LabelPolydor
Songwriter(s)Dee C. Lee
Producer(s)
Girls Aloud singles chronology
"Biology"
(2005)		 "See the Day"
(2005)		 "Whole Lotta History"
(2006)
Audio sample
  • file
  • help
Music video
"See the Day" on YouTube
Alternative cover
UK CD 2 cover

In 2005, British all-female pop group Girls Aloud recorded a cover of "See the Day" for their third studio album Chemistry. Their version was produced by Brian Higgins and his production team Xenomania. A contender for the Christmas number one, the single was released just five weeks after the group's previous single, "Biology". The single became Girls Aloud's lowest charting single at that point, but continued their string of top ten hits on the UK Singles Chart and received extensive airplay.

The music video, which had the feel of a painting, featured Girls Aloud in the scenic landscape of a snow globe. "See the Day" was promoted through numerous live appearances and was featured on 2006's Chemistry Tour. Although the track was "given a glossy 21st century refurb," contemporary music critics criticized the song for its lack of creativity and similarities to Girls Aloud's 2004 cover of "I'll Stand by You". Cheryl Cole later said she hates "See the Day" and regrets releasing it.

Background and release

Much like Girls Aloud's 2004 cover of the Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You", Brian Higgins and Xenomania felt "See the Day" needed to stick closely to the original in terms of tone.[10] The song, described as "the obligatory Christmas ballad", was "given a glossy 21st century refurb."[11][12]

The song was released on 19 December 2005 as a contender for the Christmas number one of the year.[13][14][15] It was available on two CD single formats and as a digital download. The first disc included "It's Magic", an album track from Chemistry co-written by Girls Aloud and sung solely by Nicola Roberts.[16] The second CD format included a previously unreleased track entitled "I Don't Really Hate You", as well as a Chemistry album medley and the Soundhouse Masterblaster Mix of "See the Day".[17] The artwork of the second disc features Girls Aloud lying on the ground, positioned to create a snowflake.[10]

Cheryl Cole stated in January 2008 that the song was only put out because they were stuck for ballads. "I wish we hadn't released See The Day. I absolutely hate that track, I don't think it's us at all, it's really old fashioned."[18]

Critical response

Girls Aloud's version of "See the Day" received generally negative reviews from contemporary music critics. The cover was largely slated for its lack of creativity and similarities to their 2004 cover of The Pretenders' "I'll Stand by You" (although some critics preferred it).[19][20] John Murphy of musicOMH stated that "See The Day should wipe away all memories of I'll Stand By You" and that while it's "not in the same league as the Girls' Xenomania compositions, but it's still by far the best cover version they've done."[21][22] Virgin Media said that "coming so hot on the heels of the still-charting Biology and taken from an album chock-full of corking tracks, it seems more than a little cynical."[19]

Girls Aloud won the Heart Award for "See the Day" at the O2 Silver Clef Lunch, an annual awards ceremony honouring songwriting and performance in aid of Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy.[23] Nicola Roberts and Kimberley Walsh, members of the band, attended the awards presentation ceremony.

Chart performance

"See the Day" became Girls Aloud's lowest charting single to date when it entered the UK Singles Chart at number nine, behind other new entries by Shayne Ward and Eminem at numbers one and five respectively.[24][25] The single fell just one position the following week, rounding out the top ten.[26] It then swiftly fell down the charts, falling to number nineteen in its third week.[27] The song spent a total of just six weeks in the UK's top 75.[24][28] "See the Day" made Girls Aloud the first girl group to achieve eleven consecutive top ten singles. The song was also an airplay hit.[10] It was, however, less successful on the official UK Download Chart, where "See the Day" debuted at number 29.[29]

On 16 June 2006, Lucy Benjamin performed a version of "See the Day" on The X Factor: Battle of the Stars that was credited to Girls Aloud rather than Dee C. Lee.[30] Following the final and Benjamin's victory, the single briefly re-entered the top 200.

"See the Day" entered the Irish Singles Chart at number sixteen.[31] It fell to number seventeen the following week,[32] before rising to number fifteen in its third week.[33] "See the Day" reached its peak of number fourteen in its fourth week on the Irish Singles Chart.[34] The single spent eight weeks in Ireland's top fifty.[35]

Music video

The music video for "See the Day" was directed by Harvey & Carolyn, filmed one day after the video for "Biology" during Nicola Roberts' 20th birthday on 5 October 2005.[10] The video starts with a stage curtain being drawn back, similar to the opening for the video for "Biology". The girls are revealed to be in a snowy realm wearing white dresses. Throughout the video, various close-up glamour shots are shown, as well as group shots of the girls standing in a line and sitting around a pond reflecting the night sky. At one point, the girls can seen within a snow globe, perched upon a human hand. The video ends with the girls seated around the pond, while the song title glitters in the sky. The curtain then closes. The video can be found on the DVD release of 2006's Chemistry Tour, as well as 2007's Style DVD.

Live performances

Girls Aloud performed "See the Day" live for the first time at Children in Need's Great Big Bid. The band appeared on Blue Peter, CD:UK (twice), Hit40UK, Ministry of Mayhem, The Paul O'Grady Show, Today with Des and Mel, Top of the Pops, and Top of the Pops Reloaded. It was also featured on 2006's Chemistry Tour. As one of the group's least favourite singles, as well as one of the worst-performing, "See the Day" has rarely been performed live since its release.

Track listings

Credits and personnel

Charts

Other versions

References
  1. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992. St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  2. "Dee C. Lee – See the Day" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  3. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – See the Day". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 27 January 2020.
  4. "Dee C. Lee – See the Day" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  5. "Dee C. Lee – See the Day". Top 40 Singles.
  6. "Dee C. Lee: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 April 2022.
  7. "Offiziellecharts.de – Dee C. Lee – See the Day" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  8. "Top 100 Singles". Music Week. London, England. 18 January 1986. p. 10.
  9. "National Top 100 Singles for 1986". Kent Music Report. No. 650. December 1986. Retrieved 24 January 2023 – via Imgur.
  10. Robinson, Peter (2009). "See the Day". The Singles Boxset (Booklet). Girls Aloud. London, England: Fascination Records. p. 26-27.
  11. "Girls Aloud - Chemistry review". Virgin Media. Virgin Group. 5 December 2005. Archived from the original on 9 January 2009. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  12. Anna Britten (9 December 2005). "Girls Aloud - Chemistry". Yahoo! Music. Yahoo!. Retrieved 13 December 2009.
  13. "The Schedule: Singles". Music Week. 17 December 2005. p. 17.
  14. Adrian Thrills (2 December 2005). "A formula one pop act". This Is London. Evening Press. Archived from the original on 27 August 2009. Retrieved 12 February 2009.
  15. "Hometown launch for X Factor song". BBC News. BBC. 21 December 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2009. Other contenders include See the Day by Girls Aloud...
  16. "Girls Aloud - See the Day (CD, Single)". Discogs. Zink Media Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  17. "Girls Aloud - See the Day (CD, Maxi, Enh)". Discogs. Zink Media Inc. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  18. Beverley Lyons and Laura Sutherland (16 January 2008). "Girls Aloud single was rubbish, admits singer". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 20 February 2008. Retrieved 9 April 2008.
  19. "Girls Aloud - See The Day review". Virgin media. Virgin Group. 19 December 2005. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  20. Peter Robinson (9 November 2005). "Let's get 'physics'-al: It's the new Girls Aloud album!". Popjustice. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 13 February 2009.
  21. "Girls Aloud - Chemistry (Polydor)". musicOMH. 2 November 2005. Archived from the original on 5 September 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  22. "Girls Aloud - See the Day (Polydor)". musicOMH. 6 December 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  23. "Osbournes win Silver Clef honour". BBC News. BBC. 16 June 2006. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  24. "Girls Aloud". The Official UK Charts Company. British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original on 27 April 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2008.
  25. "X Factor star in festive top spot". BBC News. BBC. 25 December 2005. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  26. "Archive Chart - 7th January 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  27. "Archive Chart - 14th January 2005". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  28. "See the Day". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  29. "Madonna on top for seventh week". CBBC Newsround. BBC. 14 December 2005. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  30. "Soap star wins celebrity X Factor". BBC News. BBC. 6 June 2006. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  31. "Top 50 singles, week ending 22 December 2005". Irish Singles Chart. GfK. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  32. "Top 50 singles, week ending 29 December 2005". Irish Singles Chart. GfK. Archived from the original on 10 January 2014. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  33. "Top 50 singles, week ending 5 January 2006". Irish Singles Chart. GfK. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  34. "Top 50 singles, week ending 12 January 2006". Irish Singles Chart. GfK. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 26 August 2010.
  35. "See the Day". aCharts.us. Retrieved 28 February 2009.
  36. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
  37. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  38. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2005" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 23 March 2019.
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