AllMusic editor Leo Stanley found that The Day "confirms his skill for subtle, inventive songwriting and accessible, polished yet soulful production [...] He is still compelling – his voice is as smooth as silk, and nearly as seductive – but it doesn't quite have the force of personality as his greatest productions. Nevertheless, The Day qualifies as state-of-the-art mid-'90s soul, featuring a handful of terrific songs, and a lot of extremely pleasurable filler."[ 6] David Browne from Entertainment Weekly wrote that on the album, Babyface "immerses himself in the same hot-tub soul he's applied to everyone from Toni Braxton to Eric Clapton . All the Babyface trademarks — the crisp, unobtrusive percussion, the silky guitars, the harmonies that blanket the melodies like a quilt — are laid out like a three-piece suit. But more so than any previous album he’s made, The Day is chockful of luscious, gently persuasive songs, from doe-eyed testimonials to his devotion to misty childhood reminiscences.[ 7]
Bonus tracks (2001 reissue) Title Writer(s) Producer(s) 11. "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Timbaland Remix) Edmonds 4:50 12. "Every Time I Close My Eyes" (Urban Soul Basement Mix) Edmonds 4:40 13. "This Is for the Lover in You" (Honey Lookin' Laced Extended Remix) Babyface 5:26
Notes
^[a] denotes a co-producer
^[b] denotes an additional producer
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.[ 13]
Engineered by Brad Gilderman and Thom Russo
Mixed by Jon Gass, Mick Guzauski and Bob Brockmann
Strings on "The Day" engineered by Humberto Gatica
Background vocals on "Every Time I Close My Eyes " engineered by Mike Scott
Mastered by Eddy Schreyer at Oasis Mastering
MIDI Programmer: Randy Walker
Production coordinator: Ivy Skoff
Art direction: Bennet/Novak and company
Design: Vincent Oto
Booklet and Spike Photography: Anton Corbijn
Cover photography: Beisig and Taylor
Styling: Bernard C. Jacobs
Grooming: Melvonne
Hair: Tim Carter
^ a b "American album certifications – Babyface – The Day" . Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ "Babyface: The Day (Billboard 200)" . Billboard .
^ "Babyface: The Day (Top R&B Albums)" . Billboard .
^ "Babyface: The Day" . riaa.com .
^ a b "Babyface" . grammy.com . The Recording Academy .
^ a b "Babyface: The Day" . allmusic.com .
^ a b Browne, David (November 1, 1996). "MUSIC REVIEW > The Day > Kenneth Babyface Edmonds" . Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ Johnson, Connie (October 20, 1996). "Record Rack: Why Can't All Men Be Like Babyface?" . Los Angeles Times . Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ Springer, Jacqueline (December 1996). "Babyface: The Day " (PDF) . Muzik . No. 19. p. 136. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2022 .
^ Parales, John (November 24, 1996). "Silky Crooners Who Can Rap, Rest Assured" . nytimes.com . Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ Christgau, Robert (July 22, 1997). "Consumer Guide" . The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide . ISBN 9780743201698 . Retrieved February 18, 2015 .
^ The Day (booklet). Epic Records . 1996.
^ "Australiancharts.com – Babyface – The Day" . Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "Top Albums/CDs - Volume 64, No. 13" (PHP) . RPM . November 11, 1996. Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Babyface – The Day" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "Lescharts.com – Babyface – The Day" . Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Babyface – The Day" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts . Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "デイ/ベイビーフェイス-リリース-ORICON STYLE-ミュージック" [Highest position and charting weeks for The Day by Babyface]. oricon.co.jp (in Japanese). Original Confidence . Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ "Charts.nz – Babyface – The Day" . Hung Medien. Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "Babyface | Artist | Official Charts" . UK Albums Chart . Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "Babyface Chart History (Billboard 200)" . Billboard . Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "Babyface Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)" . Billboard . Retrieved November 25, 2020.
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1996" . Billboard . Retrieved January 27, 2021 .
^ "ARIA Charts - End of Year Charts - Top 100 Albums 1997" . aria.com.au . Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on October 4, 2011. Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1997" (in Dutch). Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved March 1, 2014 .
^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End – 1997" . Billboard . Retrieved September 9, 2020 .
^ "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 1997" . Billboard . Retrieved January 27, 2021 .
^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1997 Albums" (PDF) . Australian Recording Industry Association . Retrieved March 2, 2014 .
^ "Canadian album certifications – Babyface – The Day" . Music Canada . Retrieved June 1, 2012 .
^ "Japanese album certifications – Babyface – The Day" (in Japanese). Recording Industry Association of Japan . Retrieved March 2, 2014 . Select 1997年1月 on the drop-down menu
^ "British album certifications – Babyface – The Day" . British Phonographic Industry . Retrieved March 2, 2014 .