Everyday (1974)
Everyday is Slade's second single from their fourth studio album Old New Borrowed and Blue. Released by Polydor on 29 March 1974, it reached No. 3 in the UK and remained in the charts for seven weeks. The single received a Silver certification from BPI in April 1974. The song was written by Noddy Holder, Jim Lea and his wife Louise Lea (uncredited), and produced by Chas Chandler.
Background
With the release of Old New Borrowed and Blue in February 1974, the band's manager Chas Chandler suggested "Everyday" be released as the second single from the album. The band's popularity in the UK meant that there was a big demand for a new release. Having reached No. 1 over the Christmas period with "Merry Xmas Everybody", the band, particularly Lea, did not feel the song was single material. On the band's flight to Australia for a short tour there, Chandler and Lea argued about the idea, however Chandler ultimately won, and "Everyday" was released as a single in March 1974. Being a piano-led ballad, which was an unusual style for Slade, the band knew they were taking a risk by releasing it as a single. "Everyday" reached No. 3 in the UK and would go on to become a regular sing-a-long inclusion at the band's concerts. It was released prior to the band's next tour.
The idea for "Everyday" came out of an evening at Lea's house where he was entertaining friends. Responding to the question of how he wrote songs, Lea said "easy, anyone can do it" and each person then attempted to come up with their idea for a song on the spot. Lea's wife Louise had come up with an idea, which formed the basis of "Everyday"'s verse. Lea thought her idea was very good and soon developed it further to become a Slade song. While in Olympic Studios writing more of the song, he turned down the offer of having a coffee with David Bowie in order to try and finish writing it. Once he had finished the music and some more of the lyrics, Holder finished the final lyrics off. During the recording of the song, Dave Hill was abroad on his honeymoon so Lea played the guitar solo.
During a 2017 live question and answer event with Lea at the Robin 2 club, Lea was asked whether his wife received a writing credit for the song. He replied: "No, she didn't. No, actually, I feel really bad about that and I have spoken to Nod about it. She should have a credit, it should be Lea, Lea, Holder. Why I didn't credit Lou on it was because it wasn't that long before with the John and Yoko thing going on, where Yoko was in the studio all the time and it was messing about with the Beatles. And I didn't want to have that sort of pressure. I mean, Lou wouldn't have done it anyway, she would never have pressured me. She should have a credit now I think, I should put it to the publishers that that's what we should do."
In 2013, the song was used in a UK advert for the Nexus 7 tablet. As a result, it re-entered the UK chart in late November and peaked at No. 69 the following month, due to downloads.
Release
"Everyday" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan. The B-side, "Good Time Gals", had also previously appeared as an album track on Old New Borrowed and Blue.
Promotion
No music video was filmed to promote the single as the band were busy on their "Crazee Nite" UK tour. In the UK, the band performed "Everyday" twice on the music show Top of The Pops (28 March and 11 April), and on Clunk Click. The band also performed the song on the Dutch AVRO TV show TopPop.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
Retrospective reviews
Chart performance
Australian Singles Chart: #20
Austrian Singles Chart: #13
Belgian Singles Chart: #22
Dutch Singles Chart: #4
French Singles Chart: #28
German Singles Chart: #17
Irish Singles Chart: #4
New Zealand Singles Chart: #4
Norwegian Singles Chart: #3
Swiss Singles Chart: #7
UK Singles Chart: #3 (1974)
UK Singles Chart: #69 (2013)
Formats
7" single
Personnel
Slade
Additional personnel
Cover versions
Background
With the release of Old New Borrowed and Blue in February 1974, the band's manager Chas Chandler suggested "Everyday" be released as the second single from the album. The band's popularity in the UK meant that there was a big demand for a new release. Having reached No. 1 over the Christmas period with "Merry Xmas Everybody", the band, particularly Lea, did not feel the song was single material. On the band's flight to Australia for a short tour there, Chandler and Lea argued about the idea, however Chandler ultimately won, and "Everyday" was released as a single in March 1974. Being a piano-led ballad, which was an unusual style for Slade, the band knew they were taking a risk by releasing it as a single. "Everyday" reached No. 3 in the UK and would go on to become a regular sing-a-long inclusion at the band's concerts. It was released prior to the band's next tour.
The idea for "Everyday" came out of an evening at Lea's house where he was entertaining friends. Responding to the question of how he wrote songs, Lea said "easy, anyone can do it" and each person then attempted to come up with their idea for a song on the spot. Lea's wife Louise had come up with an idea, which formed the basis of "Everyday"'s verse. Lea thought her idea was very good and soon developed it further to become a Slade song. While in Olympic Studios writing more of the song, he turned down the offer of having a coffee with David Bowie in order to try and finish writing it. Once he had finished the music and some more of the lyrics, Holder finished the final lyrics off. During the recording of the song, Dave Hill was abroad on his honeymoon so Lea played the guitar solo.
During a 2017 live question and answer event with Lea at the Robin 2 club, Lea was asked whether his wife received a writing credit for the song. He replied: "No, she didn't. No, actually, I feel really bad about that and I have spoken to Nod about it. She should have a credit, it should be Lea, Lea, Holder. Why I didn't credit Lou on it was because it wasn't that long before with the John and Yoko thing going on, where Yoko was in the studio all the time and it was messing about with the Beatles. And I didn't want to have that sort of pressure. I mean, Lou wouldn't have done it anyway, she would never have pressured me. She should have a credit now I think, I should put it to the publishers that that's what we should do."
In 2013, the song was used in a UK advert for the Nexus 7 tablet. As a result, it re-entered the UK chart in late November and peaked at No. 69 the following month, due to downloads.
Release
"Everyday" was released on 7" vinyl by Polydor Records in the UK, Ireland, across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Japan. The B-side, "Good Time Gals", had also previously appeared as an album track on Old New Borrowed and Blue.
Promotion
No music video was filmed to promote the single as the band were busy on their "Crazee Nite" UK tour. In the UK, the band performed "Everyday" twice on the music show Top of The Pops (28 March and 11 April), and on Clunk Click. The band also performed the song on the Dutch AVRO TV show TopPop.
Critical reception
Contemporary reviews
- Record Mirror wrote: "Gone the stomping, barnstorming, rabble-rousing - gone temporarily, as Slade enter a gentle ballad era. It'll only last for one single, in fact; but it's a quite remarkable change of style for the young gentlemen. The plaintive side of Nod emerges on the song he wrote with Jim. Mind you, the rasp has not vanished from Nod's voice. This lull, this leaning on lilting rather than lambasting, is not only welcome - it's great stuff. Lovely little melody; nice performance. Smash hit. And already one of my favourite Slade efforts - chart certain."
- Sounds stated: ""Everyday" is a dashed fine record. It opens with a hint of stately piano before young Nod chips in with vocals delivered in his non-rasping voice. In this mode he sounds not unlike John Lennon and it has to be said that the song is decidedly Beatlesy in itself. Noddy slips into his teen rasp for the choruses but does it without damaging the essentially love Iron ambience of the piece. The performance remains plaintive and even touching. There's some muscular guitar too but it never threatens to destroy the mood either. All-in-all, a tour-de-force and I will be bewildered if this doesn't leap to No. 1 in short order."
- Disc wrote: "Wow! Slade singles aren't usually as individual as this one. If you're expecting the usual raucous vocals and a real rocking background, forget it. This is a lovely song, sung with considerable feeling by Noddy."
- Coventry Evening Telegraph stated: "Think of Slade and what sort of image is conjured up in your mind? As likely as not, it's of four brash Wolverhampton lads playing loud, loud music exclusively for the kids. Well, times, they are a-changing: here's a change of style, a change of emphasis - and another Number One. As much as it's undeniably Slade - it's undeniably totally different from anything they've come up with before. A ballad with a catchy melody-line that hooks you and won't let go. It can't fail."
Retrospective reviews
- In a retrospective review of Old New Borrowed and Blue, Dave Thompson of AllMusic stated: "...it was "Everyday," however, that held the secret of the band's future, a crowd-swaying singalong of such scarf-waving majesty that it might well be single-handedly responsible for every great record U2 has ever made. It was certainly Slade's most memorable new single in a while and, as the cue for further airborne anthems, it became one of the most crucial songs in the group's entire repertoire. On an album that, at best, can be described as patchy, "Everyday" is a new day altogether."
- Bob Stanley of The Times described the song as a "Macca-styled ballad".
- In 2005, BBC Radio 2 ranked the song at No. 9 of 100 in their "Sold on Song" library, commenting on Holder's "decidedly affectionate and most un-Slade-like lyrics". They added: "It was a rare sentimental concession from the band who built their reputation on some of the best-loved rock 'n' roll of the 1970s."
- In 2010, Classic Rock listed the song as one of 14 Slade songs that belong on an "Essential Playlist" and described the song as a "wistful ballad".
Chart performance
Australian Singles Chart: #20
Austrian Singles Chart: #13
Belgian Singles Chart: #22
Dutch Singles Chart: #4
French Singles Chart: #28
German Singles Chart: #17
Irish Singles Chart: #4
New Zealand Singles Chart: #4
Norwegian Singles Chart: #3
Swiss Singles Chart: #7
UK Singles Chart: #3 (1974)
UK Singles Chart: #69 (2013)
Formats
7" single
- "Everyday" - 3:05
- "Good Time Gals" - 3:28
Personnel
Slade
- Noddy Holder - lead vocals
- Jim Lea - piano, lead guitar, bass, backing vocals
- Don Powell - drums
Additional personnel
- Chas Chandler - producer
Cover versions
- In 1992, Finnish actor and singer Samuli Edelmann recorded the song which appeared on the album Yön Valot under the title "Enkeli". Finnish musician Kari Kuivalainen was given writing credit for the changed lyrics.
- In 2005, English hard rock band The Quireboys released a cover of the song as B-side to their single "Tears in Heaven".