You Are the New Day
March 22, 2008 6:53 PM   Subscribe

You are the New Day, recorded by the Kings Singers, the Searchers, and ten thousand school choirs around the world, was written by hard-rocking bass player John David, long of Dave Edmunds’ band. You Are the New Day is that rarest of things...

an a capella song that’s life-affirming and uplifting, without being sappy, “spiritual," or having anything to do with romantic love. And don’t hate it because it was used in a PBS promo.
posted by Faze (27 comments total) 11 users marked this as a favorite
 
I've heard it any number of times -- probably performed it at least once. I wouldn't call it sappy per se, but it's a bit too melodramatic for my taste. Tries too hard, perhaps? The music speaks just fine on its own. Liked it better before I listened to the lyrics, really.

Cool post, though -- reminds me of my choral days, a good seven or eight years.
posted by lumensimus at 7:13 PM on March 22, 2008


This was a lovely post, Faze.
I got swept up in this song; never heard it before.
posted by Dizzy at 7:16 PM on March 22, 2008


I have heard this song, as well as "Blackbird," literally hundreds of times. When my daughter was a newborn, the Kings Singers, and these songs in particular, activated some calming-down subroutine in her skull that nothing else could, and we ended up racking up insane play counts in iTunes.

Consequently, I very much appreciate this music, and I never want to hear it again.
posted by brain_drain at 7:19 PM on March 22, 2008


without being sappy, “spiritual,"

Sigh. There are plenty of non-sappy spiritual songs out there, but this is not one of them.
Oh, and you say this is not "spiritual," this, on Easter's Eve? You are either ignorant or disingenuous. Boy, this is just a snark-magnet for MeFites. It's not a terrible song; it's just the wrong place to post it.
posted by kozad at 7:21 PM on March 22, 2008


I liked it, but even better was finding them doing a cover of "Blackbird." Most a capella should follow these guys' lead and go for the understated and subtle. (I find most college a capella groups make me cringe, no matter how technically good they are.) Thanks for the introduction and link!
posted by not_on_display at 7:23 PM on March 22, 2008


Also a nice cover of "Short People" - And so, I preemptively say to all future snarkers on this thread: shove it up your ass; this is good stuff.
posted by not_on_display at 7:28 PM on March 22, 2008


I used to love that promo spot and forgot all about it until now. Now that I babysit for a living, it's clear to me that PBS kicks the ass of all other children's programming out there, in part because they used that song so appropriately. Thanks for the reminder, and for the background on the song.
posted by Saellys at 7:29 PM on March 22, 2008


(...and Happy Easter. Now, shove it, I say!)
posted by not_on_display at 7:30 PM on March 22, 2008


The lyrics:

I will love you more than me
and more than yesterday,
If you can but prove to me
you are the new day.

Send the sun in time for dawn,
Let the birds all hail the morning,
Love of life will urge me say,
You are the new day.

When I lay me down at night,
Knowing we must pay,
Thoughts occur that this night might
Stay yesterday.

Thoughts that we as humans small
Could slow worlds and end it all,
Lie around me where they fall,
Before the new day.

One more day when time is running out
For everyone,
Like a breath I knew would come,
I reach for the new day.

Hope is my philosophy,
Just needs days in which to be,
Love of life means hope for me,
Born on a new day.

You are the new day.


Maybe I'm to literal-minded, but almost none of this makes sense to me. I didn't even get the main metaphor. What does "you are the new day" mean?
posted by Pater Aletheias at 7:32 PM on March 22, 2008


This is a great record by the king's singers with Blackbird as mentioned above.
posted by vronsky at 7:53 PM on March 22, 2008


Oh thank you for posting this! I sang this in choir my sophomore year of high school and it's still one of my favorites. Also, not_on_display thanks for "Short People". We *did not* sing this one in choir, but, as a short person, it's one of my faves as well.
posted by chara at 7:54 PM on March 22, 2008


* You are either ignorant or disingenuous... Boy, this is just a snark-magnet for MeFites. -- kozad

* Thanks for the reminder -- Saellys

*I liked it .. thanks for the introduction and link! -- not_on_display

*This was a lovely post, Faze. -- Dizzy

*Cool post. -- lumensimus

*Oh thank you for posting this! one of my favorites -- Chara

----

Which one of these does not belong?
posted by stbalbach at 8:11 PM on March 22, 2008 [1 favorite]


Here Comes Another A Capella Post?

From the people who did the "Bubble" song, something for the A Capella HATERS.
posted by wendell at 8:17 PM on March 22, 2008


What does "you are the new day" mean?

Uh, in a Christian sense, the dawn of a new day is a new chance to serve God. The new day also more specifically refers to the morning after Christ has risen, in which act is found the salvation of man. Thus the new day symbolizes hope and joy.

Apply that to the verses above and all should be relatively clear.
posted by dhartung at 9:28 PM on March 22, 2008


GREAT post, Faze. I, for one, did find it indeed uplifting, and even spiritual in a generic sense, and that is fine too. There are those here who seem to live to be snarky, and this is not a post that deserves that. Besides, what is wrong with being at least remotely "spiritual" in MefFi anyway, if such be the case, at least in a non-combative sort of way? (Not that that was your intent; I realize that.) Peace to all and Happy Easter. There, I said it.
posted by Seekerofsplendor at 9:30 PM on March 22, 2008


Spot on, Faze.

My parents (both singers once upon a time) love the Kings Singers and this song.
posted by Herodios at 10:03 PM on March 22, 2008


This was a lovely post, Faze.
I got swept up in this song; never heard it before.


I can't say it any better than that. Thanks, Faze (and Dizzy).
posted by Turtles all the way down at 2:39 AM on March 23, 2008


Sang that with my choir!

It is hard.

I miss my choir, particularly on Gig Holidays such as this one.
posted by By The Grace of God at 5:36 AM on March 23, 2008


"particularly on Gig Holidays "

As opposed to must Kilo Holidays or Mega Holidays? :)
posted by HuronBob at 6:01 AM on March 23, 2008


My husband's classical a cappella group has been performing this song for two decades. It never fails to bring tears to my eyes. Thank you so much for posting it here. Shameless commerce link. (You Are the New Day third from last on the list). (realize that I'm risking deletion, but MAN I love this song)
posted by nax at 7:40 AM on March 23, 2008


This is perfect for me today.
posted by Jikido at 7:46 AM on March 23, 2008


No place for me here...I swear I try so hard to hear the "charm" and I went through the links and the sun shines right now and my world seems pretty good - but it's always the same reaction; mouth-puckering heebie jeebies.
posted by Jody Tresidder at 10:43 AM on March 23, 2008


I can respect mouth-puckering heebie jeebies. I really can.
posted by Faze at 11:43 AM on March 23, 2008


My high school's choir sang this. Being one of the music kids, though not a singer, I heard many a King's Singers song. My all-time favourite though is Lonesome Road, though I can't find the King's Singers version. This was the "farewell song" at the end of the last concert but on by the beloved music teacher who built the program, before he moved away.

Sigh. Nostalgia. Not music I would listen to now but how could I ever forget it? So, how about a post with some Robert W. Smith wind ensemble songs?
posted by PercussivePaul at 8:31 PM on March 23, 2008


thankyou. never heard of it. really glad i have now.
posted by es_de_bah at 8:58 PM on March 23, 2008


Faze,

I did not deserve such a courteous response from you.

I actually had a cringe d'escalier - (made up term from l'esprit d'escalier) - after I posted my initial yelp because I should have also said what an otherwise well crafted post it was...

I'm still tone deaf about these type of arrangements (just tried the main one again - nope, no change there...) - but really, that was a terrific post!
posted by Jody Tresidder at 4:36 AM on March 24, 2008


Great post! Love the Kings Singers.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 6:06 PM on March 26, 2008


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