Day by Day (Godspell song)
"Day by Day" is a folk rock ballad from the 1971 Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak musical Godspell. It is the third song in the show’s score and it is also reprised as the closing number for the 1973 film version.
Lyrics
The song's refrain follows a prayer ascribed to the 13th-century English bishop Saint Richard of Chichester:May I know Thee more clearly,
Love Thee more dearly,
Follow Thee more nearly.
The version in Godspell follows more closely the wording in Hymn 429 of the 1940 Hymnal:
Day by day,
Dear Lord, of thee three things I pray:
To see thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
Follow thee more nearly,
Day by day.
"Day By Day" was first a hit in Australia, where both Judy Stone and Colleen Hewett released competing versions of the track in late 1971. Hewett's version reached #2 in the Kent Music Report, while Judy Stone's take reached #25.
In 1972, a version of the song from the album Godspell by the original off-Broadway cast was released as a single in the US, and attributed simply to the group name "Godspell". Robin Lamont was the lead singer, uncredited. "Day By Day" spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at the #13 position on July 29, 1972. Billboard ranked it as the No. 90 song for 1972.
Chart history
Weekly charts
;Godspell| Chart | Peak position |
| Canada RPM Top Singles | 7 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 13 |
| U.S. Billboard Easy Listening | 8 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 9 |
;Holly Sherwood
| Chart | Peak position |
| UK Singles | 29 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 104 |
| U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 91 |
;Colleen Hewett
| Chart | Peak position |
| Australia | 2 |
;Judy Stone
| Chart | Peak position |
| Australia | 25 |
Year-end charts
Cover versions
- The instrumental cover band Hot Butter released a version on their 1972 album Hot Butter.
- The 5th Dimension's version was recorded for the Living Together, Growing Together album, released in 1973.
- Another instrumental version, in the song's initial key, was used as the theme music for NBC's Today Show in the 1970s.
- In March 1972, Holly Sherwood released "Day by Day" as her first single, produced by Tony Orlando for Rocky Road Records. Her version went to #104 on the US Billboard Bubbling Under the Hot 100 chart, #91 Cash Box, and #29 in the United Kingdom.
- Andy Williams and Ray Conniff and His Singers both released versions in 1972 on albums that were both called Alone Again .
- The song was also covered by Irish pop singer Alma Carroll in 1972.
- The song was covered by British pop singer Cilla Black who released it on her 1973 album Day by Day with Cilla which was her seventh and last studio album with producer George Martin.
- Cliff Richard recorded a live version on his 1974 gospel album Help It Along.
- Christian rap/rock group dc Talk covered the song on their 1995 album Jesus Freak.
- A previously unreleased version by the 1970s British vocal group Design was included on their 2012 CD One Sunny Day: Singles and Rarities 1968–1978.
- Judy Collins released a version on her Amazing Grace LP in 1985.
- Christian rock group House of Heroes covered the song on their 2013 album The Knock-Down Drag-Outs.
- Homer Simpson sings a version of "Day by Day" in the episode entitled "Pulpit Friction" on the TV series The Simpsons.
In popular culture
- In the 2000 film Meet the Parents, Greg Focker is asked by Jack Byrnes to say Grace before dinner, resulting in Greg reciting the lyrics from "Day by Day."
- In the 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer, summer camp counselors Susie and Ben direct a group of kids to sing and dance “Day by Day” in similar style and costume to the original Godspell Broadway cast, which they perform at the talent show. The audience claps along happily, but after the performance ends with a glowing luminescent cross on the wall, it is met with overwhelming boos. The host comments it is one of his favorite Broadway numbers, but erroneously pronounces it as “Day Bidet.”