This Is the Day

"This Is the Day"
"This Is the Day"
Single by Manic Street Preachers
from the album National Treasures – The Complete Singles
Released	18 September 2011
Studio	Faster Recording Studios, Cardiff
Genre	Alternative rock; electronic rock;
Length	3:37
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Matt Johnson
Producer(s)	Loz Williams & Manic Street Preachers
Manic Street Preachers singles chronology

"This Is the Day"
"This Is the Day"
Single by the The
from the album Soul Mining
Released	2 September 1983
Studio	The Garden, London; Advision, London; Sarm West, London;
Genre	New wave, synthpop
Length	4:59 (album version); 3:42 (single edit)
Label	Some Bizzare/Epic
Songwriter(s)	Matt Johnson
Producer(s)	Paul Hardiman; Matt Johnson;
The The singles chronology

"This Is the Day" is a song written by Matt Johnson and originally released as a single by his band The The on 2 September 1983.^[3] It reached number 71 on the UK Singles Chart.^[4] A version of the song was included on the band's debut album Soul Mining, released in October 1983.

A re-recorded version of the song, re-titled "That Was the Day", was released as the lead track on the Dis-Infected EP in 1993. The EP reached number 17 on the UK singles chart.^[5]

Track listing

7" single

"This Is the Day" – 3:42
"Mental Healing Process" – 3:44

12" single

"This Is the Day" (Extended Version) – 5:22
"I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (All of My Life)" (Special Mix) – 7:36

Artwork

The artwork is by Andy Johnson. The font was designed by Fiona Skinner. An alternative layout for the the The logo was used on this single with the lowercase 'the' larger and set at an angle.

Video

Fiona Skinner directed the promo video for the re-release of 1983 single. The video is a collage of images and memories illustrating Matt Johnson's childhood and Skinner and Johnson's relationship. The single was re-released around the time they split. Skinner created the farewell promo for the song.

Personnel

Credits for the album version are adapted from the sleeve notes for Soul Mining.^[6]

Matt Johnson – synths, instruments, percussion, vocals
Andy Duncan – drums
Paul Boyle – fiddle
Wix Wickens (credited as "Wicks") – accordion

Charts

Chart performance for "This Is the Day"
Chart (1983)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)^[4]	71

Chart performance for "That Was the Day"
Chart (1994)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)^[5]	17

Certifications


Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[7]	Silver	200,000^‡
^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Note

^ Although the only two studios credited in the liner notes for Soul Mining are Advision and Sarm, Johnson has since stated in several interviews that the majority of the album was recorded at the Garden studio in Shoreditch, east London.^[1]^[2]

Manic Street Preachers version

In September 2011, "This Is the Day" was covered by Manic Street Preachers as a single to promote their National Treasures – The Complete Singles compilation album. The CD single was only available as a limited edition with the CD/DVD version of National Treasures on the HMV website.^[8]

Track listing

Digital download

"This Is the Day" – 3:37
"We Were Never Told" – 3:20

HMV exclusive CD

"This Is the Day" – 3:37
"Rock 'n' Roll Genius" – 2:40

References

^ Mason, Neil (July 2014). "The Soul Miner". Electronic Sound. No. 7. pp. 36–47.
^ Bonner, Michael (2 July 2014). "'Somewhere between pure euphoria and terrible insecurity': An interview with The The's Matt Johnson". Uncut. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2021.
^ "Record News". NME. 27 August 1983. p. 39.
^ ^a ^b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
^ ^a ^b "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2024.
^ Soul Mining (LP vinyl sleeve). The The. Some Bizzare Records. 1983. EPC 25525.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "British single certifications – The The – This Is the Day". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
^ "Pre-order 'National Treasures' for exclusive extras". Retrieved 2 January 2012.

[3] Although the only two studios credited in the liner notes for Soul Mining are Advision and Sarm, Johnson has since stated in several interviews that the majority of the album was recorded at the Garden studio in Shoreditch, east London.^[1]^[2]

[1] Mason, Neil (July 2014). "The Soul Miner". Electronic Sound. No. 7. pp. 36–47.

[2] Bonner, Michael (2 July 2014). "'Somewhere between pure euphoria and terrible insecurity': An interview with The The's Matt Johnson". Uncut. Archived from the original on 8 August 2020. Retrieved 27 November 2021.

[4] "Record News". NME. 27 August 1983. p. 39.

[UKChart1983-5] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2024.

[UKChart1994-6] "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 6 April 2024.

[7] Soul Mining (LP vinyl sleeve). The The. Some Bizzare Records. 1983. EPC 25525.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)

[United_KingdomThe_TheThis_Is_the_DaysingleCertRef-8] "British single certifications – The The – This Is the Day". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 15 March 2024.

[9] "Pre-order 'National Treasures' for exclusive extras". Retrieved 2 January 2012.

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v t e The The
Matt Johnson Keith Laws Peter Ashworth Simon Fisher Turner Zeke Manyika Johnny Marr Gail Ann Dorsey Earl Harvin Eric Schermerhorn
Studio albums	Burning Blue Soul Soul Mining Infected Mind Bomb Dusk Hanky Panky NakedSelf Ensoulment
Compilation albums	Solitude 45 RPM: The Singles of The The
Singles	"Uncertain Smile" "This Is the Day" "Love Is Stronger Than Death" "I Saw the Light"

v t e Manic Street Preachers
James Dean Bradfield Sean Moore Nicky Wire Richey Edwards
Studio albums	Generation Terrorists Gold Against the Soul The Holy Bible Everything Must Go This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours Know Your Enemy Lifeblood Send Away the Tigers Journal for Plague Lovers Postcards from a Young Man Rewind the Film Futurology Resistance Is Futile The Ultra Vivid Lament
Compilation albums	Forever Delayed Lipstick Traces National Treasures – The Complete Singles Sleep Next to Plastic
EPs	New Art Riot Life Becoming a Landslide
Singles	"Suicide Alley" "Motown Junk" "You Love Us (Heavenly Version)" "Stay Beautiful" "Love's Sweet Exile"/"Repeat" "You Love Us" "Slash 'n' Burn" "Motorcycle Emptiness" "Theme from M.A.S.H. (Suicide Is Painless)" "Little Baby Nothing" "From Despair to Where" "La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)" "Roses in the Hospital" "Faster" "Revol" "She Is Suffering" "A Design for Life" "Everything Must Go" "Kevin Carter" "Australia" "If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Be Next" "The Everlasting" "You Stole the Sun from My Heart" "Tsunami" "The Masses Against the Classes" "So Why So Sad" "Found That Soul" "Ocean Spray" "Let Robeson Sing" "There by the Grace of God" "The Love of Richard Nixon" "Empty Souls" "Underdogs" "Your Love Alone Is Not Enough" "Autumnsong" "Indian Summer" "(It's Not War) Just the End of Love" "Some Kind of Nothingness" "Postcards from a Young Man" "This Is the Day" "Show Me the Wonder" "Anthem for a Lost Cause" "Walk Me to the Bridge" "Futurology" "Together Stronger (C'mon Wales)" "International Blue" "Distant Colours" "Dylan & Caitlin" "Liverpool Revisited" "Hold Me Like a Heaven" "People Give In" "Orwellian" "The Secret He Had Missed" "Rosebud" "Decline and Fall"
Other songs	"4st 7lb" "Peeled Apples"
Video albums	Everything Live Leaving the 20th Century Louder Than War Forever Delayed
Solo Albums	The Great Western I Killed the Zeitgeist Even in Exile Intimism
Related articles	Discography Culture, Alienation, Boredom and Despair