One Day at a Time (song)
"One Day at a Time" is a popular Country and Western-style Christian song written by Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson. It has been recorded by over 200 artists and has reached No.1 in several territories.
| "One Day at a Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Marilyn Sellars | ||||
| from the album One Day at a Time | ||||
| B-side | "California" | |||
| Released | 1974 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:32 | |||
| Label | Mega | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Marijohn Wilkin, Kris Kristofferson | |||
| Producer(s) | Steven C. Anderson | |||
| Marilyn Sellars singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Marilyn Sellars version
The song was first recorded by American Country singer Marilyn Sellars in 1974.[1] This version became a US top 40 hit and top 20 hit on the Country Charts. Following this, it won the 1975 Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards for best song.[2]
Chart positions
| Chart (1974) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 19 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 37 |
Gloria version
| "One Day at a Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single by Gloria | ||||
| from the album When I Sing for Him | ||||
| B-side | "The Old Rugged Cross" | |||
| Released | August 1977 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Label | Release | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Marijohn Wilkin, Kris Kristofferson | |||
| Producer(s) | Tony Dirizziano | |||
| Gloria singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"One Day at a Time" was recorded by Gloria who released it as a single in August 1977. The song originally peaked at No.5 in the Irish singles charts, before being re-released a year later. From here it peaked at No.1 (over a year after it had entered the chart) and remained on the charts throughout the whole of 1979 and into 1980, eventually spending a total of 90 weeks in the Irish top 30 - the longest run by any song in Irish Chart history.[3]
Chart history
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Ireland (IRMA) | 1 |
Cristy Lane version
| "One Day at a Time" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Cristy Lane | ||||
| from the album Ask Me to Dance | ||||
| B-side | "I Knew the Mason" | |||
| Released | February 1980 | |||
| Recorded | November 19, 1979 | |||
| Genre | Country | |||
| Length | 3:12 | |||
| Label | United Artists X1342-Y | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Marijohn Wilkin and Kris Kristofferson | |||
| Producer(s) | Charlie Black | |||
| Cristy Lane singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"One Day at a Time" became best known among country fans when recorded by American country gospel singer Cristy Lane. Lane had started enjoying mainstream success in the late 1970s through the release of several secular hits, including "Let Me Down Easy" and "Simple Little Words." In 1979, Lane recorded the song after it became a No. 1 hit in the United Kingdom by Lena Martell. At first, United Artists Records balked at releasing the song, despite its previous track record of success, but Lane's husband-manager, Lee Stoller, predicted the song would be successful, and UA relented. The song was released in the late winter of 1980, and by the end of the spring, the song was No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.[4]
"One Day at a Time" was Lane's only No. 1 hit. For Kristofferson, the song was his sixth No. 1 as a songwriter and first in six years (his last being 1974's "Please Don't Tell Me How the Story Ends" by Ronnie Milsap).
Chart positions
| Chart (1980) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 1 |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 10 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 5 |
Other versions
The song went on to be recorded by many artists. Scottish singer Lena Martell recorded the song for the UK market in 1979. The song again became a big success and reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in October 1979 for three weeks.[5] The song was also recorded by the following; Ricardo Mejia was the first to record the song in Spanish "Un Dia a La Vez". Javier Galvan [Tejano Gospel Singer] also recorded the Spanish version "Un Dia a La Vez"; The Alexander Brothers; Judy Collins; Phil Coulter; Floyd Cramer; Carlene Davis; Florida Boys; Roger Whittaker; Tennessee Ernie Ford; Foster and Allen; Bill Gaither; Don Gibson; Arthur Greenslade; Lee Greenwood; Roy Drusky; George Hamilton IV; Lulu Roman, Brotherhood of Man and the Quebec country singer André Breton recorded the French version "Un jour à la fois".
See also
References
- "Marilyn Sellars | One Day At a Time | Midwest Entertainer for Hire". marilynsellars.com. Retrieved 2016-11-09.
- "GMA Dove Awards - Song of the Year History". Christianmusic.about.com. 2014-03-12. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
- Jaclyn Ward. "The Irish Charts - All there is to know". Irishcharts.ie. Retrieved 2014-03-28.
- Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Country Hits: 1944-2006, Second edition. Record Research. p. 194.
- "Official Charts Company". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2014-03-28.