What A Diff'rence A Day Makes - Wikipedia

English version of song "Cuando vuelva a tu lado" For the Dinah Washington album, see What a Diff'rence a Day Makes! For the Cory Lee album, see What a Difference a Day Makes (album). For the Grey's Anatomy episode, see What a Difference a Day Makes (Grey's Anatomy).

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"What a Diff'rence a Day Makes"
Single by Dinah Washington
from the album What a Diff'rence a Day Makes!
B-side	"Come On Home"
Released	1959
Recorded	1959
Genre	Pop, vocal jazz
Length	2:31
Label	Mercury
Songwriters	María Grever, Stanley Adams (English lyrics)[1]
Dinah Washington singles chronology
"Make Me a Present of You" (1958) "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" (1959) "Unforgettable" (1959)

"What a Diff'rence a Day Makes"
Single by Esther Phillips
B-side	"Come On Home"
Released	July 1975
Recorded	1975
Genre	Disco • R&B • Soul
Length	3:12
Label	Kudu
Songwriters	María Grever, Stanley Adams (English lyrics)[2]

"What a Diff'rence a Day Made", also recorded as "What a Difference a Day Makes", is a popular song originally written in Spanish by María Grever, a Mexican songwriter, in 1934 with the title "Cuando vuelva a tu lado" ("When I Return to Your Side") and first recorded by Orquesta Pedro Vía that same year. A popular version in Spanish was later recorded by trio Los Panchos with Eydie Gormé in 1964.[3]

The song is also known in English as "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes", as popularized by Dinah Washington in 1959.[4]

English adaptation

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The English lyrics were written by Stanley Adams, and was played by Harry Roy & his Orchestra. It was published in late 1934. The most successful early recording, in 1934, was by the Dorsey Brothers, with vocals by Bob Crosby, although it was first recorded by Cleveland crooner Jimmy Ague.[5]

Dinah Washington version

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Dinah Washington won a Grammy Award in 1959 for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance with this song. Her version was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998.[6] It also earned her first top ten pop hit, reaching number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.[7]

Charts

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Chart (1959)	Peakposition
US Billboard Hot 100	8
US Billboard Hot R&B Sides	4

Esther Phillips version

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In 1975, Esther Phillips recorded her version of the song. Her version had a disco feel to it. The Esther Phillips version became a big hit, reaching number twenty on the US Hot 100[8] and number 6 in the UK.[9] It also reached number two on the disco charts.[10] Her version also did well on the US soul chart, reaching the top ten. Phillips performed the song on the television comedy variety program Saturday Night Live during its first season.

Charts

[edit]

Chart (1975)	Peakposition
Australia (Kent Music Report)[11]	38
US Billboard Hot 100[8]	20
US Billboard Hot Soul Singles[12]	10
U.S. Billboard Dance Club Songs	2
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening[13]	33
UK Singles Chart[9]	6

Notable cover versions

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• Andy Russell, a Mexican-American singer, recorded a bilingual version of the song in 1944 which reached number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[14]
• Vaughn Monroe's 1955 version reached number 60 in the US Music Vendor survey.
• Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso became the first Mexican jazz singer to win the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition with an English and Spanish interpretation of "Cuando vuelva a tu lado/What a Difference a Day Makes".[15][16]

References

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1. ^ Ascap entry for song ASCAP, accessed January 9, 2011.
2. ^ Ascap entry for song ASCAP, accessed January 9, 2011.
3. ^ "Cuando vuelva a tu lado by Eydie Gormé & The Trio Los Panchos (1964)". Secondhandsongs.
4. ^ Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 17 - The Soul Reformation: More on the evolution of rhythm and blues. [Part 3]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
5. ^ "What a Difference a Day Makes", Songs With Earlier Histories, August 5, 2014.
6. ^ "Grammy Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2011-02-19. Retrieved 2011-04-25.
7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 611.
8. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2002). Joel Whitburn's top pop singles 1955-2002. Menomonee Falls, Wisc.: Record Research. p. 546. ISBN 0898201551.
9. ^ a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 425. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
10. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 202.
11. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 233. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
12. ^ Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's top R & B singles, 1942-1995. Menomonee Falls, Wisc.: Record Research. p. 372. ISBN 0898201152. Retrieved November 5, 2025.
13. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2007). Joel Whitburn presents Billboard top adult songs, 1961-2006. Menomonee Falls, Wis. : Record Research Inc. p. 217. ISBN 978-0-89820-169-7.
14. ^ "What a Difference a Day Made". BobbyDarin.com. Retrieved 2014-09-09.
15. ^ Contreras, Russell (2025-10-05). "Mexican-born jazz singer gives new life to "La Llorona"". Axios. Retrieved 2025-12-24.
16. ^ Feibel, Adam (2022-11-21). "Vocalist Lucía Gutiérrez Rebolloso wins 2022 SASSY Award". JAZZ.FM91. Retrieved 2025-12-24.

v t e Dinah Washington
Studio albums	Blazing Ballads After Hours with Miss "D" For Those in Love Dinah! In the Land of Hi-Fi The Swingin' Miss "D" Dinah Washington Sings Fats Waller Music for a First Love Dinah Sings Bessie Smith What a Diff'rence a Day Makes! September in the Rain Unforgettable Drinking Again Back to the Blues Dinah '63 This Is My Story A Stranger on Earth
Live albums	Dinah Jams Newport '58
Associated albums	Jam Session
Tribute albums	Unforgettable: A Tribute to Dinah Washington For Dinah
Singles	"Evil Gal Blues" "I'll Never Be Free" "Ain't Misbehavin'" "It's Too Soon to Know" "Baby Get Lost" "I Wanna Be Loved" "Harbor Lights" "My Heart Cries for You" "Cold, Cold Heart" "Trouble in Mind" "I Don't Hurt Anymore" "Dream" "Teach Me Tonight" "I Concentrate on You" "That's All I Want from You" "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" "Unforgettable" "Baby (You've Got What It Takes)" "A Rockin' Good Way (to Mess Around and Fall in Love)" "This Bitter Earth" "Love Walked In" "It Could Happen to You" "September in the Rain" "Where Are You?" "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You"
Associated acts	Lionel Hampton Clifford Brown Brook Benton
Associated people	Eddie Chamblee Dick Lane
Related topics	Discography Dinah Washington Park

v t e The Black Sorrows
Discography Joe Camilleri
Studio albums	Sonola (1984) Rockin' Zydeco (1985) A Place in the World (1985) Dear Children (1987) Hold On to Me (1988) Harley and Rose (1990) Better Times (1992) Lucky Charm (1994) Beat Club (1998) One Mo' Time (2004) Roarin' Town (2006) 4 Days in Sing Sing (2009) Crooked Little Thoughts (2012) Certified Blue (2014) Endless Sleep Chapter 46 (2015) Endless Sleep Chapter 47 (2015) Faithful Satellite (2016) Citizen John (2019) Saint Georges Road (2021)
Live albums	Radio Waves (1996)
Compilations	The Chosen Ones – Greatest Hits (1993) The Very Best of The Black Sorrows (1997) The Essential Black Sorrows (2007)
Singles	"Brown Eyed Girl"/"What a Difference a Day Makes" "Hold On to Me" "The Chosen Ones" "Chained to the Wheel" "The Crack Up" "Harley + Rose" "Never Let Me Go" "Ain't Love the Strangest Thing" "Stir It Up" "Snake Skin Shoes" "Last One Standing for You"
Related articles	Vika and Linda John McAll Jo Jo Zep & The Falcons The Revelators ARIA Award for Best Group

v t e Esther Phillips
Studio albums	Confessin' the Blues
Singles	"Double Crossing Blues" "Mistrusting Blues" "Release Me" "I Really Don't Want to Know" "Am I That Easy to Forget" "And I Love Him" "When a Woman Loves a Man" "Somebody Else Is Taking My Place" "Too Late to Worry, Too Blue to Cry" "Baby, I'm for Real" "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" "For All We Know"

Authority control databases	MusicBrainz work