Once A Day - Background and Content

Background and Content

"Once a Day" was written by American country artist, Bill Anderson, especially for Connie Smith. Originally recorded by Smith as a demo, the song was officially recorded at her first session with RCA Victor Records on July 16, 1964 at Studio B in Nashville, Tennessee. Produced by Bob Ferguson, the session was accompanied by Nashville's "A-Team" of musicians, which included members of Anderson's touring band, The Po' Boys. The song itself describes a woman who has not gotten over her previous lover. Although the woman explains that she has limited her grieving to "once a day," it is later found out that she is grieving, "once a day, every day, all day long." The song's chorus is repeated twice throughout the song and goes as follows:

Once a day, all day long

And once a night, from dusk till dawn

The only time I wish you weren't gone

Is once a day, every day, all day long

While also singing lead vocals on "Once a Day," Smith was also featured playing the song's guitar accompaniment. The song was re-recorded by Smith in French and was re-titled, "Pas Souvent." That year the song was released as a single to France, and was released seven years later on Smith's compilation, Love Is the Look You're Looking for in 1973. It was re-recorded for a third time for her 1976 studio album, The Song We Fell in Love To on Columbia Records.