A Brand New Day (The Wiz song)

"A Brand New Day"
Single by The Wiz Stars featuring Diana Ross and Michael Jackson
from the album The Wiz: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
B-side "Liberation Ballet - A Brand New Day"
Released 1979
Format 7" single
Recorded 1977
Genre
Length 2:40
Label MCA
Songwriter(s) Luther Vandross
Producer(s)
Michael Jackson singles chronology
"You Can't Win"
(1979) You Can't Win1979		 "A Brand New Day"
(1979) A Brand New Day1979		 "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough"
(1979) Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough1979
Diana Ross singles chronology
"Pops We Love You"
(1978) Pops We Love You1978		 "A Brand New Day"
(1979) A Brand New Day1979		 "The Boss"
(1979) The Boss1979

"A Brand New Day", also known as "Everybody Rejoice", is a song from the 1975 Broadway musical The Wiz written by American R&B singer and songwriter Luther Vandross. (In 1976 Vandross recorded a version of the song for his album Luther, on Cotillion Records.) In the play, the song is sung to celebrate after Dorothy has killed Evilene, the tyrannical Wicked Witch of the West. Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow sing the song with the newly freed Winkies, who were ruled and enslaved by Evilene. It was later featured in the 1978 film version, sung by cast members Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Nipsey Russell, and Ted Ross (credited as The Wiz Stars). Given the all-Black cast of The Wiz, the song's many references to freedom and new possibilities (especially as sung by African American characters who had just been freed from enslavement) certainly invoked the struggles and history of Blacks in America. In the onscreen version of the song, Nipsey Russell can even be heard exclaiming "Free at last!"—a reference to civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. (His impromptu addition to the song is not heard on the soundtrack album version, instead replaced by sung vocals by Diana Ross.)

The film version was released as a single in some continental European countries and peaked at #1 in Belgium and The Netherlands.[1]

Contents

The single release is an edit of the first half of the song, which in its entirety runs 7:49 on the film's soundtrack. It is backed by the second half of the song, which is labeled as "Liberation Ballet - A Brand New Day." The "Liberation Ballet" is primarily instrumental and is composed of uptempo dance music in a variety of styles, with the film's cast and choir cheering and singing "Can you feel the brand new day" throughout the piece.

The song was also featured in the Family Guy episode "Barely Legal." When the Quohog police force is sent to South America and the city's African-American population rejoices.

The song was also used in a long-running public service announcement for the Fresh Air Fund.

Personnel

Charts

Chart (1979) Peak
position
Belgium (VRT Top 30) 1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) 1

References

  1. ↑ Halstead, Craig; Chris Cadman (2003). Michael Jackson: The Solo Years. Authors OnLine. ISBN 0-7552-0091-8.
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