Have a Nice Day (Stereophonics song)

"Have a Nice Day" is the second single from rock band the Stereophonics taken from their third album Just Enough Education to Perform. Produced by Steve Bush and Marshall Bird, it was released on 11 June 2001. The song received negative reviews but reached number five on the UK Singles Chart and went on to become one of the band's biggest hits. It also found success worldwide, reaching number 11 in Ireland, number 37 in New Zealand, and becoming Stereophonics' first song to appear on a US Billboard chart.

"Have a Nice Day"
Single by Stereophonics
from the album Just Enough Education to Perform
B-side"Surprise"
Released11 June 2001 (2001-06-11)
Format
  • CD
  • 7"
  • Cassette
Recorded2001
GenrePost-Britpop, alternative rock
Length3:25
LabelV2 Records
Songwriter(s)Kelly Jones
Producer(s)Bird & Bush
Stereophonics singles chronology
"Mr. Writer"
(2001)		 "Have a Nice Day"
(2001)		 "Step on My Old Size Nines"
(2001)
Music video
"Have a Nice Day" on YouTube
Audio sample
"Have a Nice Day"
  • file
  • help

Background and release

The lyrics for "Have a Nice Day" are based on a cab fare Stereophonics took in San Francisco Bay when they were touring in the United States.[1] When the band got in the back of the cab the driver said to them, "I hate this place, it's full of tourists and processed fish".[1] He explained to the trio that he was a poet who believes everyone in the world are alike; the only difference is the accents.[1] At the end of the journey the driver ended the conversation with: "That'll be seven bucks, have a nice day".[1] After the cab journey[2] lead singer and guitarist Kelly Jones took the conversation and placed it into the lyrics.[1]

Jones later put the words and music together on October 1999 in a hotel in Europe.[2] The song was first released on Just Enough Education to Perform on 17 April 2001.[3] It was later released as the album's second single on 11 June 2001.[4] The song was also included in the band's first greatest hits compilation album, Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics.

Music video

The first video for "Have a Nice Day" was directed by Jake & Jim, it features the band along with their touring musician Tony Kirkham on keyboard and twenty-one models.[1] Throughout the video Kelly Jones is tied to a blue and white target with balloons round his wrists and ankles.

The treatment was written by Kelly Jones, who was trying to do a mix between Jimi Hendrix's Electric Ladyland album cover and the Clint Eastwood film Bronco Billy though when he went to the set and saw the half-naked models with glitter he ended up feeling like Les Dawson.[1]

Reception

Critical response

"Have a Nice Day" received negative reviews from music critics. When reviewing the album, John Dark from Drowned in Sound said it "has more sap than a Vermont maple." He was also critical of the song's narrative structure and signature line: "ba-ba-ba's".[5] NME summarised the song as a "beige smudge of a song".[6]

Chart performance

"Have a Nice Day" debuted at number five on the UK Singles Chart, making it the band's fifth single to chart in the top five and it remained in the charts for nine weeks.[7] In 2018 the British Phonographic Industry awarded the song with a Gold certification.[8] On the Irish Singles Chart the single peaked at number five and remained in the charts for eleven weeks.[9]

In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 42 on 5 August 2001 before reaching number 37 the following week and remained in the chart for four weeks.[10] The song appeared in the Dutch Top 40 charts on 16 June 2001 at number 95, it ascended to number 87 for the next two weeks until it reached its peak position at number 84.[11] It remained in the charts for the next six weeks until it dropped out.[11] In the United States, "Have a Nice Day" is the only Stereophonics single to chart on the Adult Top 40, peaking at number 26.[12]

Track listings

All tracks are written by Kelly Jones (except "Heart of Gold")[13][14].

CD 1[13]
No.TitleLength
1."Have a Nice Day" 
2."Surprise" 
3."Piano for a Stripper" (demo) 
CD 2[14]
No.TitleLength
1."Have a Nice Day" (live acoustic) 
2."Heart of Gold" (live acoustic) 
3."I Stopped To Fill My Car Up" (live acoustic) 

Personnel

Charts and certifications

Appearances in media

"Have a Nice Day" was briefly used in Dawn of the Dead, in an episode of The Naked Chef and in the Veronica Mars episode "Drinking the Kool-Aid". It was also included in the 2002 Roswell TV soundtrack.[20]

References
  1. Stereophonics (2008). Decade in the Sun: Best of Stereophonics (DVD). Fontana Entertainment.
  2. Just Enough Education to Perform (liner notes). Stereophonics. V2 Records. 2001.CS1 maint: others (link)
  3. "Just Enough Education to Perform by Stereophonics". iTunes. Apple Inc. 17 April 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  4. "Have a Nice Day". The Stereophonics Ltd. 11 June 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  5. Dark, John (17 April 2001). "Stereophonics, Just Enough Education to Perform". Drowned in Sound. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  6. "Stereophonics : Have a nice day". NME. 29 May 2001. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
  7. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  8. "British single certifications – Stereophonics – Have a Nice Day". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 9 July 2018. Select singles in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Have a Nice Day in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
  9. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Have a Nice Day". Irish Singles Chart.
  10. "Charts.nz – Stereophonics – Have a Nice Day". Top 40 Singles.
  11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Stereophonics – Have a Nice Day" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  12. "Stereophonics Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
  13. Have a Nice Day (CD liner notes). Stereophonics. United Kingdom: V2 Records. 2001. VVR5016243.CS1 maint: others (link)
  14. Have a Nice Day (CD liner notes). Stereophonics. United Kingdom: V2 Records. 2001. VVR5016248.CS1 maint: others (link)
  15. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  16. "Italiancharts.com – Stereophonics – Have a Nice Day". Top Digital Download.
  17. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  18. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 17 November 2018.
  19. "The Official UK Singles Chart 2001" (PDF). UKChartsPlus. Retrieved 21 July 2018.
  20. "Have A Nice Day by Stereophonics". Songfacts. Retrieved 25 September 2013.
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