| "Tonight Today" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cover of the single released in Germany | ||||
| Single by D. B. M. & T. | ||||
| B-side | "Bad News" | |||
| Released | 7 November 1969 | |||
| Recorded | 8, 9 and 16 September 1969 [1] | |||
| Studio | De Lane Lea Studios, London | |||
| Genre | Pop rock | |||
| Length | 3:16 | |||
| Label | Fontana | |||
| Songwriter(s) | ||||
| Producer(s) | D. B. M. & T. | |||
| D. B. M. & T. singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
"Tonight Today" is a song by the remaining members of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich after the departure of Dave Dee. It was released as a single in November 1969.
In September 1969, frontman Dave Dee decided to leave Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich in order to pursue a solo career. The remaining members decided to continue performing today under the shortened name D. B. M. & T. Ken Howard and Alan Blaikley also remained as the managers and songwriters for the group. [2] "Tonight Today", recorded in September, was the group's first record, released in November 1969. It was released in the US and Canada in February 1970 by Cotillion Records. [3] The song uses a "clever canon arrangement for the song, with Dozy, Beaky and Tich each singing one tongue-twisting section counterpart to one another". [2]
The single failed to chart on the UK Singles Chart, but was very successful in the Netherlands, where it was a top-5 hit. [4] The group's follow-up single, "Mr. President" was more successful in the UK, peaking at number 33. [5]
The B-side, "Bad News" became a hit in Mexico when Radio Capital disc jockey César Alejandre liked the song so much that he frequently played it on his programme "Estudiantes 1260". [6] A Greatest Hits album of Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich, including several D. B M. & T. songs, was released in Mexico after the success of "Bad News". [7]
Reviewing for New Musical Express , Derek Johnson described "Tonight Today" as "a bubbling Howard-Blaikley number very much in the tradition already established by the Dee outfit. There's an interesting solo that sounds like a cross between Val Doonican and Johnny Cash, plus a sing-along chorus by the rest of the boys and a bouncy beat. A cheerful blues chaser". [8] For Record Mirror , Peter Jones wrote: "Clever use of voices, including an unidentified bass gimmick. Song is definitely strong enough and the more I hear it the more I commend it for the sheer cleverness in the harmonies. Like cascades of sound". [9]
| Chart (1970) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders) [10] | 17 |
| Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia) [11] | 49 |
| Germany (GfK) [12] | 39 |
| Netherlands (Dutch Top 40) [13] | 3 |
| Netherlands (Single Top 100) [4] | 4 |