You know that feeling when a song starts and the entire room just... exhales? That is exactly what happens every single time the opening bossa nova beat of Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics kicks in. It is effortless. It is cool. Honestly, it is one of the most sophisticated pieces of pop music to ever climb the Billboard charts, and yet, we don't talk nearly enough about the group that made it happen.
They weren't just another 1960s vocal group. Not even close.
In a world of high-energy Motown stompers and gritty British Invasion rock, Ruby Nash and her crew—the Romantics—brought something totally different to the table. They brought a vibe. A mood. Most people today hear the song and assume it’s a standard jazz cover or maybe a later 70s soul track because of how smooth it is. But nope. It hit number one in 1963. It’s a time capsule of a very specific moment when R&B was flirting with Brazilian jazz, and the result was pure magic.
The Story Behind the Smoothness
Most folks don't realize that Ruby and the Romantics were actually a bit of an anomaly. The group consisted of Ruby Nash and four guys: Ed Roberts, Ronald Mosley, George Lee, and Herbert Santifer. This gender dynamic was rare back then. Usually, you had the "girl groups" or the "boy bands," but the Romantics mixed it up. This blend gave their harmonies a depth that the Crystals or the Chiffons just couldn't replicate.
The song itself was written by Mort Garson and Bob Hilliard. Now, Garson is a name that music nerds might recognize from his later weird electronic experiments like Plantasia, but in '63, he was crafting hits. Interestingly, Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics wasn't even supposed to be the "big" song. It was originally intended for another artist, possibly a more traditional crooner. But when Ruby got a hold of it? She slowed it down. She added that breathy, understated vocal style that became her trademark.
It was a bold move.
Radio in 1963 was loud. It was the year of "He's So Fine" and "Surfin' U.S.A." Against that backdrop, a mid-tempo, organ-heavy track with a lounge-music heartbeat should have failed. Instead, it soared. It hit the top of the Billboard Hot 100 in March 1963. It wasn't just a hit; it was a shift in tone.
Why the Bossa Nova Influence Mattered
Let's get technical for a second, but not too boringly technical. The early 60s saw a massive craze for Bossa Nova, spearheaded by artists like Stan Getz and João Gilberto. Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics is basically a masterclass in how to take those complex Brazilian rhythms and "pop-ify" them without losing the soul.
Listen to the organ. It's played by an uncredited session musician (though some suggest it was Garson himself or a young Billy Preston in some sessions, though that’s debated). The organ provides this swirling, ethereal bed for Ruby’s voice. It’s not "churchy" and it’s not "rock and roll." It’s sophisticated.
- It uses a "shuffling" beat that feels like a heartbeat.
- The lyrics are incredibly simple but universal: "Our day will come, if we just wait a while."
- It captures the optimism of the early 60s perfectly.
You’ve probably heard a dozen covers of this song. Frankie Valli did one. Amy Winehouse did a famous, reggae-tinged version on her posthumous album Lioness: Hidden Treasures. Isaac Hayes turned it into a ten-minute soul odyssey. But none of them quite capture the "cool" of the original. There is a specific restraint in Ruby’s performance. She doesn't over-sing. She doesn't belt. She trusts the melody.
The Mystery of Ruby Nash
Ruby Nash wasn't your typical diva. She was from Akron, Ohio, and she actually returned there after the group’s run ended. She wasn't chasing the Hollywood lights for decades. In interviews later in her life, she often sounded surprised by the song’s enduring legacy. She was just a girl who liked to sing, who ended up fronting a group of men who treated her like a queen.
The Romantics were incredibly tight. Their backing vocals weren't just "oohs" and "aahs." They were rhythmic elements. On Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics, the male voices act almost like a horn section, punctuating the lines and giving the track its structure.
Unfortunately, the music industry is a beast. The group had other hits—"Hey There Lonely Boy" is a classic, though Eddie Holman’s later cover of it is more famous today—but they never quite replicated the chart-topping dominance of their first big break. They stayed with Kapp Records for a while, but as the 60s got grittier and more psychedelic, the "smooth" sound started to fall out of favor with the youth.
But here’s the thing.
Smooth never really goes out of style. It just waits.
The Amy Winehouse Connection and the Modern Revival
If you’re under the age of 40, you might have discovered this song through Amy Winehouse. Her version is heartbreakingly good. She took the DNA of the original and injected it with her signature grit. But if you go back and listen to the original Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics right after Amy’s, you see where she got it from.
She wasn't just covering a song; she was channeling Ruby Nash’s phrasing.
The song has appeared in countless movies and TV shows because it instantly sets a scene. It says "1960s," but it doesn't say "poodle skirts and milkshakes." It says "cocktail parties and secret glances." It’s an adult song. It’s about patience and the inevitability of love.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Group
A common misconception is that Ruby and the Romantics were a "one-hit wonder." Factually, that’s just incorrect. While they only had one Number 1 hit, they placed seven songs on the Hot 100 between 1963 and 1965. They were consistent performers.
Another error? People often group them in with "Motown." While they had that soulful polish, they were on Kapp Records, a label better known for middle-of-the-road pop and show tunes. This actually worked in their favor. It meant they weren't forced into the Motown "assembly line" sound. They had more room to experiment with those jazz and bossa nova influences that made them unique.
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They were innovators. They were mixing genres before "fusion" was a buzzword.
How to Truly Appreciate the Track Today
If you want to experience the song the way it was meant to be heard, don't just stream a low-quality MP3.
- Find a Mono Mix: The early stereo mixes of the 60s were often weirdly panned. The mono mix of Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics hits much harder in the center of your chest.
- Listen to the Lyrics as a Protest: Some historians have noted that for a Black group in 1963, singing "Our day will come" had a double meaning. While it’s a love song on the surface, in the context of the Civil Rights movement, it carried a weight of quiet, firm hope.
- Check out the B-Sides: Look for tracks like "Moonlight and Music." You’ll see that the "smooth" sound wasn't a fluke; it was their identity.
Actionable Insights for Music Lovers
If you’re building a playlist or just trying to expand your musical horizons, don't stop at the hits. Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics is a gateway drug to a whole world of "Soft Soul" and "Sophisti-pop."
- Broaden your search: If you like this track, look into the 1960s work of Barbara Lewis ("Hello Stranger") or The Tymes ("So Much in Love"). There’s a whole sub-genre of quiet, rhythmic R&B that often gets overshadowed by the louder hits of the era.
- Study the Phrasing: For aspiring singers, Ruby Nash is a lesson in "less is more." Try singing along without pushing your voice. Notice how she uses her breath to create intimacy.
- Collect the Vinyl: The original Kapp 45s are still relatively affordable and sound incredible. There is a warmth to the analog recording of that organ that digital files often clip out.
The legacy of Ruby and the Romantics is one of understated excellence. They didn't need pyrotechnics or screaming fans to leave a mark. They just needed a groove, a dream, and the patience to know that their day would, eventually, come. And it did. And it’s still here.
Next Steps for Deep Listening
Start by listening to the original 1963 version of Our Day Will Come by Ruby and the Romantics on a high-quality audio setup. Pay close attention to the transition between the bridge and the final chorus—the way the backing vocals lift Ruby up is a masterclass in arrangement. After that, compare it to the 1961 version by Bobby Vinton to see just how much the Romantics transformed the source material from a standard ballad into a soulful masterpiece. Finally, explore the rest of their Till Then album to understand their full range as a vocal powerhouse.