Today Is The Day

The Funky Resurrection: The Story of "Today Is The Day" by the Bar-Kays

Picture this: it's the late 1970s, and the Bar-Kays, a Memphis funk powerhouse, are clawing their way back from the brink of tragedy. Formed in the mid-60s as Otis Redding's backing band, they'd already tasted success with gritty soul hits like "Soul Finger." But a horrific plane crash in 1967 wiped out most of the original lineup, including Redding himself. The survivors rebuilt, evolving into a horn-driven funk machine through the 70s. By 1979, though, the grind of the industry had them teetering—internal tensions, label pressures, and a string of underperforming albums left them questioning if the groove could ever reignite. That's the raw context behind "Today Is The Day," a track born from desperation and defiance, captured on their 1980 album As One.

Brewing the Groove: Creation and Anecdotes

The song didn't just happen; it erupted from late-night sessions laced with urgency. Lead singer Larry Dodson, horns blazing from James Alexander and Lester Snell, and the rhythm section of Michael Beard on drums and others, were holed up in Stax Records' fading studios in Memphis. Stax, once the soul epicenter, was bankrupt by then, forcing the band to record on a shoestring. One anecdote that sticks out—shared in old interviews—is how Dodson scribbled the lyrics on a crumpled napkin during a band argument over splitting up. "Today is the day," he belted, channeling that make-or-break energy into a plea for unity and fresh starts. The bassline, courtesy of James Alexander, was looped endlessly until it locked in that infectious funk pulse, while the horns punched like a revival sermon. It felt personal, almost therapeutic, as if the band was convincing themselves as much as the world that they weren't done yet.

Recording in the Shadows of Stax

Recording circumstances were as gritty as the Memphis streets outside. With Stax's glory days behind it, the Bar-Kays worked in a makeshift setup, using whatever gear hadn't been repossessed. Engineer Lester Snell recalls the heat—literal and figurative— with summer humidity making the sessions sweat-soaked marathons. They tracked the basics live, horns and vocals bleeding into each other for that raw, communal vibe. No fancy overdubs; it was one-take magic fueled by coffee and camaraderie. Dodson's ad-libs, those spontaneous shouts of "get on up," weren't polished—they were pure release, capturing the band's fight to stay relevant amid disco's dominance and funk's splintering scene. The result? A track clocking in at over five minutes, brimming with layered percussion and call-and-response hooks that screamed resilience.

Release, Rise, and Lasting Echoes

Mercury Records dropped As One in 1980, and "Today Is The Day" hit singles shelves that summer. It wasn't an instant smash, but radio DJs in the Midwest latched on, spinning it alongside Parliament and Earth, Wind & Fire. By fall, it cracked the R&B Top 20, peaking at No. 18 on Billboard's chart and bubbling under the Hot 100. For the Bar-Kays, it was a lifeline—proof they could still move crowds without chasing trends. The video, a rarity back then, showed the band in sharp suits, horns flashing, embodying that "today" urgency.

Culturally, it hit like a shot of adrenaline for funk fans navigating the post-disco hangover. In Black communities, it became an anthem for second chances, sampled later by hip-hop acts like A Tribe Called Quest, weaving its DNA into 90s beats. Musically, it bridged 70s soul to 80s grooves, influencing bands like the Time and even modern acts like Anderson .Paak. Think about it: in a genre where survival meant reinvention, the Bar-Kays turned personal peril into universal fire. That napkin lyric? It outlasted the doubts, reminding us all that some days really do change everything.