What a Diff'rence a Day Makes is a classic song that began life as a Spanish composition called Cuando vuelva a tu lado, written in 1934 by Maria Grever with English lyrics later by Stanley Adams. The most famous English version was recorded by Dinah Washington in 1959, released as a single and featured on the album What a Diff'rence a Day Makes! – it blends pop and vocal jazz and runs about 2 minutes and 31 seconds. Washington's version became a major hit, reaching number 8 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on the R&B chart, and earned her a Grammy for Best Rhythm and Blues Performance in 1959; it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. The song has been covered many times, including Esther Phillips in 1975 with a disco influenced R&B/soul take that charted in the US and the UK. Earlier notable versions include Andy Russell's 1944 bilingual recording and Vaughn Monroe's 1955 cover; a popular Spanish rendering followed later by Los Panchos with Eydie Gormé in 1964. The tune is widely regarded as a standard and a bolero pop classic.
