“Any Day Now”
Ronnie Milsap
Written by Burt Bacharach and Bob Hilliard
Radio & Records
#1 (1 week)
July 2, 1982
Billboard
#1 (1 week)
July 3, 1982
Ronnie Milsap was so deeply in the zone in 1982 that he was able to cover a song recorded previously by several artists, including Elvis Presley, and still produce its definitive rendition.
It’s a hallmark of an excellent singer when they can navigate the sophisticated melody of a Burt Bacharach song. Milsap’s phrasing is flawless, bringing complex nuances of the lyric to the surface.
What makes Milsap’s version of “Any Day Now” work so beautifully is the way that he pairs his resignation that his lover is destined to leave with a sense of gratitude for having been able to love her in the first place. There’s sadness in the inevitability of her departure, but how could such a restless spirit ever be contained?
He’s the heartbreak victim here, but he sounds like a man who got to visit paradise for a brief period of time and is just thankful for the privilege.
“Any Day Now” gets an A.
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One of the greatest country pop songs of ALL TIME. Idc what people have to say this is my favorite Ronnie Milsap song. Everything about it perfect!
Upon further review, it is clear Milsap was innocent of seemingly any of the musical charges commonly laid against him in the late eighties. He has absolutely been setting the standard for pop-country magic with this run of hits.
Milsap always maintained his legacy was based upon his skill as a trained vocalist. He was not a stylist who was limited to a certain style or lyrical content.
This song is so bright and buoyant. Thematically, it of a kind with “I Wouldn’t Have Missed It For the World,” all gratitude, glory, and grace.
When you later hear John Berry kill country pop in the late nineties, you know he had to be influenced by Milsap.