Tonight Today

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]

1. "Tonight Today" – 3:16
2. "Bad News" – 3:26