Songoftheday 10/18/19 - So understand that I'm only in love your the only one I need, so have no thought that I want to leave and baby trust me please...

"Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)" - Monica
from the album Miss Thang (1995)
Billboard Hot 100 peak: #2 (three weeks)
Weeks in the Top-40: 27

Today's song of the day comes from R&B singer Monica Arnold, who just recorded under her first name. Growing up in the Atlanta area, she sang in church like her mother which gave Monica the practice for secular work. Signed by producer Dallas Austin and mentored by rapper Queen Latifah, she released her debut single in the spring of 1995. "Don't Take It Personal (Just One Of Dem Days)", written by Austin and Derrick Simmons with prominent samples of LL Cool J, Public Enemy, and the Detroit Emeralds, the record was a breezy and light alternative to regular new jack swing...

"Don't Take It Personal" became Monica's first big hit, reaching the runner-up spot on the American pop chart in July of 1995, when she was only fourteen years old. The song spent two weeks at #1 on Billboard magazine's R&B chart as well. Internationally, the single made the top ten in both New Zealand (#5) and Australia (#7), and also reached the top-40 in the Netherlands (#20) and the UK (#32). At the Soul Train Awards, she would be nominated for Best Female R&B Album (won by Mary J. Blige's My Life) and Best New Artist, which went to D'Angelo.

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Here's Latifah introducing Monica as she was just starting out at a festival in 1995...

and next up at the Lady Of Soul Awards in 1995, where her album got a nom...

And playing to her age group on the show All That...

Up tomorrow: R&B vocal group tallies up their love achievements.