By the time Wes Montgomery released his debut album for A&M, he was already a renowned figure in the pop realm. His melodically-driven renditions of popular songs gained traction and became frequent fixtures on Top 40 radio. Using his signature octaves, Montgomery would often perform the melodies as they were originally written, and this simple technique has proven immensely popular. Of his three A&M recordings, A Day in the Life stands out as the best. Possessing only minimal jazz elements, the album delivers enjoyable tunes such as "Windy," "Watch What Happens," "California Nights," "Eleanor Rigby" and the title track.