Magic Man

For other uses, see Magic Man (disambiguation).
"Magic Man"
Single by Heart
from the album Dreamboat Annie
B-side"How Deep It Goes"
ReleasedJune 1975 (Can.)
  • June 1976 (US)[1]
Genre
Length5:28 (album version)
3:29 (single edit)
LabelMushroom
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)Mike Flicker
Heart singles chronology
"How Deep It Goes"
(1975) 		"Magic Man"
(1975) 		"Crazy on You"
(1976)
Music video
"Magic Man" (TopPop, 1976) on YouTube

"Magic Man" is a song by the American rock band Heart released as a single off their debut album, Dreamboat Annie. Written and composed by Ann and Nancy Wilson, the song is sung from the viewpoint of a young girl who is being seduced by an older man (referred to as a Magic Man), much to the chagrin of her mother, who calls and begs the girl to come home. In an interview, Ann Wilson revealed that the "Magic Man" was about her then boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher, and that part of the song was an autobiographical tale of the beginnings of their relationship.[3] Roger Fisher came up with the alternative tuning EADGDG for his guitar part.[4] The album version of "Magic Man" features an over-two-minute instrumental break which consists of a guitar solo and the usage of a Minimoog synthesizer, while the single version of the song edits out most of this break, cutting it down from 5:28 to 3:29.

Cash Box said that "a funk rhythm is established quickly with some screaming guitar licks, and the vocal, handled by the female lead, plays well against the arrangement."[5] Record World said that "The beguiling vocal sound of ['Crazy on You'] is duplicated here and accompanied by sumptuous guitar work that should steer it to the top."[6]

"Magic Man" was originally released in Canada in June 1975 as the second single from the yet-to-be released Dreamboat Annie, the first single having been the folksy "How Deep It Goes". "Magic Man" spent 9 weeks on the RPM Singles Chart peaking at number 62 on August 16, 1975.[7] The success of "Magic Man" prompted the release of the album and, in March 1976, a third single, "Crazy on You". After "Crazy on You" had a chart run, "Magic Man" gained popularity in new areas of the country almost a full year later and re-entered the RPM Singles Chart on September 11, 1976 for 14 weeks peaking at number 26 on October 30, 1976.[8]

In the United States, "Magic Man" received its first release in summer 1976, after the first US single "Crazy on You" had introduced Americans to the group's sound. It became Heart's first top 10 hit, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 on November 6, 1976.[9] In the Netherlands and Belgium, "Magic Man" was the first single released from the album, that being in late 1976, and it peaked at number 7 and 10, respectively, in early 1977. It was also successful in Australia, where it peaked at number 6; it reached number 26 in nearby New Zealand.

In 2023, Ann Wilson joined Dolly Parton on a cover of "Magic Man" for Parton's album Rockstar.

Personnel

[edit]

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Dreamboat Annie.[10]

Additional musicians

  • Dave Wilson – drums
  • Ray Ayotte – conga
  • Mike Flicker – percussion

Charts

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Heart singles".
  2. ^ Coleman, Mark; Berger, Airon (November 2, 2004). "Heart". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 373.
  3. ^ Bienstock, Richard (12 July 2016). "Heart's Ann & Nancy Wilson: Our Lives in 15 Songs". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  4. ^ "An Interview with Roger Fisher of Heart - Magic Man". YouTube. Fisher Bros and the Human Tribe. Retrieved 7 April 2024.
  5. ^ "CashBox Singles Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 19, 1976. p. 18. Retrieved 2021-12-11.
  6. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. July 3, 1976. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-03-04.
  7. ^ "Item". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013.
  8. ^ "Item". Library and Archives Canada. 17 July 2013.
  9. ^ "Heart". Billboard.
  10. ^ Dreamboat Annie (liner notes). Heart. Mushroom Records. 1975. MRS-5005.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ^ Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, NSW: Australian Chart Book. p. 136. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  12. ^ "Heart – Magic Man" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  13. ^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 5110A." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  14. ^ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Heart USA" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  15. ^ "Heart – Magic Man" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  16. ^ "Heart – Magic Man". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 23, 2012.
  17. ^ "Heart Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  18. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles – Week ending October 30, 1976". Cash Box. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  19. ^ "Top 200 singles of '76". RPM. Vol. 26, no. 14/15. January 8, 1977. p. 13. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved October 2, 2019 – via Library and Archives Canada.
  20. ^ "The Cash Box Year-End Charts: 1976 – Top 100 Pop Singles". Cash Box. December 25, 1976. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  21. ^ "Kent Music Report No 183 – 26 December 1977 > National Top 100 Singles for 1977". Kent Music Report. Retrieved January 8, 2022 – via Imgur.com.
  22. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1977" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
  23. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1977". dutchcharts.nl (in Dutch). Retrieved October 2, 2019.
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