Magic (Four Tops album)

Magic
Studio album by
ReleasedMay 15, 1985 (1985-05-15)
Studio
GenreSoul
LabelMotown
Producer
The Four Tops chronology
Back Where I Belong
(1983)
Magic
(1985)
Indestructible
(1988)

Magic is an album recorded by the Four Tops, released in 1985 on Motown Records.[1] The album reached No. 23 on the Blues & Soul Top British Soul Albums chart and No. 33 on the Billboard Top US R&B Albums chart.[2][3]

Overview

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Half of the Magic album was produced by Reggie Lucas, which was the idea of Iris Gordy, who felt his work on the debut double-platinum Madonna album reminded her of an updated Holland-Dozier-Holland sound. The other half was handled by Willie Hutch.[4]

Reggie Lucas produced the song "Maybe Tomorrow", a duet between Levi Stubbs and Phyllis Hyman, which received substantial urban contemporary airplay.[5][6][7][8][9]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [10]

Singles

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"Sexy Ways" peaked at No. 21 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.[11]

Track listing

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No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."I Can Feel the Magic"Willie Hutch4:47
2."Don't Tell Me That It's Over"Hutch4:34
3."Sexy Ways"Hutch, Val Johnson5:01
4."Easier Said Than Done"Kerry Ashby, John Bokowski, Benny Medina5:59
5."Don't Turn Away"Ivy Jo Hunter, William “Mickey” Stevenson5:03
6."I'm Ready for Love"Lamont Dozier, Brian Holland, Eddie Holland3:17
7."Again"Fred Bridges, Lawrence Payton, George Roundtree4:45
8."Maybe Tomorrow"Roxanne Seeman, Eddie del Barrio4:03
9."Remember Me"Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson3:39

Personnel

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Four Tops

Musicians

Production

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  • Iris Gordy – executive producer
  • Willie Hutch – producer (1, 2, 3)
  • Kerry Ashby – producer (4)
  • Benny Medina – producer (4)
  • Reggie Lucas – producer (5, 7, 8)
  • Johnny Bristol – producer (6)
  • Hal Davis – producer (9)
  • Johnny Lee – art direction
  • Janet Levinson – design
  • Aaron Rapoport – photography

Technical

  • John Matousek – mastering At Motown/Hitsville U.S.A. Recording Studios (Hollywood, CA)
  • Steve King – recording (1, 3)
  • Jim Vitti – recording (1, 3)
  • Willie Hutch – mixing (1)
  • Bob Robitaille – recording (2, 9), mixing (2, 4, 9)
  • Steve Smith – recording (2)
  • Barney Perkins – mixing (3, 6, 7)
  • Tom Perry – recording (4)
  • Nick Spigel – recording (4)
  • Joe Ferla – recording (5, 7, 8)
  • Reggie Kendall – recording (6)
  • Russ Terrana – mixing (1), recording (9)

References

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  1. ^ Four Tops: Magic. Motown Records. 1985.
  2. ^ Top British Soul Albums. Blues and Soul. September 3, 1985.
  3. ^ "Four Tops: Magic (Top R&B Albums)". billboard.com. Billboard. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019.
  4. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1985-04-20.
  5. ^ "Welcome rnbhaven.com - BlueHost.com". www.rnbhaven.com. Retrieved 2019-11-02.
  6. ^ Michael, Jason A. (15 October 2018). Strength Of A Woman: The Phyllis Hyman Story. ISBN 978-0979489013.
  7. ^ Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1985-06-15.
  8. ^ Magic – The Four Tops at AllMusic. Retrieved October 31, 2019.
  9. ^ Blues & Soul. Napfield Limited. June 1985.
  10. ^ "The Four Tops: Magic". allmusic.com. Allmusic.
  11. ^ "Four Tops: Sexy Ways (Hot R&B Singles)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019.
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