Magic (Pilot song)

Last updated

"Magic"
Magic by Pilot.jpg
German single picture sleeve
Single by Pilot
from the album From the Album of the Same Name
B-side "Just Let Me Be"
ReleasedSeptember 1974 (UK)
April 1975 (US)
Recorded1974, Abbey Road Studios, London
Genre
Length3:03
Label EMI
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Alan Parsons
Pilot singles chronology
"Just a Smile"
(1974)
"Magic"
(1974)
"January"
(1975)

"Magic" is a 1974 song by Scottish pop rock band Pilot, and was the first hit single for the group. It was written by band members David Paton and Billy Lyall for their debut album, From the Album of the Same Name .

Contents

Background

According to Paton, the song is inspired by the sunrise on Blackford Hill in Edinburgh. [4] In a 2012 interview with Hotdisc Television, Paton also stated that at the time, his wife said she had "never seen a daybreak," which also inspired the song. [5]

Personnel

Pilot

Additional personnel

Chart performance

"Magic" charted most successfully in Canada, where it topped the RPM national singles chart on 19 July 1975, [6] and received a gold certification. [7] It climbed as far as number 11 on the UK Singles Chart and reached number five during the summer of 1975 in the US on the Billboard Hot 100.

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada) [7] Gold75,000^
United States (RIAA) [21] Gold1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Selena Gomez version

"Magic"
Single by Selena Gomez
from the album Wizards of Waverly Place
Released21 July 2009 (2009-07-21)
Recorded2009
Genre Pop rock
Length2:49
Label Walt Disney
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Selena Gomez singles chronology
"Whoa Oh! (Me vs. Everyone)"
(2009)
"Magic"
(2009)
"Send It On"
(2009)
Music video
"Magic" on YouTube

Gomez's version was released as a single on 21 July 2009. It peaked at No. 61 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart, at No. 80 on the Canadian Hot 100 chart, at No. 5 on the Norwegian Singles Chart and at No. 90 on the UK Singles Chart. It has sold 563,000 copies in the United States. [22] Selena Gomez covered "Magic" for the soundtrack of the Disney Channel television series Wizards of Waverly Place ; it was marked with an asterisk (*) as "Magic*" due to two other songs on the album having identical names (the other two performed by Meaghan Martin and Honor Society). The song was featured in the television film Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie . Her music video premiered on Disney Channel on 24 July 2009. The video was directed by Roman Perez.

Chart (2009-2010)Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100) [23] 80
Guatemala (EFE) [24] 8
Norway (VG-lista) [25] 5
Scotland (OCC) [26] 72
UK Singles (OCC) [27] 90
US Billboard Hot 100 [28] 61

Ozempic Television Advertisement

In 2018, pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk began using the song in its ads for Ozempic, an injectable drug originally intended for people with Type 2 Diabetes, but which became popular for its off-label use as a weight-loss drug. David Paton was asked to return to Abbey Road Studios to record a new version of the song, which from a vocal standpoint is little more than his singing the opening line, replacing the words "It's magic" with "Ozempic" and otherwise adding nonverbal singing. [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You're All I Need to Get By</span> 1968 single by Tammi Terrell and Marvin Gaye

"You're All I Need to Get By" is a song recorded by the American R&B/soul duo Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell and released on Motown Records' Tamla label in 1968. It was the basis for the 1995 single "I'll Be There for You/You're All I Need to Get By" from Method Man and Mary J. Blige.

Pilot is a Scottish rock group, formed in 1973 in Edinburgh by David Paton and Billy Lyall. They are best known for their songs "January", "Magic", "Just a Smile" and "Call Me Round".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">December, 1963 (Oh, What a Night)</span> 1975 single by the Four Seasons

"December, 1963 " is a song originally performed by the Four Seasons, written by original Four Seasons keyboard player Bob Gaudio and his future wife Judy Parker, produced by Gaudio, and included on the group's album Who Loves You (1975).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laughter in the Rain</span> 1974 single by Neil Sedaka

"Laughter in the Rain" is a song composed and recorded by Neil Sedaka, with lyrics by Phil Cody. It includes a 20-second saxophone solo by Jim Horn. The song hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">How Long (Ace song)</span> 1975 single by Ace

"How Long" is the debut single by the English band Ace, from their 1974 debut album, Five-A-Side. It reached No. 3 in the US and Canadian charts, and No. 20 on the UK Singles Chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh Girl</span> 1972 single by the Chi-Lites

"Oh Girl" is a song written by Eugene Record and recorded by American soul vocal group the Chi-Lites, with Record on vocals and also producing. It was released as a single on Brunswick Records in 1972. Included on the group's 1972 album A Lonely Man, "Oh Girl" centers on a relationship on the verge of break-up.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tell It Like It Is (song)</span> 1966 single by Aaron Neville

"Tell It Like It Is" is a song written by George Davis and Lee Diamond and originally recorded and released in 1966 by Aaron Neville. In 2010, the song was ranked No. 391 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Love's Theme</span> 1973 single by the Love Unlimited Orchestra

"Love's Theme" is an instrumental piece written by Barry White around 1965. Recorded and released as a single by White's Love Unlimited Orchestra in 1973, it was one of the few instrumental and purely orchestral singles to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the United States, which it did in early 1974. Billboard ranked it as #3 on the Year-End Hot 100 singles of 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bad Blood (Neil Sedaka song)</span> 1975 single by Neil Sedaka

"Bad Blood" is a popular song written by Neil Sedaka and Phil Cody. The song, with uncredited backing vocals by Elton John, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975, remaining at the top position for three weeks. It was certified Gold by the RIAA and was the most successful individual commercial release in Sedaka's career. "Bad Blood" was replaced at the number one spot by John's single "Island Girl".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">This Magic Moment</span> 1960 song by The Drifters

"This Magic Moment" is a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman. It was first recorded by The Drifters, with Ben E. King singing lead.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Only Yesterday (song)</span> 1975 single by the Carpenters

"Only Yesterday" is a song recorded by the Carpenters. Released on March 14, 1975, the song was composed by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis. "Only Yesterday" peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Adult Contemporary (AC) charts, The Carpenters' eleventh number one on that chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Longfellow Serenade</span> 1974 single by Neil Diamond

"Longfellow Serenade" is the title of a 1974 song by the American singer-songwriter Neil Diamond. It was written by Diamond, produced by Tom Catalano, and included on Diamond's album Serenade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Magic (Olivia Newton-John song)</span> 1980 single by Olivia Newton-John

"Magic" is a song recorded by British-Australian singer Olivia Newton-John for the soundtrack to the 1980 musical fantasy film Xanadu. Written and produced by John Farrar, the song was released as the lead single from the album in May 1980 and topped the US Billboard Hot 100 for four weeks beginning on August 2. On August 30, it was displaced from the top by Christopher Cross's "Sailing".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lonely Night (Angel Face)</span> 1976 single by Captain & Tennille

"Lonely Night (Angel Face)" is a song written by Neil Sedaka. The song was first recorded by Sedaka and appeared as a track on his 1975 studio album, The Hungry Years. The following year the song was made popular when covered by the pop music duo Captain & Tennille, who took their version to number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Selena Gomez & the Scene</span> American pop rock band

Selena Gomez & the Scene was an American pop rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 2008, its last lineup consisted of vocalist Selena Gomez, drummer Greg Garman, bassist Joey Clement, keyboardist Dane Forrest, and guitarist Drew Taubenfeld. The band released three studio albums, seven singles and nine music videos.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Naturally (Selena Gomez & the Scene song)</span> 2009 single by Selena Gomez & the Scene

"Naturally" is a song performed by American band Selena Gomez & the Scene, taken from their debut studio album Kiss & Tell (2009). It was released by Hollywood Records as the album's second single in the United States and select other countries. The song was produced by Antonina Armato and Tim James who wrote the song with Devrim Karaoglu. Musically, "Naturally" is an uptempo dance-pop song which relies on electropop. The song's lyrics speak of a relationship in which feelings are not forced and the protagonist sings of their happiness. The song officially impacted US mainstream radio on January 19, 2010, and was released physically in numerous European countries thereafter. The song also appears on the international standard edition of the band's second album, A Year Without Rain (2010).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's a Miracle (Barry Manilow song)</span> 1975 single by Barry Manilow

"It's a Miracle" is a 1975 single by Barry Manilow and was the second release from his album, Barry Manilow II. "It's a Miracle" went to number twelve on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and was Manilow's second number one on the U.S. Easy Listening chart, spending one week at number one in April 1975. The single also peaked at number fifteen on the disco/dance chart, and was the first of four entries on the chart. "It's a Miracle" was followed by "Could It Be Magic".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow</span> 1975 song by Morgan Ames and Dave Grusin

"Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow", also known as "Baretta's Theme", is a song written by Morgan Ames and Dave Grusin, recorded by multiple artists during the summer of 1975. Merry Clayton's version was the first to chart, reaching #45 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Can't Get Enough</span> 2019 single by Benny Blanco, Tainy, Selena Gomez and J Balvin

"I Can't Get Enough" is an English-Spanish song by American record producer Benny Blanco, Puerto Rican record producer Tainy, American singer Selena Gomez and Colombian singer J Balvin. It was released as a single on February 28, 2019. It was sent to radio on March 12, 2019. It was written by Tainy, Blanco, Gomez, Balvin, Cristina Chiluiza, Jhay Cortez and Mike Sabath. Its music video, directed by Jake Schreier, was released on March 12, 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rare (Selena Gomez song)</span> 2020 single by Selena Gomez

"Rare" is a song by American singer Selena Gomez from her third studio album of the same name (2020). It was released alongside the album as the third and final single off of its standard edition on January 10, 2020, by Interscope Records. The track was written by Gomez, Madison Love, Brett McLaughlin and its producers Sir Nolan and Simon Says. "Rare" is a pop and electropop song with lyrics exuding self-love and individuality. It peaked at number 30 on the US Billboard Hot 100. "Rare" was ranked as the 12th best song of the first half of 2020 by Billboard.

References

  1. "Soft Rock: AM Radio Hits - Various Artists | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" via AllMusic.
  2. "Glam Rock". Ooocities.org. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  3. "discogs.com". discogs.com. 1974. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
  4. "- YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2019.
  5. "DAVID PATON OF PILOT INTERVIEW ON RADIO BORDERS - 6 MAY 2012 - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021.
  6. "Item Display – RPM – Library and Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  7. 1 2 "Canadian single certifications – Pilot – Magic". Music Canada . Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  8. Steffen Hung. "Forum - 1970 (ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts)". Australian-charts.com. Archived from the original on 2 June 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2016.
  9. "RPM - Library and Archives Canada - RPM - Bibliothèque et Archives Canada". collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 1 August 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2010.
  10. "Suche - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de.
  11. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Magic". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  12. Top 40, Stichting Nederlandse. "Pilot - Magic". Top40.nl.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. "SA Charts 1965–March 1989" . Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  14. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  15. [Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002]
  16. "Cash Box Top Singles - 1975". tropicalglen.com. Archived from the original on 12 July 2014. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  17. "National Top 100 Singles for 1975". Kent Music Report. 29 December 1975. Retrieved 15 January 2022 via Imgur.
  18. "Top Singles – Volume 24, No. 14, December 27, 1975". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on 29 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
  19. Top 40, Stichting Nederlandse. "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1975". Top40.nl.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. "Top 100 Hits of 1975/Top 100 Songs of 1975". musicoutfitters.com.
  21. "American single certifications – Pilot – Magic". Recording Industry Association of America . Retrieved 18 May 2023.
  22. Trust, Gary (14 May 2017). "Ask Billboard: Selena Gomez's Career Album & Song Sales". Billboard.
  23. "Selena Gomez Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
  24. "Éxitos discográficos de la semana". La Opinión. 1 January 2010. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
  25. "Selena Gomez – Magic". VG-lista. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  26. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  27. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  28. "Selena Gomez Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 December 2009.
  29. https://www.ozempic.com/lifestyle-tips/story-behind-ozempic-song.html