The Rhythm Is Magic

"The Rhythm Is Magic"
Single by Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo
from the album Alma De Barro/Marie Claire D'Ubaldo
Released	1994
Studio	A Major Studios
Genre	Latin house
Length	4:01 (album version) 4:10 (Tee radio mix)
Label	Polydor
Songwriter(s)	Frank Musker Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo Richard Darbyshire
Producer(s)	Frank Musker Phil Chapman Richard Darbyshire
Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo singles chronology
"Time" (1990) "The Rhythm Is Magic" (1994) "My Father's Eyes" (1994)

"The Rhythm Is Magic" is a song by Argentine London-based singer-songwriter Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo, released in 1994 by Polydor Records as the first single from the singer's second album, Alma De Barro/Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo (1994). The song is written by D'Ubaldo with Frank Musker and Richard Darbyshire, who also produced it with Phil Chapman. It is her most successful release and was a number-one hit in Italy for four weeks and a top-10 hit in Austria. ^[1] It became the fourth most air played single of the year in Italy and was also used on the soundtrack to the 1996 Italian film Il Ciclone . D'Ubaldo also released the song in Spanish as "La Magia Del Ritmo".

Critical reception

After the album release, Paul Verna and Marilyn A. Gillen from Billboard magazine stated that the "sweet-voiced singer/songwriter contains enough hit singles", like "La Magia Del Ritmo", "to at least cause a stir at progressive AC/pop outlets." ^[2] Upon the single release, Music & Media wrote, "Analogue to Miami Sound Machine's mix of Cuban music with pop, D'Ubaldo executes the flamenco flavour. One sunbeam is enough to get radio behind this magic rhythm, like Radio Regenbogen/Mannheim music director Martin Schwebel does. 'The song is an interesting cross between Gloria Estefan's 'The Rhythm Is Gonna Get You' and Gipsy Kings stuff, and therefore an obvious candidate for the summertime playlist.'" ^[3]

Music & Media editor Machgiel Bakker commented, "A cheerful Caribbean-tinged record is invading airwaves by an artist whose name is as exotic as the sound of the music she produces—Marie Claire D'Ubaldo. Signed to the US arm of Polydor, D'Ubaldo's single 'The Rhythm Is Magic' is shaping up to become the summer hit of 1994. Backed by an enormous amount of Italian airplay, the record is now gradually making impact in the GSA market, Benelux, Sweden and Denmark and is EHR Chartbound this week." ^[4] Alan Jones from Music Week gave it three out of five, writing, "An odd flamenco-inflected song which was co-written by the singer with veterans Frank Musker and Richard Darbyshire. A Top 30 club record, so chances are it'll be a hit for the stunning Argentinian." ^[5]

Track listing

12-inch, Italy (1994) [6] A1. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Party Time Mix) — 5:10 A2. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Radio Mix) — 3:45 B1. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Dance Authority Mix) — 5:10 12-inch, UK (1994) [7] A1. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Club Mix) — 4:40 A2. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:01 B1. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Rubber Mix) — 7:13 B2. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Spanish Radio) — 3:46 12-inch vinyl, Italy (1994) [8] A1. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Club Mix) — 4:40 A2. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:01 B1. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Rubber Mix) — 7:13 B2. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Spanish Radio) — 3:46 CD single, Europe (1994) [9] "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:01 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Radio Mix) — 4:10 CD single, Spain (1994) [10] "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:10 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Radio Mix) — 4:10

CD single, UK (1994) [11] "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:01 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Club Mix) — 4:40 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Rubber Mix) — 7:13 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Spanish Radio Version) — 3:46 CD maxi-single, Europe (1994) [12] "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:01 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Club Mix) — 4:47 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Rubber Mix) — 7:13 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Spanish Radio Version) — 3:49 CD maxi-single, Japan (1994) [13] "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:03 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Radio Mix) — 4:42 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Rubber Mix) — 7:16 "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Spanish Radio Version) — 3:47 Cassette single, Europe (1994) [14] A. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Album Version) — 4:01 B. "The Rhythm Is Magic" (Tee Radio Mix) — 4:10

Charts

Chart (1994)	Peak position
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40) [15]	7
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100) [16]	72
Europe (European AC Radio) [17]	18
Europe (European Dance Radio) [18]	2
Europe (European Hit Radio) [19]	39
Iceland (Íslenski Listinn Topp 40) [20]	30
Italy ( Musica e dischi ) [1]	1
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40 Tipparade) [21]	2
Netherlands (Single Top 100) [22]	43
UK Singles (OCC) [23]	81
UK Club Chart ( Music Week ) [24]	29

References

1. "The Rhythm Is Magic" spent 4 weeks at number one on the Musica e dischi singles chart in August and September 1994.
   • Week 1: "Top 10 Sales in Europe: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 34. 20 August 1994. p. 21.
   • Week 2: "Top 10 Sales in Europe: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 35. 27 August 1994. p. 16.
   • Week 3: "Top 10 Sales in Europe: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 36. 3 September 1994. p. 14.
   • Week 4: "Top 10 Sales in Europe: Italy" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 37. 10 September 1994. p. 17.
2. Verna, Paul; A. Gillen, Marilyn (13 August 1994). "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard . p. 60. Retrieved 3 April 2025.
3. "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 30. 23 July 1994. p. 9. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
4. Bakker, Machgiel (13 August 1994). "D'Ubaldo's Magic Gets A Grip On The Summer" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 33. p. 1. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
5. Jones, Alan (20 August 1994). "Market Preview: Mainstream - Singles" (PDF). Music Week . p. 18. Retrieved 14 June 2025.
6. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
7. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
8. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
9. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
10. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
11. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
12. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
13. "Marie-Claire D'Ubaldo – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 26 October 1994. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
14. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo* – The Rhythm Is Magic". Discogs. 1994. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
15. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo – The Rhythm Is Magic" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
16. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 37. 10 September 1994. p. 13. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
17. "Adult Contemporary Europe Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 36. 3 September 1994. p. 19. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
18. "European Dance Radio Top 25" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 31. 30 July 1994. p. 14. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
19. "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media . Vol. 11, no. 34. 20 August 1994. p. 33. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
20. "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 Vikan 13.-19.10 '94". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 13 October 1994. p. 16. Retrieved 1 April 2025.
21. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo - The Rhythm Is Magic". Dutch Top 40 . Retrieved 30 March 2025.
22. "Marie Claire D'Ubaldo – The Rhythm Is Magic" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
23. "The Rhythm Is Magic by Marie Claire D'Ubaldo". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 30 March 2025.
24. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). 20 August 1994. p. 6. Retrieved 30 March 2025.