Could It Be Magic

"Could It Be Magic"
Single by Barry Manilow
from the album Barry Manilow
B-side "I Am Your Child"
Released June 1975
Format 7" single
Recorded 1973
Genre Pop
Length 6:50
4:14 (edit)
Label Arista
Writer(s) Barry Manilow, Frédéric Chopin (music)
Adrienne Anderson (lyrics)
Producer(s) Barry Manilow, Ron Dante
Barry Manilow singles chronology
"It's a Miracle"
(1975)		 "Could It Be Magic"
(1975)		 "I Write the Songs"
(1975)

"Could It Be Magic" is a song with lyrics written by Adrienne Anderson and music composed by Barry Manilow, based on chord and melodical progressions of Frédéric Chopin's Prelude in C Minor, Opus 28, Number 20. Initially released in 1971, it was later rerecorded, given an album release in 1973 and a single release in 1975. This became one of Manilow's first hits. The song has been covered by a number of other artists over the years, most successfully by Donna Summer in 1976 and by Take That in 1992.

Barry Manilow version

As Manilow had only composed or arranged commercial jingles up to that point, he was unproven as a pop-song arranger, and thus, he was not permitted to arrange the original backing track himself upon its first release in 1971. [1] Instead, this early version of the song was produced under the hand of Tony Orlando and recorded by Featherbed, a "ghost" group consisting of session musicians.

Originally released on the Bell Records label, the composer hated the Tony Orlando arrangement so severely (see Sweet Life) that, as Manilow has said in numerous subsequent interviews, he was appreciative of the fact that the song went nowhere on the charts. However, he has been quoted in recent years as having somewhat softened his opinion of the track, saying it's "kind of catchy."

Featuring a bubblegum pop beat, cowbells and a Knock Three Times feel, the chorus is the same, but the original verse lyrics have nothing to do with the hit version Manilow himself released in 1973.

That year, Manilow would come to be signed to Bell Records in his own right, immediately after which a completely reworked version with Manilow's own arrangement was included on his debut album, Barry Manilow I, released that fall.

Six months later, former Columbia Records president Clive Davis would take over Bell Records and merge it into Arista with all the other Columbia Pictures-owned labels such as Amy, Mala, Colpix, and Colgems, to name a few.

Most of the artists at Bell were dropped during the merger, but due to the song's popularity, Manilow was brought over to Arista in the spring of 1974 and Could It Be Magic was released as a single a year later - a full two years after it had been originally recorded, where it reached #6 in the United States.

The lyric "Sweet Melissa" is a tribute to singer Melissa Manchester, Manilow's then-Arista label-mate.

The song was remixed in 1993 using the original orchestration of brass and strings combined with new drums, bass and synthesizers, and was included on the album Greatest Hits: The Platinum Collection. An extended remix of the 1993 version was issued as a promotional 12" single and included on the 12" single of "I'd Really Love to See You Tonight."

Chart performance

Weekly singles charts

Chart (1975) Peak
position
Canadian RPM Adult Contemporary [2] 3
Canadian RPM Top Singles [3] 4
Ireland 18
UK 25
US Billboard Hot 100 6
US Cash Box Top 100 7
US Billboard Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks 4

Year-end charts

Chart (1975) Position
Canada [4] 41
US Billboard [5] 37
US Cashbox [6] 36

Donna Summer version

"Could It Be Magic"

Dutch 7-inch vinyl single
Single by Donna Summer
from the album A Love Trilogy
B-side Whispering Waves
Released January 11, 1976
Format 7" single
Genre Disco
Length 5:19
Label Oasis (U.S./Canada)
GTO (U.K.)
Atlantic (France/Germany)
Groovy (Netherlands)
Durium (Italy)
Producer(s) Giorgio Moroder, Pete Bellotte
Donna Summer singles chronology
"Love to Love You Baby"
(1975)		 "Could It Be Magic"
(1976)		 "Try Me, I Know We Can Make It"
(1976)

Just seven months after Manilow's original version was released as a single, American singer Donna Summer recorded a disco version of the track and included it on her third studio album, Love Trilogy, and took it to number three on the US Dance chart in 1976.[7] The song also entered the UK singles chart where it stayed for seven weeks (peak point #40)

Track listing

U.S. 7" single (Oasis OC 405) / Canada 7" single (Oasis OC 405X)
  1. "Could It Be Magic" (3:15)
  2. "Whispering Waves" (4:50)
U.K. 7" single (GTO GT 60)
  1. "Could It Be Magic" (3:15)
  2. "Whispering Waves" (?)
Germany 7" single (Atlantic ATL 10 775)
  1. "Could It Be Magic" (5:20)
  2. "Come With Me" (4:20)
Netherlands 7" single (Groovy GR 1219)
  1. "Could It Be Magic" (3:15)
  2. "Whispering Waves" (4:50)
France 7" single (Atlantic 10.770)
  1. "Could It Be Magic" (4:13)
  2. "Whispering Waves" (4:15)
Italy 7" single (Durium DE 2873)
  1. "Could It Be Magic" (3:15)
  2. "Whispering Waves" (3:35)

Charts

Chart (1976) Peak
position
Austrian Singles Chart[8] 14
Dutch GfK chart 5
Dutch Top 40 2
German Singles Chart[9] 23
Italy 3
UK Singles Chart[10] 40
U.S. Billboard Hot Soul Singles[11] 21
U.S. Billboard Hot 100[11] 52
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 3

Take That version

"Could It Be Magic"

UK Maxi-CD cover
Single by Take That
from the album Take That & Party
Released November 30, 1992
Format 7" single, 12" maxi single, CD single, Cassette single
Genre Pop
Length 4:28 (Album Version)
Label RCA
Producer(s) The Rapino Brothers
Take That singles chronology
"A Million Love Songs"
(1992)		 "Could It Be Magic"
(1992)		 "Why Can't I Wake Up with You"
(1993)

Produced and remixed by The Rapino Brothers, English boy band Take That released their cover version, based on Donna Summer/Giorgio Moroder's up-tempo arrangement of the track, on November 30, 1992[12] as the final single from their debut album Take That & Party. The song does not appear on the cassette version of the album but was issued as a cassette single. It peaked at number three on the UK Singles Chart and was featured in that year's Only Fools and Horses Christmas special "Mother Nature's Son" in the background of one of the scenes.

The song won Best British Single at the 1993 Brit Awards.

During The Ultimate Tour in 2006, former member Robbie Williams appeared on a hologram with a pre-recorded section of his vocals.[13] Gary Barlow sings lead vocals since Take That's reformation.

The song has received a Silver sales status certification and sold over 325,000 copies sold in the UK.

Despite its success, Take That's version of "Could It Be Magic" was voted in a poll as one of the worst songs in the history of recorded sound.[14]

Music video

The music video shows a young woman leaving a garage before the lights are turned back on and Take That perform the song with many other dancers. The music video was filmed at Bray Studios, Water Oakley, Windsor, Berkshire in 1992.

Personnel

Track listings

UK 12" vinyl (74321 12313 1)(Limited Edition w/ poster sleeve)
  1. Deep In Rapino's Club Mix - 5:56
  2. Take That Club Megamix - 7:03
  3. Mr. F. Mix - 6:18
UK 7" vinyl (74321 12313 7)
  1. Rapino Radio Mix - 3:30
  2. Take That Radio Megamix - 4:38
UK cassette (74321 12313 4)
  1. Rapino Radio Mix - 3:30
  2. Take That Radio Megamix - 4:38
UK CD single (74321 12313 2)
  1. Rapino Radio Mix - 3:30
  2. Deep In Rapino's Club Mix - 5:56
  3. Acapella - 3:12
  4. Ciao Baby Mix - 7:19
  5. Rapino Dub - 3:44
  6. Paparazzo Mix - 5:27
  7. Deep In Rapino's Dub - 5:57
  8. Club Rapino Mix - 3:43
EU CD single (74321 12735 2)
  1. Rapino Radio Mix - 3:30
  2. Deep In Rapino's Club Mix - 5:56
  3. Ciao Baby Mix - 7:19
  4. Paparazzo Mix - 5:27
Japanese CD single (TAKE8)
  1. Rapino Radio Mix - 3:30
  2. Take That Radio Megamix - 4:38

Charts

Chart (1992–93) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA Charts)[15] 30
Belgium (Ultratop 50) (Flanders)[16] 8
Belgium (Ultratop 50) (Wallonia)[16] 9
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[17] 9
France (SNEP)[15] 42
Germany (Media Control AG)[15] 37
Ireland (IRMA)[18] 3
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[15] 30
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[19] 3
Year-end chart (1992) Position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company) 37
Year-end chart (1993) Position
Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart[20] 67
Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[21] 83

Certifications

Country Certification Date Sales certified
UK[22] Silver 1 January 1993 200,000

Other official versions

Abigail version

"Could It Be Magic"
Single by Abigail
from the album Feel Good
B-side This Is A Dream
Released 1993
Format 12" maxi single
Genre Hi-NRG
Length 6:21
Label Klone Records
Abigail singles chronology
"I Feel You"
(1992)		 "Could It Be Magic"
(1993)		 "Constant Craving"
(1993)

This single was only available as a 12" Single. The B-side, "This Is A Dream" is a high upbeat dance music with the lyrics "This Is A Dream" will appear every so often in the song.

Other notable versions

References

  1. ↑ Manilow admits this in his autobiography, Sweet Life.
  2. ↑ http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/films-videos-sound-recordings/rpm/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=9166&
  3. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?&file_num=nlc008388.6152a&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=fku23rqdp9p4tfq9ebqamp3794
  4. ↑ http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?file_num=nlc008388.4057a&brws_s=&type=1&interval=50&PHPSESSID=fku23rqdp9p4tfq9ebqamp3794
  5. ↑ http://www.musicoutfitters.com/topsongs/1980.htm. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  6. ↑ http://50.6.195.142/archives/80s_files/1980YESP.html
  7. ↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 249.
  8. ↑ "Could It Be Magic" by Donna Summer, in Austrian Singles Chart Lescharts.com (Retrieved July 30, 2008)
  9. ↑ German Singles Chart Charts-surfer.de (Retrieved July 30, 2008)
  10. ↑ UK Singles Chart (Donna Summer version) Chartstats.com (Retrieved July 30, 2008)
  11. 1 2 Billboard, Donna Summer version allmusic.com (Retrieved July 30, 2008)
  12. ↑ Take That Could It Be Magic UK Promo 5" CD SINGLE (15424)
  13. ↑ Take That Biography 2007 | Take That|Biography
  14. ↑ Govan, Fiona (14 March 2004). "What's the worst record ever? Take That slug it out with Des". The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. Retrieved 12 October 2014.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Could It Be Magic", in various singles charts Lescharts.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  16. 1 2 http://www.ultratop.be/nl/showitem.asp?interpret=Take+That&titel=Could+It+Be+Magic&cat=s (Retrieved September 17, 2012)
  17. ↑ name="Lescharts"
  18. ↑ Irish Single Chart Irishcharts.ie (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  19. ↑ UK Singles Chart Chartstats.com (Retrieved April 10, 2008)
  20. ↑ 1993 Belgian (Flanders) Singles Chart Ultratop.be (Retrieved 28 July 2008)
  21. ↑ "Billboard - Google Books". Books.google.ca. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2014-03-31.
  22. ↑ UK certifications Bpi.co.uk (Retrieved 2 September 2008)
  23. ↑ amazon.co.uk
  24. ↑ ""Le temps qui court," Alliage version" (in French). Lescharts. Retrieved 2010-02-19.
  25. ↑ ""Le temps qui court", Les Enfoirés version" (in French). Lescharts. Retrieved 2010-02-19.

External links

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