My Baby Must Be a Magician
"My Baby Must Be a Magician" | ||||
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Tamla | ||||
Songwriter(s) | William "Smokey" Robinson | |||
Producer(s) | Smokey Robinson | |||
The Marvelettes singles chronology | ||||
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"My Baby Must Be a Magician" is a 1967 song written and produced by Smokey Robinson and recorded by the Marvelettes.[1]
Background
The narrator of the song likens her lover to a magician admitting his lack of the expected paraphernalia (e.g. "No rabbits in his hat/ No pigeons up his sleeve...No special gear like Aladdin's lamp and such") but maintaining "My baby must be a magician 'cause he's sure got the magic touch".
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Wanda Rogers
- Background vocals by The Andantes: Marlene Barrow, Jackie Hicks and Louvain Demps
- Introduction by Melvin Franklin
- Guitar by Marv Tarplin
- Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
- Written and produced by Smokey Robinson
Chart performance
Released in November 1967, "My Baby Must Be a Magician" reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1968,[2][3] also peaking at #8 on the R&B chart.[4] As the Marvelettes' third consecutive Top Thirty single, "My Baby Must Be a Magician" set a new level of prolonged pop chart success for the group; it marked their last appearance in the Top 40 and was their final R&B Top Ten hit.
Cover versions & interpolations
"My Baby Must Be a Magician" has never had a high-profile remake;
- Stiff Records act Sylvia and the Sapphires had a 1983 UK single release produced by Peter Collins.
- On the title track of Teena Marie's 1981 album It Must Be Magic - her last for Motown - Teena Marie repeats the hookline from "My Baby Must Be a Magician": "My baby must be a magician 'cause he's sure got the magic touch", as her song's outro. (Melvin Franklin's original intro is also included in this song.)
References
- ^ The Complete Motown Singles Vol 7: 1967 [liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
- ^ Billboard Hot 100: February 10, 1968
- ^ My Baby Must Be a Magician at Allmusic
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 379.