- My Baby Must Be a Magician
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"My Baby Must Be a Magician" Single by The Marvelettes from the album Sophisticated Soul A-side My Baby Must Be a Magician B-side I Need Someone Released November 21, 1967 Recorded 1967 Genre Pop, Soul Length 2:32 Label Tamla Writer(s) William "Smokey" Robinson Producer Smokey Robinson The Marvelettes singles chronology "When You're Young and in Love"
(1967)"My Baby Must Be a Magician"
(1967)"Here I Am Baby"
(1968)"My Baby Must Be a Magician" is the title of a 1967 single release by the Marvelettes which was written and produced by Smokey Robinson.
Original Marvelette Wanda Rogers was the lead vocalist on the track; the background vocals were provided by the Andantes rather than official Marvelettes Ann Bogan and Katherine Anderson. Melvin Franklin of The Temptations is the male voice speaking the song's intro and the track features guitar licks from Miracles guitarist Marv Tarplin.
The narrator of the song likens her lover to a magician admitting his lack of the expected paraphernalia (eg. "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".
Released in November 1967, "My Baby Must Be a Magician" reached #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 in February 1968, also peaking at #8 on the R&B chart. 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 would also mark their last appearance in the Top 40 and be their final R&B Top Ten hit.
"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.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Wanda Rogers
- Background vocals by The Andantes
- Introduction by Melvin Franklin
- Guitar by Marv Tarplin
- Other instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
- Written and produced by Smokey Robinson
The Marvelettes Gladys Horton † · Katherine Anderson · Wanda Young · Anne Bogan · Georgeanna Tillman † · Wyanetta Cowart · Georgia Dobbins Albums Please Mr. Postman (1961) · The Marvelettes Sing aka Smash Hits of '62 (1962) · Playboy (1962) · The Marvelous Marvelettes (1963) · The Marvelettes Recorded Live on Stage (1963) · The Marvelettes Greatest Hits (1966) · The Marvelettes (1967) · Sophisticated Soul (1968) · In Full Bloom (1969) · The Return of The Marvelettes (1970) · The Marvelettes Anthology (1975) · The Best of The Marvelettes (1975)
Singles
(US/UK Top 40)"Please Mr. Postman" (1961) · "Twistin' Postman" (1961) · "Playboy" (1962) · "Beechwood 4-5789" (1962) · "Too Many Fish in the Sea" (1965) · "I'll Keep Holding On" (1965) · "Don't Mess with Bill" (1966) · "The Hunter Gets Captured by the Game" (1967) · "When You're Young and in Love" (1967) · "My Baby Must Be a Magician" (1968)
Categories Albums · Songs
Book:The MarvelettesCategories:- 1968 singles
- The Marvelettes songs
- Songs written by Smokey Robinson
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