"Do You Believe in Magic" is a song by American rock band the Lovin' Spoonful, written by

John Sebastian John Benson Sebastian (born March 17, 1944) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist and harmonicist who founded the rock band The Lovin' Spoonful. He made an impromptu appearance at the Woodstock festival in 1969Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. In 1978, Shaun Cassidy reached the Top 40 with his cover version.

The Lovin' Spoonful version

Do you believe in magic lovin spoonful 1965

In 1965, The Lovin' Spoonful originally recorded and released the song as the first single from their debut studio album ''

Do You Believe in Magic Do You Believe in Magic may refer to: *''Do You Believe in Magic'', a 1990 children's book by Saviour Pirotta * ''Do You Believe in Magic?'' (book), a 2013 book by Paul Offit about alternative medicine * ''Do You Believe in Magic'' (film), a 2008 ...

''. The single was well received by the public and became a top ten hit on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 9. According to the lyrics, the magic referenced in the title is the power of music to supply happiness and freedom to both those who make it and those who listen to it. Session drummer Gary Chester played tambourine on the track. The Lovin' Spoonful's version was ranked number 216 on ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

''s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. '' Billboard'' said of the original single release that the "pulsating folk-flavored rhythm number serves as a strong and exciting debut for new group in

the Byrds The Byrds () were an American rock band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 1964. The band underwent multiple lineup changes throughout its existence, with frontman Roger McGuinn (known as Jim McGuinn until mid-1967) remaining the sole con ...

vein." '' Cash Box'' described it as a "rollicking, teen-angled romancer with an infectious danceable riff." In a 2007 DVD entitled ''The Lovin' Spoonful with John Sebastian - Do You Believe in Magic'', author Sebastian illustrates how he sped up the three-chord intro from Martha and the Vandellas' " Heat Wave" to come up with the intro to "Do You Believe in Magic." "Do You Believe in Magic" was featured in '' The Parent Trap'', '' American Pie'', '' Date Movie'', '' Temple Grandin'', and '' The Super Mario Bros. Super Show!''. The original version was also the theme song for the short-lived TV series '' State of Grace''. The song is also significantly featured in the Jim Sheridan movie '' In America'', as an Irish-immigrant family, having entered the U.S. on false pretenses, enter New York City for the first time. In 2012, the Lovin' Spoonful's version was used in the official "Meet the Pyro" trailer for the first-person shooter video game ''

Team Fortress 2 ''Team Fortress 2'' is a 2007 multiplayer first-person shooter game developed and published by Valve Corporation. It is the sequel to the 1996 ''Team Fortress'' mod for '' Quake'' and its 1999 remake, ''Team Fortress Classic''. The game was rel ...

''. As a worried BLU Spy remarks, "One shudders to imagine what inhuman thoughts lie behind that mask...What dream of chronic and sustained cruelty?" the camera zooms in on Pyro's eye, revealing that he actually thinks he is in a Candy Land-like utopia world, while bits and pieces of the song playing in the background as it shifts between his mind and what is actually happening.

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Shaun Cassidy version

"Do You Believe in Magic" became a top forty hit again in 1978 in both the U.S. and Canada when Shaun Cassidy released his cover as a single. Cassidy's version reached number 31 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The song was Cassidy's second successful remake of a 1960s hit, the first being " Da Doo Ron Ron" from his previous LP.

Chart performance

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Aly & AJ version

"Do You Believe in Magic" was covered by American

pop rock Pop rock (also typeset as pop/rock) is a fusion genre with an emphasis on professional songwriting and recording craft, and less emphasis on attitude than rock music. Originating in the late 1950s as an alternative to normal rock and roll, ear ...

duo Aly & AJ. Their version of the song was for Aly's film ''Now You See It...'', and it also appeared in the 2007 Disney film " The Game Plan" as well as on their debut studio album, '' Into the Rush'', in addition to an appearance on the 2009 soundtrack to the TV show '' Wizards of Waverly Place''. The video has Aly and AJ performing with acoustic guitars in their loft apartment, cuddling their dog, taking Polaroids and then finger painting.

Track listings

Release history

Chart performance

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Do You Believe In Magic (Song) The Lovin' Spoonful songs 1965 debut singles 1978 singles Shaun Cassidy songs 2005 debut singles Aly & AJ songs Songs written by John Sebastian Grammy Hall of Fame Award recipients 1965 songs Song recordings produced by Erik Jacobsen Song recordings produced by Michael Lloyd Kama Sutra Records singles Warner Records singles Hollywood Records singles