"Magic" is a song by American
rock
Rock most often refers to:
* Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids
* Rock music, a genre of popular music
Rock or Rocks may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...
band
the Cars
The Cars were an American rock band formed in Boston in 1976. Emerging from the new wave scene in the late 1970s, they consisted of Ric Ocasek ( rhythm guitar), Benjamin Orr (bass guitar), Elliot Easton (lead guitar), Greg Hawkes ( keyboard ...
from their fifth studio album, ''
Heartbeat City'' (1984). It was released on May 7, 1984, as the album's second single, reaching number 12 on the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and number one on the ''Billboard''
Top Tracks
Classic Vinyl is a Sirius XM Radio channel focusing on classic rock music mostly from the late-1960s to the mid-1970s, with the channel's name meant to indicate that it consists of music that first appeared on vinyl records. This encompasses musi ...
chart.
The track was written by
Ric Ocasek
Richard Theodore Otcasek (March 23, 1944 – September 15, 2019), known as Ric Ocasek, was an American singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He was the primary co-lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, and frontman for the rock ...
and produced by
Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Robert John "Mutt" Lange (born 11 November 1948) is a South African record producer and songwriter, mainly known for his work in rock music as well as his previous marriage to Canadian singer Shania Twain, for whom he wrote and produced several ...
and the Cars. Ocasek sang lead vocals.
Music video
The music video for "Magic" is set at a pool party attended by an array of bizarre and comically deranged characters. It features Ocasek walking on the water of the swimming pool as the various characters gather to marvel at him. Toward the end of the video, some of the guests (perhaps in their own delusion) attempt to reach Ocasek by stepping onto the pool's surface believing that they too can walk on water, but only end up plunging into the pool. Ocasek remains standing (and dry) because, as the song title suggests, "it's magic".
The Cars shot "Magic" at the Hilton family house in Beverly Hills, which
Kathy Hilton
Kathleen Elizabeth Hilton ( Avanzino; formerly Richards; born March 13, 1959) is an American socialite, fashion designer, actress, and television personality. She is the mother of socialite Paris Hilton and fashion designer Nicky HiltonBooth Moo ...
had leased to the band. A
plexiglass
Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) belongs to a group of materials called engineering plastics. It is a transparent thermoplastic. PMMA is also known as acrylic, acrylic glass, as well as by the trade names and brands Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, ...
platform sat under the surface of the water. On the first take, the platform collapsed. The platform had to be adjusted to Ocasek's weight.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
1984 singles
1984 songs
The Cars songs
Elektra Records singles
Music videos directed by Tim Pope
Song recordings produced by Ric Ocasek
Song recordings produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange
Songs written by Ric Ocasek
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