"My Baby Must Be a Magician" is a 1967 song written and produced by

Smokey Robinson William "Smokey" Robinson Jr. (born February 19, 1940) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and former record executive director. He was the founder and front man of the Motown vocal group the Miracles, for which he was also chief ...

and recorded by the Marvelettes.

Background

Wanda Young Rogers was the lead vocalist on the track; the background vocals were provided by the Andantes rather than 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 Magician or The Magician may refer to: Performers * A practitioner of magic (supernatural) * A practitioner of magic (illusion) * Magician (fantasy), a character in a fictional fantasy context Entertainment Books * ''The Magician'', an 18th-ce ...

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

Chart performance

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 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 Stiff Records is a British independent record label formed in London, England, by Dave Robinson and Jake Riviera. Originally active from 1976 to 1986, the label was reactivated in 2007. Established at the outset of the punk rock boom, Stiff ...

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 Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

- 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

{{authority control 1968 singles The Marvelettes songs Songs written by Smokey Robinson Motown singles 1967 songs Song recordings produced by Smokey Robinson