Magic Man
Encyclopedia
- For the Mega Man enemy, see Robot Master. For the film, see Magic Man (film)Magic Man (film)Magic Man is a thriller film directed by Roscoe Lever and starring Billy Zane and Alexander Nevsky.-Plot:Tatiana and her beautiful girlfriends are on holiday in Las Vegas, City of Illusion. The daughter of a magician's assistant,...
.
"Magic Man" is a hit rock song released in 1976 by Heart
Heart (band)
Heart is an American rock band who first found success in Canada. Throughout several lineup changes, the only two members remaining constant are sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson. The group rose to fame in the 1970s with their music being influenced by hard rock as well as folk music...
. It was issued as the second single from the band's debut album Dreamboat Annie
Dreamboat Annie
Dreamboat Annie is the debut album by American rock band Heart. It was released in the United States on February 14, 1976 through Mushroom Records. It contained three hit singles which became staples on FM radio...
. Written by Ann
Ann Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
and Nancy Wilson
Nancy Wilson (guitarist)
Nancy Lamoureux Wilson is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer who, with her older sister Ann and lead guitarist Roger Fisher, became the core of the Seattle/Vancouver rock band Heart.-Life and career:...
, the song is sung from the viewpoint of a young girl who is being seduced by an older man (referred to as a Magic Man), much to the chagrin of her mother, who calls and begs the girl to come home. In interview, Ann Wilson
Ann Wilson
Ann Dustin Wilson is an American musician, best known as the lead singer, flute player, songwriter, and occasional guitar player of the rock band Heart.-Personal life:...
revealed the "Magic Man" was her then boyfriend, band manager Michael Fisher, and part of the song was an autobiographical tale of the beginnings of their relationship.
"Magic Man" became Heart's first Top 10 hit in the United States, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
The song also featured notable Minimoog
Minimoog
The Minimoog is a monophonic analog synthesizer, invented by Bill Hemsath and Robert Moog. It was released in 1970 by R.A. Moog Inc. , and production was stopped in 1981. It was re-designed by Robert Moog in 2002 and released as Minimoog Voyager.The Minimoog was designed in response to the use of...
synthesizer usage.
Appearances in other media
- In the 1983 Classical Music episode of the CanadianCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
children's sketch-comedy TV show You Can't Do That On TelevisionYou Can't Do That on TelevisionYou Can't Do That on Television is a Canadian television program that first aired locally in 1979 before ultimately airing internationally in 1981...
, part of the guitar solo from "Magic Man" is played as Ross Ewich (Les LyeLes LyeLeslie Earnest "Les" Lye was a Canadian actor. Best known for his numerous roles as one of the two adults on the children's program, You Can't Do That On Television , he enjoyed a television and radio career spanning nearly half a century.-Career:Following a stint in the armed forces after high...
) demonstrates an electric guitar solo on his ukuleleUkuleleThe ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
. - "Magic Man" is featured in the 1996 movie SwingersSwingers (1996 film)Swingers is a 1996 comedy-drama film about the lives of single, unemployed actors living on the 'eastside' of Hollywood, California during the 1990s swing revival...
. - "Magic Man" is featured on the soundtrack of Sofia CoppolaSofia CoppolaSofia Carmina Coppola is an American screenwriter, film director, actress, and producer.In 2003 she received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Lost in Translation, and became the third woman to be nominated for an Academy Award for Directing...
's 1999 film The Virgin SuicidesThe Virgin Suicides (film)The Virgin Suicides is a 1999 American drama film written and directed by Sofia Coppola, produced by her father Francis Ford Coppola, starring James Woods, Kathleen Turner, Kirsten Dunst, Josh Hartnett, and A.J...
. - "Magic Man" is featured in the game Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
- "Magic Man" is frequently referenced in the Nick EarlsNick EarlsNick Earls is an award-winning novelist from Brisbane, Australia. He writes humorous popular fiction about everyday life, and is often compared to Nick Hornby...
novel "World of Chickens" - "Magic Man" is covered during "Homecoming" VIP-only concerts performed by American Country singer Kenny RogersKenny RogersKenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...
at Barona Casino. - "Magic Man" was covered by Tori AmosTori AmosTori Amos is an American pianist, singer-songwriter and composer. She was at the forefront of a number of female singer-songwriters in the early 1990s and was noteworthy early in her career as one of the few alternative rock performers to use a piano as her primary instrument...
during the covers-portion of her Original Sinsuality tour - Tori's Piano Bar - in 2005. - "Magic Man" was about magician and love interest Herbert L. BeckerHerbert L. BeckerHerbert Lawrence Becker is a magician and the inventor and patent/copyright holder for BOIP...
who worked with the band as an opening act. - "Magic Man" was covered by Kady Malloy during American IdolAmerican IdolAmerican Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
in 2008. - A cover version of "Magic Man" is featured in the music video game Rock RevolutionRock RevolutionRock Revolution is a music video game developed by Zoë Mode and HB Studios and published by Konami. It was first revealed on May 15, 2008, and released on October 15, 2008 for the Nintendo DS, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360...
. - "Magic Man" was sampled by Ice-TICE-T* Ice-T, an American rapper and actor* ICE T , a tilting model of the German InterCityExpress series of high-speed trains...
on his song Personal from the 1988 album, Power. - "Magic Man"is featured in season 6 episode 16 of CBSCBSCBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
TV show Cold Case. - Magic Man is a movie that was released in 2009.
- "Magic Man" was used in Brandon Westgate's part of the Zoo York skateboarding video "State of Mind" released in 2009.
- "Magic Man" is a Boston-based synth-pop group who released their debut album Real Life Color for free download in 2010.
Chart performance
| Chart (1976) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Singles Chart | 6 |
| Belgian Singles Chart | 11 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 26 |
| Dutch Singles Chart | 8 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart | 26 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 9 |