Do You Believe in Magic (song)

"Do You Believe in Magic" is a song written by John Sebastian. It was first recorded and released by his group, The Lovin' Spoonful in 1965. The single peaked at number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 1978, Shaun Cassidy reached the Top 40 with his cover version. The song has been recorded by various artists.

"Do You Believe In Magic"
Single by The Lovin' Spoonful
from the album Do You Believe in Magic
B-side"On the Road Again"
ReleasedJuly 20, 1965
RecordedJune 1965
GenreFolk rock,[1] sunshine pop[2]
Length2:06
LabelKama Sutra
Songwriter(s)John Sebastian
Producer(s)Erik Jacobsen
The Lovin' Spoonful singles chronology
"Do You Believe In Magic"
(1965)		 "You Didn't Have to Be So Nice"
(1965)

The Lovin' Spoonful version

Song history

In 1965, the group The Lovin' Spoonful released the song as the first single from their debut studio album Do You Believe in Magic. 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.[3] The Lovin' Spoonful's version was ranked number 216 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

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 Rolie Polie Olie. 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.

Charts

Shaun Cassidy version
"Do You Believe in Magic"
Single by Shaun Cassidy
from the album Born Late
B-side"Teen Dream"
ReleasedMarch 1978
Recorded1977
GenrePop
Length2:15
LabelWarner Bros.
Songwriter(s)John Sebastian
Producer(s)Michael Lloyd
Shaun Cassidy singles chronology
"Hey Deanie"
(1977)		 "Do You Believe in Magic"
(1978)		 "Our Night"
(1978)

"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

Aly & AJ version
"Do You Believe in Magic"
Single by Aly & AJ
from the album Into the Rush
ReleasedFebruary 15, 2005
Recorded2004
Genre
Length2:14
LabelHollywood
Songwriter(s)John. B. Sebastian
Producer(s)Matthew Gerrard
Aly & AJ singles chronology
"Do You Believe in Magic"
(2005)		 "No One"
(2005)
Alternative cover
UK/digital cover

"Do You Believe in Magic" was covered by American pop rock duo Aly & AJ. Their version of the song was for Aly's film Now You See It..., and it also appeared 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.

Track listings
Promo CD/CD single[7]
No.TitleLength
1."Do You Believe in Magic"2:17
2."Do You Believe in Magic" (instrumental)2:17
Total length:4:34

Release history
Date Country Format Label
February 15, 2005 United States CD Hollywood Records
June 5, 2006 Belgium
United Kingdom Digital download EMI

Chart performance
Chart (2005) Peak
position
US Hot Singles Sales (Billboard)[8] 2

References
  1. Unterberger, Richie. "Great Moments in Folk Rock: Lists of Aunthor Favorites". www.richieunterberger.com. Retrieved 2011-01-26.
  2. leggett, Steve. "Do You Believe in Magic/Daydream joint album review". Allmusic. Retrieved 2013-02-28.
  3. "The Official Gary Chester Website - Discography". Angelfire.com. Retrieved 2016-09-29.
  4. "Top 100 Hits of 1966/Top 100 Songs of 1965". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2017-02-28.
  5. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-2002
  6. Whitburn, Joel (1999). Pop Annual. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. ISBN 0-89820-142-X.
  7. "Aly & AJ "Do You Believe in Magic" Promo CD". Aly-and-aj.com. Archived from the original (JPG) on 2012-02-20. Retrieved 2016-09-29.]
  8. "Hot Singles Sales : Apr 09, 2005". Billboard. Retrieved June 5, 2017.
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