Strange Magic

"Strange Magic" is a song written and performed by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released on their 1975 Face the Music album.

This article is about the Electric Light Orchestra song. For the ELO greatest hits album, see Strange Magic: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra. For the 2015 computer-animated film, see Strange Magic (film).

"Strange Magic"
Single by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Face the Music
B-side
  • "Showdown (Live)" (UK)
  • "New World Rising" (US)
Released
  • February 1976 (US)
  • June 1976 (UK)
Recorded1975 at Musicland Studios, Munich
Length
  • 4:29 (Album version)
  • 4:06 (UK single edit)
  • 3:20 (US single edit)
LabelJet
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Jeff Lynne
Electric Light Orchestra singles chronology
"Evil Woman"
(1975)		 "Strange Magic"
(1976)		 "Nightrider"
(1976)
Face the Music track listing
8 tracks
Side one
  1. "Fire On High"
  2. "Waterfall"
  3. "Evil Woman"
  4. "Nightrider"
Side two
  1. "Poker"
  2. "Strange Magic"
  3. "Down Home Town"
  4. "One Summer Dream"

Released as a single in 1976, the single was edited in the US, whereas in the UK the song appeared as the album cut minus the orchestral intro. The US single edit can be found on the remastered Face the Music released in September 2006. The song was also included on the band's 1978 The ELO EP. A remastered version was included on the box set Flashback in 2000. The 'weeping' guitar lick was provided by keyboardist Richard Tandy while Jeff Lynne played a 12-string acoustic guitar fed through a phase shifter.

Critical reception

AllMusic's Donald A. Guarisco considered it one of the best tracks on their "breakthrough" album Face the Music, praising Jeff Lynne's skill at "creating ballads that are as memorably hook-laden as his uptempo pop tunes", noting the "stunning intro full of swirling strings, some George Harrison-styled slide guitar riffs".[1] Billboard considered it to be an "easy rocker" with "smooth vocals and skillful string arrangements."[2]

Chart performance

Jeff Lynne version
"Strange Magic"
Song by Electric Light Orchestra
from the album Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra
Released
  • 8 October 2012 (UK)
  • 9 October 2012 (US)
Recorded2001–2012 Bungalow Palace
Length3:53
LabelFrontiers
Songwriter(s)Jeff Lynne
Producer(s)Jeff Lynne
Mr. Blue Sky: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra track listing
12 tracks
  1. "Mr. Blue Sky"
  2. "Evil Woman"
  3. "Strange Magic"
  4. "Don't Bring Me Down"
  5. "Turn to Stone"
  6. "Showdown"
  7. "Telephone Line"
  8. "Livin' Thing"
  9. "Do Ya"
  10. "Can't Get It Out of My Head"
  11. "10538 Overture"
  12. "Point of No Return"

Jeff Lynne re-recorded the song in his own home studio in 2012. It was released in a compilation album with other re-recorded ELO songs, under the ELO name.[12]

References
  1. Guarisco, Donald A. "Electric Light Orchestra – Strange Magic – Song Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  2. "Billboard's Top Single Picks" (PDF). Billboard. 6 March 1976. p. 66. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
  3. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970-1992. St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  4. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 4139." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  5. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 4116a." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  6. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 July 2014.
  7. "Electric Light Orchestra – Awards". AllMusic. All Media Network. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  8. Whitburn, Joel. "Electric Light Orchestra.". Top Adult Contemporary 1961-2001. Menomonee Falls, WI: Record Research Inc. p. 86.
  9. "CASH BOX Top 100 Singles – Week ending MAY 8, 1976". Archived from the original on 2 September 2012.. Cash Box.
  10. "The Singles Chart" (PDF). Record World. 29 May 1976. p. 35. ISSN 0034-1622. See last week peak position. Retrieved 17 September 2017.
  11. "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1976". Archived from the original on 25 August 2012.. Cash Box.
  12. "Mr. Blue Sky – The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra". Elo.biz. 5 October 2012. Retrieved 28 February 2013.


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