The Magic Is You
The Magic Is You | ||||
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Studio album by Shirley Bassey | ||||
Released | January 1979 (US) April 1979 (UK) | |||
Recorded | 1978 | |||
Genre | MOR | |||
Length | 38:23 | |||
Label | United Artists | |||
Producer | Nick DeCaro | |||
Shirley Bassey chronology | ||||
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The Magic Is You is a 1979 album by Welsh singer Shirley Bassey. Her final album for United Artists Records, the album notably featured a disco version of her signature 1968 song "This Is My Life".
Overview
Following the UK top three success of her 25th Anniversary Album in late 1978, Bassey followed this up with an album of newly recorded tracks. The lead single (and opening track) from the album was a disco version of one of her signature songs, "This Is My Life (La Vita)". While this was a divergence from her normal output, the rest of the album continued in her more usual MOR style. The album was produced by American producer Nick DeCaro and arranged by DeCaro with Tom Saviano.[1] Cover versions featured on the album included "Don't Cry for Me Argentina", "Anyone Who Had a Heart" and "The Greatest Love of All" – the latter of which had been released by George Benson two years earlier but became a much bigger hit when covered by Whitney Houston some seven years later.
The album was released in the US in January 1979 and garnered a favourable review from Billboard Magazine stating: "In an era of female singers with whispery little-girl voices, it's a treat to hear a lady who can belt out a tune with conviction and dynamics. The songs here allow her to use this power."[2] The album also gained a 3-star review from Allmusic.[3] In the UK, the album was delayed by a further three months possibly to avoid close collision with her previous album, and charted at No.40 in the UK Albums Chart in May 1979.[4] The single "This Is My life (La Vita)" was released on 27 April 1979, but failed to chart. Following this, Bassey recorded and released her third James Bond theme for the film Moonraker, which marked the end of her 1970s output and led to a three-year break from recording.
The Magic Is You was her final album for United Artists Records for which she had recorded throughout the decade. The album was remastered and re-released on CD in 2011 packaged with a 1976 compilation Thoughts of Love.[1] This version contained two bonus tracks – an extended 12" version of "This Is My Life" along with the UK 7" version of the same track.
Track listing
Side One
- "This Is My Life (La Vita)" (Norman Newell, Bruno Canfora, Antonio Amurri)
- "Better Off Alone" (Bruce Roberts, Carole Bayer Sager)
- "You Never Done It Like That" (Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield)
- "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (Andrew Lloyd Webber, Tim Rice)
- "As We Fall in Love Once More" (Richard Germinaro, Evie Sands, Ben Weisman)
Side Two
- "Night Moves" (Michael Franks, Michael Small)
- "Anyone Who Had a Heart" (Burt Bacharach, Hal David)
- "The Magic Is You" (Stélios Vlavianós, Robert Rupen)
- "How Insensitive" (Antônio Carlos Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Norman Gimbel)
- "The Greatest Love of All" (Michael Masser, Linda Creed)
Personnel
- Shirley Bassey – vocals
- Nick DeCaro - Producer, string and vocal arranger
- John Mills – engineer
- Tom Saviano – assistant arranger
- Hank Cicalo – remixing
- Frank DeCaro - Music Contractor and Album Supervisor
- Linda Gerrity – production coordinator
- Bill Burks – art direction
- Francesco Scavullo – photography
References
- ^ a b Shirley Bassey Wordpress – CD release
- ^ Billboard Magazine, 27 January 1979
- ^ Allmusic – The Magic Is You
- ^ UK Official Charts – Shirley Bassey
- v
- t
- e
- Born to Sing the Blues
- The Bewitching Miss Bassey
- The Fabulous Shirley Bassey
- Shirley
- Shirley Bassey
- Let's Face the Music
- Shirley Stops the Shows
- I've Got a Song for You
- And We Were Lovers
- This Is My Life
- This Is My Life (La vita)
- Does Anybody Miss Me
- Something
- Something Else
- I Capricorn
- And I Love You So
- Never Never Never
- Nobody Does It Like Me
- Good, Bad but Beautiful
- Love, Life and Feelings
- You Take My Heart Away
- The Magic Is You
- All by Myself
- I Am What I Am
- La Mujer
- Keep the Music Playing
- The Bond Collection
- Sings the Songs of Andrew Lloyd Webber
- Shirley Bassey Sings the Movies
- The Show Must Go On
- Thank You for the Years
- Get the Party Started
- The Performance
- I Owe It All to You
- Shirley Bassey at the Pigalle
- Live in Japan
- "Burn My Candle"
- "The Wayward Wind"
- "After the Lights Go Down Low"
- "Banana Boat Song"
- "With These Hands"
- "As Long As He Needs Me"
- "Reach for the Stars"/"Climb Ev'ry Mountain"
- "Love for Sale"
- "Goldfinger"
- "If You Go Away"
- "Big Spender"
- "Something"
- "The Fool on the Hill"
- "For All We Know"
- "And I Love You So"
- "Never Never Never"
- "To All the Men I've Loved Before"
- "The Rhythm Divine"
- "Love Is No Game"
- "'Disco' La Passione"
- "History Repeating"
- "Light My Fire"
- "World in Union"
- "(Where Do I Begin?) Love Story"
- "Diamonds from Sierra Leone"
- "The Living Tree"
- "Get the Party Started"
- "Big Spender (remix)"
- Discography
- Songs
- Albums
- Shirley Bassey (TV series)