This Magic Moment

"This Magic Moment"
Single by The Drifters[1]
B-side "Baltimore"
Released January 28, 1960
Format 45 rpm
Recorded December 23, 1959
Studio Bell Sound Studios, New York City, N.Y.
Genre Soul, R&B
Length 2:28
Label Atlantic
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
Producer(s) Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
The Drifters[1] singles chronology
"(If You Cry) True Love, True Love"
(1959)
"This Magic Moment"
(1960)
"Lonely Winds"
(1960)

"(If You Cry) True Love, True Love"
(1959)
"This Magic Moment"
(1960)
"Lonely Winds"
(1960)
"This Magic Moment"
Single by Jay and the Americans
from the album Sands of Time
A-side "Since I Don't Have You"
Released October 28, 1968
Format 45 rpm
Recorded October 16, 1968
Studio O.D.O. Recorders, New York City, N.Y.
Genre Blue-eyed soul
Length 3:03
Label United Artists
Songwriter(s) Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
Producer(s) Jay and the Americans
Jay and the Americans singles chronology
"No Other Love"
(1968)
"This Magic Moment"
(1968)
"When You Dance"
(1969)

"No Other Love"
(1968)
"This Magic Moment"
(1969)
"When You Dance"
(1969)

"This Magic Moment" is a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman, and is one of their best-known songs.[2]

Original Drifters version

It was recorded first by Ben E. King and the Drifters.[1] The Drifters version spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 16 on April 2, 1960.[3] The session musicians Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller hired to play on this record were: Phil Bodner on sax, Ernie Hayes on piano, George Barnes (musician) and Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, George Duvivier on bass, and Shep Shepherd on drums.

Chart history

Chart (1960) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[4] 16
US Billboard R&B 4
US Cash Box Top 100[5] 9

Jay and the Americans version

In 1968, Jay and the Americans released a version of the song, which became the song's most widely successful release. Their version spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 6 on March 1, 1969,[6] while reaching No. 1 on Canada's "RPM 100"[7] and No. 11 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.[8] The song also debuted at No. 4 in the first issue of RPM's "Young Adult" adult contemporary chart.[9] The single earned gold record status from the Recording Industry Association of America.[10]

Chart history

Other covers

The Misfits recorded a cover of this song for their sixth studio album, Project 1950.

The song is used in David M. Evans' film The Sandlot and was also featured in David Chase's television show The Sopranos in the episode "Soprano Home Movies". In 2016 it was used in ESPN's 30 for 30 of the same title, "This Magic Moment" about the Orlando Magic.

Lou Reed's version, from a Doc Pomus tribute album, Till the Night is Gone, was featured in David Lynch's film Lost Highway.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gilliland, John (1969). "Show 14 - Big Rock Candy Mountain: Rock 'n' roll in the late fifties. [Part 4]" (audio). Pop Chronicles. University of North Texas Libraries.
  2. Doc Pomus - Biography at AllMusic. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
  3. The Drifters - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed May 21, 2016
  4. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  5. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 2, 1960
  6. Jay & the Americans - Chart History - The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed May 21, 2016
  7. "R.P.M. 100", RPM Weekly, Volume 11, No. 2, March 10, 1969. Accessed May 21, 2016
  8. Jay & the Americans - Chart History - Adult Contemporary, Billboard.com. Accessed May 21, 2016
  9. "Young Adult", RPM Weekly, Volume 11, No. 4, March 24, 1969. Accessed May 21, 2016
  10. Gold & Platinum, RIAA. Accessed May 21, 2016
  11. "R.P.M. 100", RPM Weekly, Volume 11, No. 2, March 10, 1969. Accessed May 21, 2016
  12. "Young Adult", RPM Weekly, Volume 11, No. 4, March 24, 1969. Accessed May 21, 2016
  13. Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955-1990 - ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  14. Jay & the Americans - Chart History - Adult Contemporary, Billboard.com. Accessed May 21, 2016
  15. Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 15, 1969
  16. http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.6104&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062
  17. Musicoutfitters.com
  18. Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1969


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.