Thirteen Songs About Magic

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There’s just something about magic that everyone seems to dig, which is probably why almost every musician and band has done a song about it in one way or another. And since there are so many great tunes that both feature and are titled something about magic, I really had to whittle it down to just the thirteen coolest songs. But why magic, you ask? Why not? That’s like asking why do a list about songs devoted to flowers or women or cars? Because they’re there, that’s why. Also maybe because Harry Potter wraps up his tenure of flicks this summer, too. Lame segue, I know, but what are ya gonna do. Anyway, grab your wand and check out some songs about magic and a little bit of trivia about each song to boot! How can you lose?


The Cars

Trivia Bit: Notice how everyone else plunges into the pool while Ric Ocasek remains high and dry. He just might be… Jesus?


You Can Do Magic

Trivia Bit: This album was to be the band’s big ’80s comeback, and the song peaked at number 8 on Billboard.


Strange Music

Trivia Bit: Xanadu (the film from which this song appears) was produced through Don Bluth Studios, the same animator that did The Land Before Time and The Secret of Nimh.


Magic Carpet Ride

Trivia Bit: (From Wiki) – The single version differs noticeably from the album version with a different vocal take by Kay used for the first verse of the song and differing instrumental balances. The single version is also much shorter than the album version, with a running time of 2:55 (the album version is 4:25).


A Kind of Magic

Trivia Bit: (From Wiki) – The phrase “a kind of magic” is actually used in the film Highlander by Christopher Lambert and impressed Taylor so much that he made it into a full song. There are references to the film in the lyrics : “one prize, one goal,” “no mortal man,” “there can be only one.”


Steve Miller

Trivia Bit: (From Wiki) – This song holds the record for the biggest drop out of the Top 10/Top 40 on the Hot 100. In the fall of 1982, as the song was moving down the chart, “Abracadabra” fell 38 spots from #10 to #48 in one week.


Olivia Newton John

Trivia Bit: Billboard magazine ranked “Magic” as the third most popular single of 1980, behind only “Call Me” by Blondie and “Another Brick in the Wall” by Pink Floyd.


Magic Man



The Lovin’ Spoonful
Do You Believe in Magic

Trivia Bit: A cover from the song was used in the Super Mario Bros. Super Show! episode “Mighty McMario and the Pot of Gold”. And that’s both obscure and ridiculous.


The Who
Magic Bus

Trivia Bit: (From Wiki) – Pete Townsend wrote the song in 1965, but the Who weren’t the first to release it, as that honor falls to some obscure band named “The Pudding.” It flopped so it was re-recorded and release by The Who in 1968.


The Police
Every Little Thing She Does is Magic

Trivia Bit: (From Wiki) – Although recorded in 1981, Sting wrote the song as early as 1976. An early (1977) demo of the song can be heard on the Strontium 90 album Strontium 90: Police Academy.


Black Magic

Trivia Bit: Though many people attribute this song solely to Santana, it was neither written by nor sung by him. Fleetwood Mac released it as a single in 1968, and then it was a hit for Santana, but it was sung by Gregg Rolie.


Frank Sinatra

Trivia Bit: (From Wiki) – Sinatra recorded “Witchcraft” three times in a studio setting. The first recording was in 1957, for his single release, and was later released on his compilation album All the Way (1961). Sinatra re-recorded “Witchcraft” for 1963’s Sinatra’s Sinatra, and finally recorded it as a duet with Anita Baker for Duets (1993).