Magic Christian Music

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Magic Christian Music
Magic Christian Music cover
Studio album by Badfinger
Released February 16, 1970
Recorded 1968 and 1969
Genre Rock, Powerpop
Length 41:58
Label Apple
SAPCOR 12
Producer Paul McCartney
Mal Evans
Tony Visconti
Professional reviews
Badfinger chronology
Maybe Tomorrow
(1969)
(as The Iveys)		 Magic Christian Music
(1970)		 No Dice
(1970)

Magic Christian Music is an album by power pop band Badfinger, released in early 1970 on Apple Records. Three tracks from the LP are featured in the film The Magic Christian, which also gives the album its title. However, Magic Christian Music is not an official soundtrack album for the film.

Contents

[edit] History

The soundtrack album for The Magic Christian, which included three songs by Badfinger, including their U.S./U.K. top-10 hit "Come And Get It" and the movie's opening theme "Carry On Till Tomorrow", had originally been scheduled for release on Apple Records, but the addition of the Thunderclap Newman song "Something in the Air" prevented that. Instead, it was released on the little-known label Commonwealth United Records in the U.S. and on Pye in the U.K. As a result, it was largely unavailable to American record buyers. To capitalize on this gap, Apple Records combined the three Badfinger songs with older tracks recorded by Badfinger (when they were still known as The Iveys) from the Maybe Tommorow album as a "pseudo-soundtrack."

The three tracks used in the film, "Come And Get It," "Rock Of All Ages" and "Carry On Till Tomorrow," bear the strongest "Beatle connection." Each was produced by Paul McCartney (the first was also composed by McCartney), and the strings on "Carry On Till Tomorrow" were arranged and conducted by George Martin. Aside from one remaining McCartney-produced track ("Crimson Ship") and one other new track ("Midnight Sun"), the other tracks on the album were Iveys tracks produced by Tony Visconti and Mal Evans.

Badfinger's line-up on these tracks includes bassist/vocalist Ron Griffiths. Griffiths departed The Iveys shortly after the McCartney sessions in late 1969, prior to the name change from The Iveys to Badfinger, which led to his exclusion from the credits and pictures on the album (although Griffiths does appear on the picture sleeve for "Come and Get It"). Guitarist Joey Molland was eventually added as Griffiths' replacement, causing Tom Evans to move from guitar to bass, but Molland's addition came after the album art had been prepared.

The album peaked at #55 in the US charts.

[edit] Track listing

The following track listing is from the original UK issue of the album, and is also replicated on CD reissues. The original American LP had a rearranged order and two tracks missing ("Angelique" and "Give It A Try").

Tracks marked '†' were originally released by The Iveys on the album Maybe Tomorrow.

  • Produced by Paul McCartney, except
  • +Produced and Arranged by Tony Visconti
  • ++Produced by Mal Evans

[edit] Side one

  1. "Come And Get It" (Paul McCartney) – 2:21
  2. "Crimson Ship" (Pete Ham, Tom Evans) – 3:42
  3. +"Dear Angie" (Ron Griffiths) – 2:39†
  4. ++"Fisherman" (Evans) – 2:24†
  5. ++"Midnight Sun" (Ham) – 2:46
  6. ++"Beautiful and Blue" (Evans) – 2:40†
  7. "Rock of All Ages" (Ham, Evans, Mike Gibbins) – 3:16

[edit] Side two

  1. "Carry On Till Tomorrow" (Ham/Evans) – 4:47
  2. +"I'm In Love" (Ham) – 2:26†
  3. ++"Walk Out In The Rain" (Evans) – 3:27
  4. +"Angelique" (Evans) – 2:28†
  5. ++"Knocking Down Our Home" (Ham) – 3:40†
  6. ++"Give It A Try" (Ham/Evans/Gibbins/Griffiths) – 2:31
  7. +"Maybe Tomorrow" (Evans) – 2:51†

[edit] CD bonus tracks

  1. ++"Storm in a Teacup" (Evans) - 2:31
  2. ++"Arthur" (The Iveys) - 3:20

[edit] Personnel

  • Pete Ham: guitar, keyboards, vocals
  • Tom Evans: guitar, vocals, bass on "Rock of All Ages", "Crimson Ship" and "Midnight Sun"
  • Ron Griffiths: bass (except as noted), vocals
  • Mike Gibbins: drums, vocals
  • Paul McCartney: piano on "Rock of All Ages", percussion on "Come and Get It"