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This article is about the album. There is also a series of books by
Marc Scott Zicree called Magic Time (series)
Magic Time is an album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter Van Morrison, released on May 17, 2005. It debuted at #25 on the US Billboard charts and #3 on UK charts—his best ever showing on a studio album. His compilation album Still on Top - The Greatest Hits debuted at #2 on Uk charts in 2007. By the end of 2005, Magic Time had sold 252,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Rolling Stone Magazine listed it as #17 on their list of The Top 50 Records of 2005.[1]
[edit] Recording history
The album covers a variety of styles ranging from Celtic rock to R&B and the blues. "Just Like Greta" was originally recorded and intended for 2002's Down the Road (when the album was tentatively titled Choppin' Wood), but it was ultimately dropped and re-recorded for this album.
The title song is about a nostalgic searching of the past in order to capture a magic moment almost lost in memory. "The Lion This Time" is a continuation over thirty years later of "Listen to the Lion" that first appeared on his album Saint Dominic's Preview with a dynamic live performance on It's Too Late to Stop Now. There is a nursery rhyme quality to it as with its predecessor and a delicate use of a classical string arrangement. "Gypsy In My Soul" is also reminiscent of a song of this period, "Gypsy" again from Saint Dominic's Preview. "Just Like Greta" and "Stranded" have similar themes of being lost in an alien world with only oneself to rely on. "Celtic New Year" is reminiscent of Irish Heartbeat, an album with The Chieftains. "Carry On Regardless" is a singing list of "Carry On Films" that Morrison seemed to have a special fondness for.[2]
[edit] Reviews
- From Paste Magazine about Magic Time: "You expect to encounter a tired legend, a once-mighty king becalmed and tamed by the miles and years. You find instead an echo of a full-throated roar hanging in the air, the telltale signs of a bloody struggle, and an empty cage. The lion in winter is on the loose."
- The Music Box rated Magic Time the #7 album of the year in May 2005.[3]
[edit] Track listing
All songs by Van Morrison (unless noted otherwise)
- "Stranded" – 5:34
- "Celtic New Year" – 6:10
- "Keep Mediocrity At Bay" – 3:44
- "Evening Train" – 2:48
- "This Love of Mine" (Sol Parker, Henry W. Sanicola, Frank Sinatra) – 2:42
- "I'm Confessin'" (Doc Daughtery, Al Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds) – 4:29
- "Just Like Greta" – 6:25
- "Gypsy In My Soul" – 4:04
- "Lonely And Blue" (Brooks, Andy Razaf, Waller) – 3:41
- "The Lion This Time" – 4:56
- "Magic Time" – 5:06
- "They Sold Me Out" – 3:11
- "Carry On Regardless" – 5:54
[edit] Personnel
- Van Morrison - vocal, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica, alto saxophone
- Mick Green, Foggy Lyttle - guitar
- Michael Fields - Spanish guitar, lute
- Martin Winning - tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone
- Myles Drennan - piano, Hammond b-3 organ
- Brian Connor - piano, keyboards
- Dave Lewis - piano
- Jerome Rimson - bass, backing vocals
- David Hayes - bass
- Liam Bradley - drums, backing vocals
- Noel Bridgeman, Johnathan Mele, Bobby Irwin - drums
- Johnny Scott, Siobhan Pettit, Olwin Bell, Crawford Bell, Aine Whelan, Karen Hamill - backing vocals
- Irish Film Orchestra - strings
- Richard Evans - Design and Art Direction
[edit] Charts
Album - UK Album Chart
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 2005 |
UK Album Chart |
3 |
Album - Billboard
| Year |
Chart |
Position |
| 2005 |
European Top 100 Albums |
|
| 2005 |
The Billboard 200 |
25 |
| 2005 |
Top Internet Albums |
25 |
[edit] References
[edit] External links
