THAT OLD BLACK MAGIC
Music: Harold Arlen- Lyrics: Johnny Mercer
Year: 1942
Origin of the song
On 2 December 1942, the film Star Spangled Rhythm was released in the US, produced by Paramount Pictures and directed by George Marshall and A. Edward Sutherland, in which practically all of the firm's star staff participated. Johnny Johnston sang 'That Old Black Magic'; besides the track was played during the credits and was danced by Vera Zorina in a number choreographed by George Balanchine, her husband at the time. The song was nominated for that year's Oscar award, as was the soundtrack of the film.
The biographers of Mercer and Judy Garland agree that she wrote 'That Old Black Magic' thinking about it, which at the time was married to conductor David Rose.
Harold Arlen, composer, singer, pianist and arranger, in addition to his collaborations with Johnny Mercer, is the author of 'Get Happy' (1930), 'Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea' (1931), 'I Got A Right To Sing the Blues' (1932), 'Stormy Weather' (1933), 'Let’s Fall in Love' (1933), 'Ill Wind' (1933), 'The Witch Is Dead' (1939), 'Happiness is Just a Thing Called Joe' (1942) and 'The Man That Got Away' (1954) among other songs.
André Kostelanetz's orchestra performed Blues Opera Suite, composed by Harold Arlen, at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1957.
Versions in the top charts
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
DAY OF
ENTRANCE |
PERMANENCE WEEKS |
HIGH POSITION REACHED |
|
|
1942.07.15 |
1943.02.20 |
19 |
1 (one week) |
Skip Nelson, The Modernaires (voc) |
|
|
Charlie Barnet Orchestra |
1942.07.17 |
1943.02.13 |
8 |
2 (one week) |
Frances Wayne (voc)
Rhythm & Blues charts |
|
Horace Heidt Orchestra |
1942.07.23 |
1943.04.03 |
3 |
11 |
Charles Goodman (voc) |
|
1942.07.31 |
1943.02.13 |
8 |
10 |
Margaret Whiting (voc) |
|
|
Sammy Davis Jr. |
1955.03.10 |
1955.07.02 |
6 |
13 |
Sammy Davis Jr. (voc), Sy Oliver Orchestra |
|
Louis Prima & Keely Smith |
1958.08.25 |
1958.11.03 |
13 |
18 |
Louis Prima, Keely Smith (voc), Sam Butera & The Witnesses |
|
Bobby Rydell |
1961.??.?? |
1961.05.01 |
8 |
21 |
Bobby Rydell (voc), Joe Zito Orchestra |
|
The Softones |
1975.??.?? |
1975.12.27 |
13 |
29 |
J. Marvin Brown, Steven Jackson, Elton Lynch, Byron Summerville (voc)
Rhythm & Blues charts |
Jazz. Outstanding performances
Instrumental
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1947.12.31 |
Mel Powell (p), Frank Beach (tp), Bumps Myers (ts), Chuck Gentry (bars), Red Callender (b), Lee Young (d) |
|
|
1950.06.?? |
Dave Brubeck (p), Ron Crotty (b), Cal Tjader (bon, cng) |
|
|
Oscar Peterson Trio at Jazz at the Philharmonic |
1953.11.04 |
Oscar Peterson (p), Herb Ellis (g), Ray Brown (b) In Nichigeki Theatre, Tokyo (Japan) |
|
Pete Rugolo Orchestra |
1954.02.08 |
Pete Rugolo (dir), Pete Candoli, Maynard Ferguson, Shorty Rogers, Conrad Gozzo (tp), Harry Betts, Milt Bernhart, Herbie Harper, John Halliburton (tb), Fred Fox, John Grass (tpa), Paul Sarmento (tu), Harry Klee (pic, as), Bud Shank (fl, as), Bob Cooper (ob, ts), Jimmy Giuffre, (ts, bars), Bob Gordon (bars), Claude Williamson (p, cel), Howard Roberts (g), Harry Babasin (b), Shelly Manne (d), Bernie Mattison (per) |
|
1954.07.27 |
Erroll Garner (p), Wyatt Ruther (b), Eugene Heard (d), Cándido Camero (cng) |
|
|
1954.09.04 |
Benny Carter (ts), Oscar Peterson (p), Barney Kessel (g), Ray Brown (b), J.C. Heard (d) |
|
|
1954.12.16 |
Bud Powell (p), Percy Heath (b), Max Roach (d) |
|
|
André Previn |
1960.05.04 |
André Previn (p) |
|
1961.12.23 |
Ike Quebec (ts), Grant Green (g), Paul Chambers (b), Philly Joe Jones (d) |
|
|
1981.06.27 |
Herbie Hancock (p), Ron Carter (b), Tony Williams (d) |
Vocal
|
PERFORMERS |
DATE OF RECORDING |
MUSICIANS WHO TOOK PART IN THE RECORDING
|
|
1942.07.17 |
Charlie Barnet (sax, dir), Irving Berger, Joe Ferrante, Peanuts Holland, Chuck Zimmerman (tp), Russ Brown, Kahn Keene, Bill Robertson (tb), George Bohn, Murray Williams (as), Kurt Bloom, James Lamare (ts), Bill Miller (p), Tommy Moore (g), Bob Elden (b), Cliff Leman (d), Frances Wayne (voc) |
|
|
1949.04.14 |
Dizzy Gillespie (tp, dir), Willie Cook, Benny Harris, Elmon Wright (tp), Andy Duryea, Sam Hurt, Jesse Tarrant (tb), John Brown, Ernie Henry (as), Joe Gayles, Yusef Lateef (ts), Al Gibson (bars), James Forman (p), Al McKibbon (b), Teddy Stewart (d), Vince Guerra (cng), Johnny Hartman (voc) |
|
|
1954.12.15 |
Mel Tormé (voc), Al Pellegrini (p), James Dupre (b), Richard Shanahan (d) |
|
|
1955.01.28 |
Bobby Troup (p, voc), Howard Roberts (g), Red Mitchell (b), Don Heath (d) |
|
|
Betty St. Claire |
1955.??.?? |
Betty St. Claire (voc), Edwin Swanston (p), Barry Galbraith (g), Addison Farmer (b), Herbie Lovelle (d) |
|
1958.08.25 |
Louis Prima (tp, voc), Keely Smith (voc), Sam Butera (ts), Lou Sino (tb), Willie McCumber (p), Bobby Roberts (g), Tony Liuzza (b), Paul Ferrara (d) |
|
|
1961.01.14 |
Ella Fitzgerald (voc), Frank Beach, Don Fagerquist, Conrad Gozzo, Joseph Triscari (tp), Milton Bernhart, Edward Kusby, Richard Noel, George Roberts (tb), Benny Carter (as), Plas Johnson (ts), Chuck Gentry (bars), Justin Gordon, Wilbur Schwartz (ww), Lou Levy (p), Herb Ellis (g), Wilfred Middlebrooks, Joe Mondragon (b), Alvin Stoller (d), Billy May (dir) |
|
|
1961.03.21 |
Frank Sinatra (voc), John Best, Conrad Gozzo, Manny Klein, Vito Mangano, Clarence Sherock, Ray Triscari, Stu Williamson (tp), C.E. Carpenter, James Henderson, Lew McCreary, Frank Rosolino, Tom Shepard, Kenny Shroyer, Kenneth Trimble (tb), James Decker, Wally Linder, Arthur Maebe, Claude Sherry (tpa), Philip Stephens (tu), Veryle Brilhart (arp), Bill Miller (p), Bobby Gibbons (g), Joe Comfort (b), Irving Cottler (d), Billy May (dir) |
|
|
1962.08.28 |
Tony Bennett (voc), Dave Brubeck (p), Paul Desmond (as), Eugene Wright (b), Joe Morello (d) |
|
|
1963.12.15 |
Shirley Horn (voc), Jimmy Cleveland (tb), Jimmy Jones (p), Quincy Jones Orchestra |
|
|
Johnny Hartman |
1966.09.28 |
Johnny Hartman (voc), Conte Candoli, Ollie Mitchell, Al Porcino (tp), Mike Barone, Billy Byers (tb), Gabe Baltazar (as), Bill Green, Plas Johnson (ts), Bill Hood (bars), Mike Melvoin (p), Herb Ellis, Howard Roberts (g), Joe Mondragon (b), Shelly Manne (d), James Lockert (per), Oliver Nelson (dir) |
|
1995.03.22 |
Carol Sloane (voc), Bill Charlap (p), Michael Moore (b), Ron Vincent (d) |
On cinemas
The song 'That Old Black Magic' is included in the soundtrack of the following movies:
|
ORIGINAL
TITLE |
TITLE IN
SPAIN |
YEAR OF
PRODUCTION |
PERFORMERS OF THE SONG IN THE FILM |
|
Star Spangled Rhythm |
Fantasía de estrellas |
1942 |
Johnny Johnston; Vera Zorina (dancing) |
|
All About Eve |
Eva al desnudo |
1950 |
|
|
Dark City |
Ciudad en sombras |
1950 |
Lizabeth Scott (dubbed by Trudy Stevens) |
|
Meet Danny Wilson |
Te presento a Danny |
1951 |
Frank Sinatra |
|
The Marrying Kind |
Chica para matrimonio |
1952 |
|
|
Bus Stop |
Bus Stop |
1956 |
Marilyn Monroe |
|
The Rat Race |
Perdidos en la gran ciudad |
1960 |
|
|
The Nutty Professor |
El profesor chiflado |
1963 |
Jerry Lewis |
|
Seconds |
Plan diabólico |
1966 |
Background music |
|
The Swinger |
Chica sin barreras |
1966 |
Ann-Margret |
|
Downhill Racer |
El descenso de la muerte |
1969 |
|
|
Terms Of Endearment |
La fuerza del cariño |
1983 |
|
|
Star Trek 3: The Search For Spock |
Star Trek 3: En busca de Spock |
1984 |
|
|
Target |
Agente doble en Berlín |
1985 |
Billy Daniels |
|
The Presidio |
Más fuerte que el odio |
1988 |
|
|
New York Stories |
Historias de Nueva York |
1989 |
|
|
Split Second |
Segundo sangriento |
1992 |
Cab Calloway |
|
Cool World |
Una rubia entre dos mundos |
1992 |
Frank Sinatra Jr. |
|
Medicine Man |
Los últimos días del Edén |
1992 |
|
|
Arizona Dream |
El sueño de Arizona |
1992 |
|
|
Innocent Blood |
Sangre fresca. Una chica insaciable |
1992 |
Frank Sinatra |
|
Mad Dog And Glory |
La chica del gángster |
1993 |
Louis Prima & Keely Smith |
|
Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil |
Medianoche en el jardín del bien y del mal |
1997 |
Kevin Spacey |
|
Night At The Roxbury |
Movida en el Roxbury |
1998 |
Chuckie Cahn Orchestra, with Erica Lively |
|
City of Angels |
City of Angels |
1998 |
Frank Sinatra |
|
Blast From The Past |
Buscando a Eva |
1999 |
Louis Prima & Keely Smith |
|
The Out-of-Towners |
Forasteros en Nueva York |
1999 |
Louis Prima & Keely Smith |
|
Simply Irresistible |
Seducción a la carta |
1999 |
Shawn Colvin |
|
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days |
Cómo perder a un chico en 10 días |
2003 |
|
|
My Week With Marilyn |
Mi semana con Marilyn |
2011 |
Michelle Williams |
|
Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance |
Ghost Rider: Espíritu de venganza |
2011 |
Shirley Horn |