This Magic Moment

For other uses, see This Magic Moment (disambiguation).
"This Magic Moment"
Single by The Drifters[1]
B-side"Baltimore"
ReleasedJanuary 28, 1960
RecordedDecember 23, 1959
StudioBell Sound (New York City)
GenreR&B[2]
Length2:28
LabelAtlantic
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"/"Dance with Me"
(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"
ReleasedOctober 28, 1968
RecordedOctober 16, 1968
StudioO.D.O. Recorders, New York City, N.Y.
GenreBlue-eyed soul
Length3:03
LabelUnited 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)

"This Magic Moment" is a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman.[3] It was first recorded by The Drifters, with Ben E. King singing lead.

Original Drifters version

It was recorded first by Ben E. King and the Drifters, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City.[1] The Drifters version spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 16 on April 2, 1960.[4]

Chart history

Chart (1960) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[5] 16
US Billboard R&B 4
US Cash Box Top 100[6] 9
CAN (CHUM Charts Hit Parade)[7] 20

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,[8] while reaching No. 1 on Canada's "RPM 100"[9] and No. 11 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.[10] The song also debuted at No. 4 in the first issue of RPM's "Young Adult" adult contemporary chart.[11] The single earned gold record status from the Recording Industry Association of America.[12]

Chart history

The original version of the song was used in the following productions:

Lou Reed's version, from a Doc Pomus tribute album, Till the Night is Gone, was featured in David Lynch's film Lost Highway (1997).

References

  1. ^ a b 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. ^ Marsh, Dave (1989). The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made. Plume. p. 279. ISBN 0-452-26305-0.
  3. ^ Doc Pomus – Biography at AllMusic. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
  4. ^ The Drifters – Chart History – The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed May 21, 2016
  5. ^ a b Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles 1955–1990 – ISBN 0-89820-089-X
  6. ^ Cash Box Top 100 Singles, April 2, 1960[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "CHUM Hit Parade - March 21, 1960".
  8. ^ Jay & the Americans – Chart History – The Hot 100, Billboard.com. Accessed May 21, 2016
  9. ^ a b "R.P.M. 100", RPM Weekly, Volume 11, No. 2, March 10, 1969. Accessed May 21, 2016
  10. ^ a b Jay & the Americans – Chart History – Adult Contemporary, Billboard.com. Accessed May 21, 2016
  11. ^ a b "Young Adult", RPM Weekly, Volume 11, No. 4, March 24, 1969. Accessed May 21, 2016
  12. ^ Gold & Platinum, RIAA. Accessed May 21, 2016
  13. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles, March 15, 1969". Archived from the original on January 27, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  14. ^ "Archived copy". www.collectionscanada.gc.ca. Archived from the original on 20 October 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  15. ^ Musicoutfitters.com
  16. ^ "Cash Box Year-End Charts: Top 100 Pop Singles, December 27, 1969". Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 26, 2018.