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Black Magic (Martha Reeves and the Vandellas album)

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Black Magic
Studio album by
ReleasedMarch 3, 1972
Recorded1971
GenreSoul
Length35:53
LabelGordy
ProducerJohnny Bristol
The Corporation
Hank Cosby
Jimmy Roach
Ashford & Simpson
Lawrence Brown & George Gordy
Martha Reeves & the Vandellas chronology
Natural Resources
(1970)
Black Magic
(1972)
Anthology
(1974)
Singles from Black Magic
  1. "Bless You / Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broke"
    Released: September 14, 1971
  2. "In and Out of My Life / Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile"
    Released: December 16, 1971
  3. "Tear It On Down / I Want You Back"
    Released: May 23, 1972
  4. "No One There / (I've Given You) The Best Years Of My Life"
    Released: 1973 (UK only)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rolling Stone(mixed) [1]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]

Black Magic is a 1972 soul album released by Martha Reeves and the Vandellas on the Gordy (Motown) label. It is the last studio album issued by the group after ten years with the label. The album is significant for featuring the group's biggest hit of the decade with the Jackson 5-esque "Bless You". The track returned the Vandellas to chart success briefly in the US reaching number fifty-three pop, number twenty-nine R&B and reaching number thirty-three on the UK pop singles chart. It was also a top twenty hit in Canada reaching number sixteen on the chart, and a top ten single in Puerto Rico, where it reached the number two position. Two other subsequent singles, "In and Out of My Life" and "Tear It on Down", were the trio's last Billboard charted hits reaching the top 40 on the R&B charts. "No One There" was released in the UK as a solo single for lead singer Martha Reeves.

After this album, the trio disbanded that December ending the group's ten-year tenure together. Reeves later recalled that many of the tracks on the album were originally assigned to Diana Ross before being reassigned to the group.

Track listing

[edit]
Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."No One There"
3:32
2."Your Love Makes It All Worthwhile"3:24
3."Something" (previously released on Natural Resources)George Harrison2:41
4."Benjamin"
  • Dino Fekaris
  • Nick Zesses
3:29
5."Tear It on Down"
3:27
6."I've Given You the Best Years of My Life"
  • Dino Fekaris
  • Nick Zesses
  • Jack Goga
2:58
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bless You"
  • Gordy
  • Mizell
  • Perren
  • Richards
2:58
2."I Want You Back"
  • Gordy
  • Mizell
  • Perren
  • Richards
2:50
3."In and Out of My Life"Lawrence Brown2:56
4."Anyone Who Had a Heart"3:57
5."Hope I Don't Get My Heart Broke"
  • Brown
  • Gordy
  • Allen Story
3:41

Personnel

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Black Magic". Rolling Stone. 1972-05-11. Archived from the original on 2017-09-17.
  2. ^ Black Magic at AllMusic