Voices In Your Head – Magic – Ben Folds

May 7, 2009
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I am currently in awe of this song that’s on the recently released album titled – Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella!. The song “Magic” is five minutes of pure musical bliss. I’ve had it on repeat in my car for the last week. It’s a rare and special moment when a great song is paired with an absolutely jaw-dropping vocal performance. The University of Chicago’s Voices in Your Head is the acappella group that performs the song. I can tell that the vocal tracks were pitch corrected and enhanced via ProTools but I’ll forgive them this one time b/c the resulting song is absolutely glorious. The tight harmonic clusters at certain points and the neat little walking bass counterpoint toward the end is just spine-tingling. LOVE IT. The album is worth buying just for THIS SONG.

The rest of Ben Folds Presents: University a Cappella! is pretty hit or miss. “You Don’t Know Me”, “Still Fighting It”, “Effington” and “The Luckiest” are all well done but “Magic” is the obvious stand out.

From the back of your big brown eyes
I knew you’d be gone as soon as you could and I hoped you would
We could see that you weren’t yourself
and the lines on your face did tell, it’s just as well
you’d never be yourself again

Saw you last night dance by the light of the moon
Stars in your eyes, free from the life that you knew

You’re the magic that holds the sky up from the ground
You’re the breath that blows these cool winds ’round
Trading places with an angel now

Saw you last night dance by the light of the moon
Stars in your eyes free from the life that you knew
Saw you last night
Stars in the sky smiled in my room …
-“Magic” written by Darren Jessee

Listen to “Magic” via youtube -
performed by The University of Chicago’s Voices In Your Head
Arranged by Chris Rishel

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Filed under:
music, reviews by retroDan

3 Responses to “Voices In Your Head – Magic – Ben Folds”

  1. Rich
    May 8th, 2009 at 1:12 pm

    I’m familiar with the original Ben Folds Five version of this song. I think what works here is that the song is KILLER anyway. brilliant melody and lyrics. If I’m not mistaken, Darren wrote this song about a loved one that passed away.

  2. retroDan
    May 8th, 2009 at 1:35 pm

    hey Rich. I agree, the song itself is great to begin with. and in light of all that’s been happening at the watercooler, this song has calmed me down a number of times in the last few days. the lyrics are sad and touching yet the music is so soothing…

  3. lake shore driver
    May 8th, 2009 at 3:52 pm

    I agree with you about Magic being the highlight of the CD. and you are spot on about the vocals being enhanced. I saw the a cappella group here in Chicago and they are talented but their live rendition of Magic pales in comparison to what they did on CD.
    as for the rest of the CD, you forot to mention the awful ones like Landed and Time. oh and the middle section in Brick. ouch, my delicate ears!

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