B-side "Within You" Format 12" single Genre Pop rock
synthpop | Released 1986 Recorded 1986 | |
Length 5:13 (Album Version)
4:00 (Single Version) | ||
"Magic Dance" is a song written and recorded by David Bowie for the 1986 Jim Henson movie Labyrinth.
Contents
Details
"Magic Dance," described as a "simple dance number that's drive by an electric bass and emphatic drums,", includes song lyrics that make reference to the 1947 movie The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer starring Cary Grant and Shirley Temple, in which the two have a call and reply verse: "You remind me of a man." "What man?" "The man with the power." "What power?" "The power of hoodoo." "Who do?" "You do!". In "Magic Dance," "man" is replaced with "babe" and "hoodoo" with "voodoo".
Bowie performed the baby's gurgles in the song, as the real baby who would have provided the sounds wouldn't gurgle on microphone.
The single was only released on 12" in the US, Spanish and Italian markets, among others. The single was not released commercially in the UK until the digital download version was made available in early 2007.
12": EMI America / V-19217 (US)
- "Magic Dance" (A Dance Mix) – 7:06
- "Magic Dance" (Dub) – 5:22
- "Within You" – 3:28
Download: EMI / i19217 (US)
- "Magic Dance" (Single Version) – 4:00
- "Magic Dance" (12" Version) – 7:06
- "Magic Dance" (Dub) – 5:22
- "Magic Dance" (7" Version) – 4:39