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Ella Fitzgerald — That Old Black Magic
Album: The Harold Arlen Songbook
Avg rating:
7.9

Your rating:
Total ratings: 356








Released: 1961
Length: 4:07
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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That old black magic's got me in its spell
That old black magic that you weave so well
Those icy fingers
Up and down my spine
The same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine

The same old tingle that I feel inside
And when that elevator starts its ride
Darling down and down I go, round and round I go
Like a leaf that's
caught in the tide

I should stay away but what can I do
I hear your name, and I'm aflame
Aflame with
such a burning desire
That only your kiss can put out the fire

You're the lover
You're the lover
You're the lover
You're the lover
I have waited for

The mate that fate had me created for
And everytime your lips meet mine

Darling down and down I go,
Round and Round I go
In a spin, I'm loving the spin that I'm in
I'm Under that old black magic called love

Yes I'm in a spin, I'm loving the spin I'm in
I'm under that old black magic called love
Got me spinning and spinning and spinning around
Like an elevator's going down
In this magic, black magic called love
Comments (61)add comment
 drcrnp wrote:

I try to get it, and I respect those who do get it.  But all I get is irritated.  My apologies.




Everybody has different tastes. Thank You  for being polite about it.  I really like it!
Posted 1 year ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
GREAT!! ICONIC!!  Thanx RP!   
Posted 2 years ago by joejennings    [ Reply ]
She's just the Best! There will never be another one like HER!{#Clap}
Posted 8 years ago by VH1    [ Reply ]
 SmackDaddy wrote:


Wow, really? Big Band Music may not be your thing, but to make this comment just shows an incredible lack of IQ points. Good luck with that.
 
Really? Because someone has different taste, doesn't like what everyone thinks they Should like - they are therefore stupid? wow
Posted 12 years ago by jocelynsart    [ Reply ]
What a beautiful, beautiful voice. Amazing.
Posted 12 years ago by apd    [ Reply ]
I try to get it, and I respect those who do get it.  But all I get is irritated.  My apologies.
Posted 12 years ago by drcrnp    [ Reply ]
This is certainly not Ella's best work, in fact it's probably not even half of her average, but it's still Ella and it's worth an 8.
Posted 12 years ago by kojiroh    [ Reply ]
 helgigermany wrote:
Terrible Big Band sound!
 

Wow, really? Big Band Music may not be your thing, but to make this comment just shows an incredible lack of IQ points. Good luck with that.
Posted 12 years ago by SmackDaddy    [ Reply ]
Awful, don't understand why anyone would like this.
Posted 12 years ago by hbs47    [ Reply ]
Terrible Big Band sound!
Posted 12 years ago by helgigermany    [ Reply ]
 Grammarcop wrote:

One of the best concerts I ever saw was Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson on a double bill. I am lucky to say that I was able to see these two masters on the same stage.

 
You are incredibly fortunate.
Posted 12 years ago by thatch    [ Reply ]

This is great Bill, but how bout some Doris Day on her 88th bday!!!! 


Posted 12 years ago by Randomax    [ Reply ]

One of the best concerts I ever saw was Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson on a double bill. I am lucky to say that I was able to see these two masters on the same stage.


Posted 12 years ago by Grammarcop    [ Reply ]
More Ella please.
Posted 12 years ago by Nuance    [ Reply ]
"Buddy.  Everybody knows Buddy. Buddy Love."
Posted 12 years ago by ubuntourist    [ Reply ]
 unclehud wrote:
Ella is very smooth here, and her backing band is top notch.  Sometimes, though, I like to hear emotion/desire flow through the vocals.  For example, if — next time I see her — Ella says to me, "You're the lover I have waited for," with the same level of emotion she exudes on this recording ... well, I'd be less than excited. 
 
I'm the one who uploaded this and I would to a degree agree with your assessment. This particular song is not really her best work.  In my defense it was part of a set.  A couple of years ago when I noticed I already had two Arlen tunes being reviewed on the LRC I got a little OCD with them for a while and this still ended up being my favorite version of this song (from my library at least).
 
#                Score by Harold Arlen                                         Status LRC Votes
1Rob Wasserman & Lou Reed - One for My Baby (And One More for the Road)sorry27/20 (57%)
2Cab Calloway - Blues in the Night (My Mama Done Tol' Me)sorry31/4 (89%)
3Louis Armstrong - I've Got the World on a Stringsorry29/1 (97%)
4Dr. John - Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positiveadded0/0 (0%)
5John Coltrane - My Shining Hoursorry38/15 (72%)
6Duke Ellington - Stormy Weatheradded30/4 (88%)
7Art Tatum - Get Happysorry0/0 (0%)
8Miles Davis - It's Only a Paper Moonsorry31/10 (76%)
9Bill Evans - Come Rain or Come Shinesorry0/0 (0%)
10Gerry Mulligan & Stan Getz - Let's Fall in Loveadded37/8 (82%)
11Nancy Wilson - A Sleepin' Beesorry10/12 (45%)
12Earl Klugh - If I Only Had a Brainsorry31/13 (70%)
13Sphere - This Time the Dream's on Mesorry0/0 (0%)
14Count Basie - Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Seasorry0/0 (0%)
15Ella Fitzgerald - That Old Black Magicadded34/5 (87%)
16Lee Morgan - Ill Windsorry0/0 (0%)
17Stanley Jordan - Over the Rainbowsorry0/0 (0%)
18Louis Armstrong - I Gotta Right to Sing the Bluessorry21/0 (100%)
19Cab Calloway & The Cotton Club Orchestra - Kickin' The Gong Aroundsorry0/0 (0%)
20Ella Fitzgerald - Happiness Is a Thing Called Joesorry38/16 (70%)

The Ellington arrangement has gone on to make it on to the all time top 60 RP Classics list so on balance I feel the effort was worthwhile.  Further as several others have noted Ella is at least an 8 just singing the phone book and I personally would encourage everyone to get the entire songbook series starting with the Ellington one if you don't have them already.  Unfortunately with this and the Christmas song they'll never actually play I've already uploaded two of the meager five Ella songs RP has in its library now and I don't think I should upload any others until some of the rest of you get a chance to pick some.  Get at it!

Posted 12 years ago by Prodigal_SOB    [ Reply ]
Ella is very smooth here, and her backing band is top notch.  Sometimes, though, I like to hear emotion/desire flow through the vocals.  For example, if — next time I see her — Ella says to me, "You're the lover I have waited for," with the same level of emotion she exudes on this recording ... well, I'd be less than excited. 
Posted 13 years ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Ella makes everything right
Posted 13 years ago by salzburg4321    [ Reply ]
Is it live, or is it Memorex?  {#Biggrin}

Elle and Bajka went really well together in that last set.
Posted 13 years ago by Baby_M    [ Reply ]
 fredriley wrote:

"of all time"?! What, of all the millennia of human singing in thousands of cultures? That's quite a claim. I've told you a million times not to exaggerate...

 

Of course there is no way to ever truly know the answer to this, but I would put Miss Ella up against anyone, anytime male or female!!{#War}
Posted 13 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]

 
Love hearing Ella in the mix.  
Posted 13 years ago by newwavegurly    [ Reply ]
Ella was on TV quite a bit in the 60s (Ed Sullivan) and the 70s generally doing a lot of scatting.  Took me a while to work my way deeper into her catalog to find fabulous songs like this one!  She is one of the greatest fo' sure. 
Posted 13 years ago by tonypf    [ Reply ]
 gjr wrote:
ok - ella's fantastic......arguably the best female vocalist of all time........now how about playing the best male vocalist??  maybe some sinatra once in a while??   huh?  anyone, anyone, bueller, anyone? 
 
You're right, I never thought about it, why dont we ever hear any Sinatra here on RP? Bill?

Edited: Just checked and I guess there's some Sinatra in rotation, must have missed it.

Posted 13 years ago by SweTex    [ Reply ]
 dyharenas wrote:
I love Ella, but Starbucks killed her a bit form me this Christmas with their ongoing Jingle Bells loop sang by her.
 
That's because Starbucks is the Devil.

Posted 13 years ago by SweTex    [ Reply ]
 laozilover wrote:
An easy '8'.

  Ms. Fitzgerald could rate an '8' singing a grocery list...


Posted 13 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
I love Ella, but Starbucks killed her a bit form me this Christmas with their ongoing Jingle Bells loop sang by her.
Posted 13 years ago by dyharenas    [ Reply ]

OMGL, = Oh My God-Like (or Goddess in this case).  One in a million.  Voice like velvet.  With attitude.  Thanks RP for the daily dose of heaven.  10 and the Great Beyond.  {#Innocent}



Posted 14 years ago by Rooney    [ Reply ]
This Swings!
Posted 14 years ago by johkir    [ Reply ]
 gjr wrote:
ok - ella's fantastic......arguably the best female vocalist of all time........
 
"of all time"?! What, of all the millennia of human singing in thousands of cultures? That's quite a claim. I've told you a million times not to exaggerate...

Posted 14 years ago by fredriley    [ Reply ]

Simply Goddess-like. We need more Ella - and more of the old jazz greats of her era in general - on RP.


Posted 14 years ago by sandyclaws    [ Reply ]
An easy '8'.

Posted 14 years ago by laozilover    [ Reply ]
Wow!  What a rush to hear this!  {#Notworthy}
Posted 14 years ago by DeeCee1109    [ Reply ]
vivakitty wrote:
My favorite version of this is the high octane Keely Smith & Louis Prima joint.
Unfair comparison. Ella was a Goddess, but Louie and Keely had all the Bacchanalian glory of the Dark Arts on their side.

Posted 14 years ago by Businessgypsy    [ Reply ]
yes!
{#Whipit} do it!
gjr wrote:
ok - ella's fantastic......arguably the best female vocalist of all time........now how about playing the best male vocalist??  maybe some sinatra once in a while??   huh?  anyone, anyone, bueller, anyone? 
 


Posted 14 years ago by lambret    [ Reply ]
How could you ever go wrong with Ella?
Posted 14 years ago by jlind    [ Reply ]

Ella Fitzgerald - "Stormy Weather" (with Joe Pass), Hannover (1975):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teXOPAFMOp0
Posted 14 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]
ok - ella's fantastic......arguably the best female vocalist of all time........now how about playing the best male vocalist??  maybe some sinatra once in a while??   huh?  anyone, anyone, bueller, anyone? 
Posted 14 years ago by gjr    [ Reply ]
 cleric wrote:
who gives this a 1 or 2?
 
A sourpuss.

I much prefer her older recordings where shes singing like a trumpet to this pop standards fluff (for its time?), but I couldn't go lower than a 5 without feeling like a complete heel!
Posted 14 years ago by ziggytrix    [ Reply ]
What, no bouncing bananas?
I figure I should try to edjukate myself, so sticking with it, but it makes me want to grit my teeth.
Posted 14 years ago by Anax    [ Reply ]

Tom Jobim - "One Note Samba" Live:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZegHk4qDaQ

"António Carlos Jobim performing with Vinicius de Morais, Miúcha, Toquinho e Edu Lobo"


Posted 15 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]

Ella Fitzgerald - "One note Samba" scat singing, Live (1969):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbL9vr4Q2LU

"jazz vocalist Ella Fitzgerald with accompaniment by Ed Thigpen on drums, Frank de la Rosa on bass, and Tommy Flanagan on piano"
Posted 15 years ago by calypsus_1    [ Reply ]
Greatest vocalist of all times in my never to be so humble opinion!{#Notworthy}
Posted 15 years ago by sirdroseph    [ Reply ]
I don't really listen to RP for jazz/big band, but it's fine now and then. EF is good, no doubt, but if you want to hear some really under appreciated shit, then listen to Dinah Washington... my girlfriend turned me on to her, and I like her voice, material, arrangements better than all the rest.  
Posted 15 years ago by CascadianPDX    [ Reply ]
Cool, some nice ol' Elephant Gerald....
Posted 15 years ago by DaveInSaoMiguel    [ Reply ]

 HazzeSwede wrote:

Great BIG Band but who the ,,,, is this Ellla ?    {#Flamed}
Well,I can stand to hear some more,sounds like the Lady can sing.

 

...or  is it Memorex??{#Beat}
Posted 15 years ago by cattail321    [ Reply ]
 cleric wrote:
who gives this a 1 or 2?
 
I gave it a 3. Not my cuppa tea.
Posted 15 years ago by Papernapkin    [ Reply ]
dixiedeb wrote:
WOW!!!

Yes — I was trying to think of a suitable response, and this is it!

Posted 15 years ago by lawman    [ Reply ]
Great BIG Band but who the ,,,, is this Ellla ?    {#Flamed}
Well,I can stand to hear some more,sounds like the Lady can sing.

Posted 15 years ago by HazzeSwede    [ Reply ]
Kevin Spacey does an admirable job on the version on the soundtrack of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil." Pretty good soundtrack to a really crummy movie. (Based on a good book.)
Posted 15 years ago by FrankMc    [ Reply ]
It's not only that Ella's signing is technically perfect, she also had the feeling and moreover the intelligence picking the songs, the arrangements and the musicians. It is very very difficult to find something that is not at least a 7, most of her music rates much higher, IMHO.

Posted 15 years ago by mbercas    [ Reply ]
Yah - I'm glad RP is playing more Ella than just "Puttin' on the Ritz"! This one does her justice.
Posted 15 years ago by lmic    [ Reply ]
 cleric wrote:
who gives this a 1 or 2?
 
Someone without a soul. Perfect start to my weekend. Thanks, RP!
Posted 15 years ago by isayhoomhom    [ Reply ]
 vivakitty wrote:
My favorite version of this is the high octane Keely Smith & Louis Prima joint.

 
I second that. But Ella is always sublime.

Posted 15 years ago by Smoove_D    [ Reply ]
 WonderLizard wrote:
She could sing the Prague phonebook and still make my heart melt...
 
I would recommend that everyone go out and get ALL of her "Songbook" CDs.   You just can't possibly have too much Ella.

  Or just bite the bullet and just get the whole 16 disc set at once



Posted 15 years ago by Prodigal_SOB    [ Reply ]
who gives this a 1 or 2?
Posted 15 years ago by cleric    [ Reply ]
WOW!!!
Posted 15 years ago by dixiedeb    [ Reply ]
Ella rules!!!!!
Someone gave this a 1?
Posted 15 years ago by Darlington    [ Reply ]
She could sing the Prague phonebook and still make my heart melt...
Posted 15 years ago by WonderLizard    [ Reply ]
My favorite version of this is the high octane Keely Smith & Louis Prima joint.

Posted 15 years ago by vivakitty    [ Reply ]
{#Cheers} A version I have never heard! Thanks!
Posted 15 years ago by lovemydog    [ Reply ]
Yay!
Posted 15 years ago by secretsauce    [ Reply ]