That Old Black Magic (song)

"That Old Black Magic"
78 single
Single by Glenn Miller
B-side	A Pink Cocktail For a Blue Lady
Released	1942
Format	78
Recorded	July 15, 1942
Genre	Swing, jazz, popular
Length	3:11
Label	RCA Victor
Writer(s)	Harold Arlen (music), Johnny Mercer (lyrics)

"That Old Black Magic" is a 1942 popular song first recorded and released as a single by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra. The music was written by Harold Arlen, with the lyrics by Johnny Mercer.

The song was published in 1942 and has become an often-recorded standard with versions that include the original single release by Glenn Miller, the singers Margaret Whiting, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Mercer himself, and others. Mercer wrote the lyrics with Judy Garland in mind, who was, on occasion, an intimate partner. Garland recorded the song for Decca Records in 1942. Mercer recalled wanting to write a song about magic, and while composing, asking Arlen to write more music so the song could go on longer, but that they still wrote the whole song in about three hours.

The Glenn Miller recording was released by RCA Victor Records as catalog number 20-1523-A, with "A Pink Cocktail For a Blue Lady" as the B side. The vocals were by Skip Nelson and the Modernaires. Glenn Miller recorded the song on July 15, 1942. The release was Glenn Miller's last #1 hit. It charted in 1943, spending 14 weeks on the Billboard magazine charts, peaking at position #1 for the week of May 29.

The song was sung in the Paramount Pictures musical comedy film Star Spangled Rhythm (1942) by Johnnie Johnston and danced by Vera Zorina.

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