Call On Me For Magic

[danax6]

Thanks a lot! I love the way she sings this. I am so utterly impressed, not to mention surprised.

The musical arrangement is horrible though. I've never been a fan of showtunes.

[desertangel]

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to that number. It is very listenable. Thanks so much for sharing it.

Questions for Uncut magazine interview:

"Stevie, how do you feel singing songs like Call on Me For Magic? Are you comfortable enough with the standard rock and roll format that you wouldn't want to consider an album of contemporary tunes, like Call on Me for Magic?"

That would be a dream come true for me... a la Winehouse Back to Black. She could do At Last and some of those other songs that she brings such beauty to.

Sigh... Dream on Silly Dreamer.

[Bella Figura]

Thank you LukeA for the heads up! Thank you Rox for the mp3!

I do like this torch song but agree standards are not my fav...

maybe someone out there will grab the vocals and do a remix???

but Dave's production on the song Love Changes is interesting is one of my favorites of TISL...

"when love changes in the flash of an eye, it leaves people burning by the side of the road.

you stand there, you got nothing to hold...that don't mend the sorrow"

[Haunted_Song]

Originally Posted by bookie29

Thank you LukeA for the heads up! Thank you Rox for the mp3!

This is now on heavy rotation on my Ipod. To me it is not a showtune, but more of a Disney tune. I also think of Willy Wonka for some reason.

I think Stevie sounds great. She is really "singing" this song.

Sean

Yep -- I'm thinking Willy Wonka, too!!! I love it!!!

[Autumn]

Great find. Stevie's voice is beautiful. Thanks so much LukeA and Rox.

[Enchanted_Stevi]

OKAY so the more I listen to this song the more I like it...Like I can HONESTLY see this song being in like Disney Princess movie or something HAHAHA

[Angel69]

Originally Posted by paleshadow

I think an album of torch songs would suit Stevie very well and be a breath of fresh air.

My sentiments exactly. With the right song choices this album could be killer. Actually it could be a combo of contemporary material like Call On Me For Magic and standards (Sunday Kind Of Love and so on). The new songs can be written by Stevie or whomever she chooses, likes, wants..... etc etc and given the treatment that David has provided. She would gain a new appreciation for her talent and versatility as we all know, Stevie can sing any style of music.

[michelej1]

A standards setlist is not exactly what I would want for Stevie, but it does open you up to an entire different audience. With that kind of repertoire she could be playing the Hollywood Bowl. Michael Buble, Harry Connick, Jr. kind of thing. Michele

[sparky]

WOW.

Thanks for posting this.

Best and most interesting vocal I have heard from her since...



TISL title track? Or way before.

The arrangement is a bit halting, but her singing is stellar.
The whispery tones, the gentle delivery, that angelic falsetto.

Dreamy.



If she was singing like this, and making these kinds of interesting choices in recording, I would not blink at spending the current tour prices.

In fact, I would pay far more.

That made my day.

[carrie721]

some thoughts on this "new" stevie demo:

the good ...

-the falsetto is amazing. obviously.
-in this part:

some sorcerer has touched you
placed his hands upon your soul
stays until your feelings lose control

the transition from falsetto to her lower register between the second and third line is, dare i say, downright beautiful.

-it's so nice to hear her sing a melody that's outside her established comfort zone.
-the dynamic range and restraint are both impressive. she sings this like a musician.
-she somehow got in touch again with the soft, reedy timbre her voice had in the 70s and 80s, so the high notes sound deceptively high. she doesn't go higher than A above middle C but because she isn't straining, it sounds higher to these ears.

the bad ...

-her vibrato has two options: on and off. she doesn't have any control over the intensity and she uses it in inappropriate places, which makes certain passages sound forced. her delivery is incongruous with the lyrics at times.

the ugly ...

-it's a shame this was locked away for so long, and
-she doesn't sing like this in concert, nor does she consistently sing like this on records.

but the bottom line is that i would rank this up there with TISL, it's only love, and whenever i call you friend. it's that good.

[Phil]

Is anyone able to post another link for this download? I'm not able to access the existing link.

[HejiraNYC]

Originally Posted by carrie721

some thoughts on this "new" stevie demo:


the bad ...

-her vibrato has two options: on and off. she doesn't have any control over the intensity and she uses it in inappropriate places, which makes certain passages sound forced. her delivery is incongruous with the lyrics at times.

I don't think Mama has ever had control over her vibrato, but I think that is part of her charm and makes her so distinct- it's her trademark. Nobody sings like her. Usually, as singers age, the vibrato starts to slow down and wobble. But Mama still warbles like a canary- it's amazing, actually. If anything, I think it would be rather unfortunate if she controlled her vibrato too well- it would make her so conventional and indistinct, IMHO.

the ugly ...

-it's a shame this was locked away for so long, and
-she doesn't sing like this in concert, nor does she consistently sing like this on records.

Agreed. But it would have stuck out on TISL like a sore thumb. I just wonder how many other songs were recorded for TISL- as it is, we have "Space Needle," "Annabelle Lee," "Have No Heart," "My Heart," "Thrown Down," and now this song. That's already half of a new album right there! And Buddah knows what is sitting around in Rodney Jerkins' and Dallas Austin's garage?

I am noticing that Stevie is singing a couple of falsetto "ooh... ooohs" at the beginning of "Sara" these days, but other than that, she is belting as usual. I suspect that given the loudness of rock concerts and Mama's likely hearing loss, she probably can't hear herself well enough to sing softly, even though it's obvious that she still has it. And unfortunately, she is so concerned with songs translating well to the live setting, that she tends to record her songs with the stage in mind.

[StreetAngel86]

omg i love this
and i haaaaaaaaate this kinda music
but it's NuStevie
i love love love Mama singing loooooow and deep
but those high notes...i'm like is THIS stevie?

i envision Aladdin

[DashingDan]

This song (music and lyrics) is just terrible. It's terrible because it blatantly swipes words, intervals and melodies from so many much better songs - Follow Me (Lerner/Lowe), for one. 'Borrowing' with skill and finesse is part of the creative process, this song borrows from so many others without skill or finesse. Also, it's almost pandering to this particular singer..., "oh stevie, it's about unwinding and magic and stuff that's, like, you, and stuff like that".

That she actually had to learn the words and timing of this not-so-simply-constructed stew of crap AMAZES me...of all of the songs out there she chose this one.

Yeah, she sang it fine, but, come on...

[RockALittle250]

Originally Posted by DashingDan

This song (music and lyrics) is just terrible. It's terrible because it blatantly swipes words, intervals and melodies from so many much better songs - Follow Me (Lerner/Lowe), for one. 'Borrowing' with skill and finesse is part of the creative process, this song borrows from so many others without skill or finesse. Also, it's almost pandering to this particular singer..., "oh stevie, it's about unwinding and magic and stuff that's, like, you, and stuff like that".

That she actually had to learn the words and timing of this not-so-simply-constructed stew of crap AMAZES me...of all of the songs out there she chose this one.

Yeah, she sang it fine, but, come on...

And that is why the song remains UNRELEASED.