It’s been six years since audiences experienced the rating-breaking three-part mini-series, The New Edition Story. I still remember my excitement walking into an advance screening of Part 1 on a cold January night. One of my favorite scenes occurs in this part when a young Ricky Bell and Michael Bivins are supporting a pre-teen Bobby Brown in a talent show. The local Boston-based group, The Untouchables, is performing a cover of Philly soul group Blue Magic’s “Spell” before Bobby takes the stage. After hearing another cover version of the song in Michael Bivin’s documentary, The Hustle of 617 Biv, I decided to feature it for Slow Jam Saturday.
Blue Magic consisted of lead tenor Ted “Wizard” Mills, lead baritone Wendell Sawyer, second tenor Keith “Duke” Beaton,” bass Richard Pratt, and second baritone Vernon Sawyer. The group’s signature was their dreamy ballads and choreographed stage moves. “Spell” was the lead single from their self-titled debut album, which hit stores in January 1974.
Group member Ted Mills wrote the song, while Sigma Sound Studio’s legendary house band MFSB provided the music. The ballad explores the theme of being completely captivated and controlled by someone’s influence. The lyrics describe a sense of trouble and inner turmoil experienced by the narrator. They are constantly thinking, dreaming, and seeing visions of this person, unable to get themselves together.
The narrator’s repetition of the line “Must have put a spell on my mind” implies that they feel like they have been bewitched or influenced by this individual. This “spell” symbolizes this person’s inexplicable power and influence over the narrator’s mind and behavior. The bridge emphasizes this individual’s profound impact on the narrator, causing them to feel euphoric and utterly transformed. It implies that the spell has altered the narrator’s identity, leaving them entirely subject to the whims of the person who cast it.
The conclusion emphasizes being under someone’s control, recognizing the spell as the reason for this strong bond and inability to escape. It portrays a feeling of surrender and acknowledgment of their destiny to be with this individual. Anyone who has ever been in lust can relate to the song just as much as anyone who has been madly and deeply in love.
Final Grade: A
“Spell” from Blue Magic is available on all streaming platforms.
This weekend is about celebrating the King of Pop, Mr. Michael Jackson, and his legacy. For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I wanted to highlight his debut solo album, “Got To Be There,” which was released on January 24th, 1972.
Fifteen years after his untimely passing, the King of Pop’s music continues to resonate with us, a testament to its timeless appeal. As we honor his heavenly birthday this past Thursday, I wanted to pay tribute to him with ‘Loving You’ for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday.
When we reminisce about the potential of lead singers who could have been iconic solo acts, the name Sisqó immediately springs to mind. The front man for R&B quartet Dru Hill, Sisqó, stormed onto the scene in 1999 with his solo debut ‘Unleash the Dragon.’ The success of the singles ‘Incomplete’ and ‘Thong Song’ propelled Sisqó’s solo debut to sell a staggering five million copies in the US alone, leaving an indelible mark on the music industry.