The Magic Friend

"The Magic Friend" is a song by Belgian/Dutch Eurodance band 2 Unlimited.[2] It was released in August 1992 as the fourth and final single from their debut album, Get Ready! (1992). The UK release once again omitted Ray Slijngaard's rap, which lasted for 16 bars three times through, but did include some of the vocals from Anita Doth, with the "mocking chorus echoes" being abandoned as only Ray's part remains, thus leaving Anita's sole vocals as "disembodied whispers" during the middle eight.[3] The single experienced chart success in many European countries, including Finland, where it topped the chart. The Dutch leading afternoon radio program on national pop outlet Radio 3 FM/Hilversum renamed itself "The Magic Friend", after the single.[4]

"The Magic Friend"
Widely distributed variant of the standard artwork
Single by 2 Unlimited
from the album Get Ready!
Released3 August 1992 (1992-08-03)[1]
GenreEurodance
Length
  • 4:32
  • 3:43 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Phil Wilde
  • Jean-Paul De Coster
2 Unlimited singles chronology
"Workaholic"
(1992)		 "The Magic Friend"
(1992)		 "No Limit"
(1992)
Music video
"The Magic Friend" on YouTube

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard wrote, "One of the more successful techno acts in Europe continues its bid for mainstream club and radio approval along these shores with a cute and NRGetic wriggler. The music is a bit harder than previous tracks, though the rap is a little too strained and silly for its own good."[5] Kat Stevens of Freaky Trigger noted the track's "tasty ingredients" of "recogniseable pop stars, colourful boshing beats, catchy chorus, silly noises [and] fervoured anticipation." Comparing parts of the track to settings on a Yamaha keyboard, she compared the track's main synth sound to the "Brass 1" setting and the "gutteral metallic swinging" to the "Slap Bass" setting.[3] James Hamilton from Music Week's RM Dance Update deemed it as "'Start-Rite' techno for young "wannabe" ravers".[6] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits stated that "the insufferable duo return with another ropey techno effort".[7]

Chart performance

"The Magic Friend" was a major hit on the charts on several continents. In Europe, it peaked at number-one in Finland. It made it to the top 10 also in Belgium, Ireland (number three), the Netherlands (number three), Spain and on MTV's European Top 20. In the United Kingdom, the single reached number eleven in its third week at the UK Singles Chart, on 23 August 1992.[8] On the UK Dance Singles Chart, "The Magic Friend" was an even bigger hit, reaching number nine. Additionally, it was a top 20 hit in Germany, as well as on the Eurochart Hot 100 and a top 30 hit in Sweden. Outside Europe, the single hit number-one on the RPM Dance/Urban chart and number 26 on the RPM Top Singles chart in Canada, number five in Zimbabwe and number 16 in Australia.

Music video

The accompanying music video for "The Magic Friend" was directed by British director David Betteridge. It was shot in The Pinnacles and Wave Rock in Australia. Ray and Anita sing the song in the video while a mysterious character dances around in the background. Selina Webb from Music Week complimented "the slightly surreal" video, adding that it is "in particular standing head and shoulders above the average dance video."[9] Betteridge also directed the videos for "Get Ready for This", "Twilight Zone" and "Workaholic". "The Magic Friend" was later published on 2 Unlimited's official YouTube channel in July 2014. By September 2020, it had more than 222,000 views.

Track listings

Charts

References
  1. "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 1 August 1992. p. 19.
  2. "AllMusic: 2 Unlimited (Biography)". AllMusic. Retrieved 6 May 2012.
  3. Stevens, Kat (27 November 2007). "Blog '92: That's What I Am". Freaky Trigger. Retrieved 22 November 2017.
  4. Tilli, Robbert (9 March 1996). "2 Unlimited: Common-Market Chartbusters" (PDF). Billboard. p. 29. Retrieved 27 November 2022.
  5. Flick, Larry (29 August 1992). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Retrieved 24 January 2018.
  6. Hamilton, James (8 August 1992). "DJ Directory: Out On Monday" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). p. 5. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
  7. Doyle, Tom (5 August 1992). "New Singles". Smash Hits. p. 41. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
  8. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  9. Webb, Selina (15 May 1993). "Market Preview: Music Video" (PDF). Music Week. p. 10. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  10. "2 Unlimited – The Magic Friend". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  11. "2 Unlimited – The Magic Friend" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  12. "2 Unlimited – The Magic Friend" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  13. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1908." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  14. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 38. 19 September 1992. p. 21. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
  15. Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 951-31-2503-3.
  16. "2 Unlimited – The Magic Friend" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
  17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – The Magic Friend". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 38, 1992" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  19. "2 Unlimited – The Magic Friend" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  20. Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (1st ed.). Spain: Fundación Autor-SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
  21. "2 Unlimited – The Magic Friend". Singles Top 100. Retrieved 20 September 2022.
  22. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 15 August 1992. p. 22. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
    • Zimbabwe. Kimberley, C. Zimbabwe: singles chart book. Harare: C. Kimberley, 2000
  24. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
  25. "Jaaroverzichten 1992" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  26. "The RPM Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1992". RPM. Vol. 56, no. 25. 19 December 1992. p. 25.
  27. "1992 Year-End Sales Charts: Eurochart Hot 100 Singles". Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 17.
  28. "Top 100 Single–Jahrescharts 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  29. "Single top 100 over 1992" (PDF) (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 28 December 2013.
  30. "Jaaroverzichten – Single 1992" (in Dutch). MegaCharts. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
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