Magnetic (Earth, Wind & Fire song)

"Magnetic" is a single by R&B/funk band Earth, Wind & Fire, released in November 1983 on Columbia Records. The single reached No. 10 on the US Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart, No. 36 on the US Billboard Dance Club Play chart and No. 23 on the U.K. Blues & Soul Top British Soul Singles chart. Magnetic also reached No. 16 on the Belgian Pop Singles chart and No. 18 on the Dutch Pop Singles chart.[1][2][3][4][5][6]

"Magnetic"
Single by Earth, Wind & Fire
from the album Electric Universe
B-side"The Speed of Love"
ReleasedNovember 1983
Studio
GenreNew Wave, Synth-pop, R&B, Dance
Length3:45
LabelColumbia
Songwriter(s)Martin Page
Producer(s)Maurice White
Earth, Wind & Fire singles chronology
"Spread Your Love"
(1983)		 "Magnetic"
(1983)		 "Touch"
(1983)
Music video
"Magnetic" on YouTube

Overview

Magnetic was written by Martin Page and produced by Maurice White for Kalimba Productions. The song is four minutes and twenty one seconds long with an allegro tempo that's at 141 beats per minute.[1][7]

Magnetic came upon EWF's 1983 studio album Electric Universe. The single's b-side is The Speed of Love, a track on EWF's 1983 studio album Powerlight.[1]

During December 1983 Magnetic's music video was issued by Columbia. Charlie Jane Anders of io9 has proclaimed that "of all the neon-dystopia music videos that came out after Blade Runner, my favorite is probably 1983's "Magnetic" by Earth Wind & Fire".[8][9]

Critical reception

Pam Lambert of The Wall Street Journal proclaimed "vocals, driven ahead by the force of the bass guitar, also carry the charged single Magnetic."[10] Prentis Rogers of the Atlanta Journal Constitution acclaimed "the catchy hooks of magnetic".[11] Cashbox wrote "This elemental aggregation has been yo-yo-ing on the charts of late, and this preview track from the forthcoming 'Electric Universe' LP bursts with a fresh, energetic dance verve that ought to re-solidify their star stature. White is unshy about bringing a hot electric guitar into the mix, and its presence is reinforced by the repeated line, 'Don't break the circuit'. Human contact is the thrust here, as the band’s new approach provides a modern street and dance floor soundtrack."[12] Billboard declared that "a densely layered arrangement billows around hard edged group vocals and driving rhythm" on Magnetic." The magazine also stated "EWF continues to keep abreast of the newest sounds without compromising its musical identity".[13] Paul Willistein of The Morning Call said "EW&F leaves behind the cosmic subject matter, the usual arrangements and harmonies and gets physic(s)al with its dance/funk hit Magnetic". Willistein added "with Magnetic, EW&F using a techno funk mix and lyrics that are, well downright earthy, has produced one of the most exciting cuts of its long career".[14] Paul Bursche of Number One called Magnetic "A fiery uptempo working".[15] Lennox Samuels of The Dallas Morning News found that "High Priest Maurice White effectively blends lyrics of love and concerns of the nuclear age on Spirit of a New World and Magnetic, using a musical strategy that includes sythesizer settings and handclaps".[16] Robert Palmer of The New York Times proclaimed that "the rich vocal harmonies and lapidary pop craftsmanship listeners have learned to expect from Earth, Wind & Fire are still in evidence, but the group's instrumental sound has been radically stripped down and rethought."[17]

Music critic Robert Christgau of The Village Voice also placed the song at number 20 on his dean's list of 1983.[18]

Credits

Accolades
Year Country Publication Accolade[18] Rank
1983 U.S Village Voice Dean's List 20

Chart positions
Year Chart Peak
position
1983 U.S. Billboard Hot R&B Singles 10[2]
U.S. Cashbox Top R&B Singles 13[19]
Belgian Singles (Ultratop 50 Singles) 16[6]
Dutch Singles (Dutch Single Top 100) 18[5]
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 57
UK Pop Singles 92
U.K. Blues & Soul Top British Soul Singles 23[4]
1984 U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play 36[3]
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References
  1. Earth, Wind & Fire: Magnetic. Columbia Records. November 1983.
  2. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Magnetic (Hot R&B Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  3. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Magnetic (Dance Club Songs)". billboard.com. Billboard.
  4. "Top British Soul Singles". No. 397. Blues & Soul. December 27, 1983. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  5. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Magnetic (Dutch Top 40)". dutchcharts.nl. Dutch Charts.
  6. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Magnetic". ultratop.be. Ultratop.
  7. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Magnetic". chords.tv.
  8. "Earth, Wind & Fire: Magnetic". imdb.com.
  9. Jane Anders, Charlie (July 12, 2008). "A Battle To The Death, In A Totalitarian New-Wave Nightmare". io9.gizmodo.com. IO9.
  10. Lambert, Pam (19 January 1984). "Prime Cuts: Noteworthy Rock Records". Wall Street Journal. ProQuest 397920155.
  11. Rogers, Prentis (December 31, 1983). Record Reviews. newspapers.com. Atlanta Journal Constitution. p. 71.
  12. "Single Reviews". archive.org. Vol. 45 no. 21. Cashbox. November 5, 1983. p. 7.
  13. Single Reviews (PDF). americanradiohistory.com. 95. Billboard. November 5, 1983. p. 71.
  14. Willistein, Paul (December 17, 1983). Earth, Wind & Fire: Electric Universe. newspapers.com. Morning Call. p. 82.
  15. Bursche, Paul (November 19, 1983). "Singles". No. 29. Number One. p. 37. Cite magazine requires |magazine= (help)
  16. Samuels, Lennox (December 1, 1983). "Triumphant Rock from the Rolling Stones". newspapers.com. Dallas Morning News. p. 9.
  17. Palmer, Robert (December 7, 1983). "The Pop Life". nytimes.com. New York Times.
  18. Christgau, Robert (February 28, 1984). "Pazz & Jop 1983: Dean's List". robertchristgau.com. The Village Voice.
  19. "Cashbox Top R&B Singles". cashboxmagazine.com. Cashbox. December 24, 1983.
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