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Commercially Released: September 28, 2007
Label: Columbia
Produced by Brendan O'Brien
Recorded by Nick Didia, assisted by Toby Scott, Billy Bowers, Glenn Pittman, Kevin Mills, Matt Serrecchio,
Tom Syrowski and Tom Tapley at Southern Tracks Studios (March - May 2007)
Mixed by Brendan O'Brien
Mastered by Bob Ludwig
Design 'Three of Swords' by Bea Nettles
Photography by Danny Clinch, Mark SeligerOverview
Springsteen completed the Seeger Sessions Tour in November 2006. In December 2006 producer Brendan O’Brien visited Springsteen at Bruce’s Colts Neck, NJ home to listen to a large batch of songs Bruce had written over what is likely to been several years. From this meeting a sub-group of songs were pre-selected as being most suitable for an E Street Band style of album.
Studio sessions began in Atlanta in February 2007, initially with just Springsteen and O’Brien. Some (not all) of the E Street Band members started to become involved in late February. A five-day “rehearsal and basic tracks” recording session took place at Southern Tracks from March 7-11 that included E Street Band members Tallent, Weinberg and Bittan. This sub-group of the E Street Band continued scattered recording session during March. ESB members Van Zandt, Lofgren, Federici, Clemons, Scialfa (plus Soozie Tyrell) appear to have travelled to Atlanta to add specific overdubs during the latter (late March to early May) stages of the sessions. With the individual ESB members’ roles completed by early May, Springsteen and O’Brien then spent May and part of June working on the final touches of the album.
Released
| # | Song Title | Running Time | Release |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | RADIO NOWHERE | 3:18 | MAGIC |
| 2. | YOU'LL BE COMIN' DOWN | 3:45 | MAGIC |
| 3. | LIVIN' IN THE FUTURE | 3:56 | MAGIC |
| 4. | YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY | 3:18 | MAGIC |
| 5. | GYPSY BIKER | 4:31 | MAGIC |
| 6. | GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER CLOTHES | 4:19 | MAGIC |
| 7. | I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE | 3:34 | MAGIC |
| 8. | MAGIC | 2:45 | MAGIC |
| 9. | LAST TO DIE | 4:17 | MAGIC |
| 10. | LONG WALK HOME | 4:34 | MAGIC |
| 11. | DEVIL'S ARCADE | 5:05 | MAGIC |
| 12. | TERRY'S SONG (1) | 4:11 | MAGIC |
Total Running Time: 47:47
1: Late addition to album as a hidden track, a memorial song for Springsteen's long-time assistant Terry Magovern, who died on July 30, 2007. Some pressings of the CD pre-ordered through Sony Music or other channels did not contain the extra track. The album as sold through iTunes does not contain this track either.
Additional Recordings
Details
| Song Title | Running Time | Release |
|---|
| DEVIL'S ARCADE | 5:05 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March–April 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia. Features Daniel Laufer on cello and Patrick Warren adds Chamberlin and/or tack piano.
| FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE - V1 | uncirculating | |
| FRANKIE FELL IN LOVE - V2 | 2:48 | HOPES |
Note: Springsteen has stated that "Frankie Fell In Love" was recorded for Magic but did not make the album. However, studio footage appears to date the song from the Working On A Dream sessions. Partially re-recorded in 2013 and issued on High Hopes. Produced by Ron Aniello and Springsteen. Features Sessions Band violinist Sam Bardfeld. Drums, bass and Van Zandt's contribution all date to 2013.
| GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER CLOTHES - V1a | 4:19 | MAGIC / BESTOF |
| GIRLS IN THEIR SUMMER CLOTHES (Winter Mix) - V1b | 4:17 | 2008 single |
Note: Brendan O'Brien persuaded Bruce to include "Girls In Their Summer Clothes" on the Magic album. Springsteen said that O'Brien "really heard its potential and turned it into a pop diamond." V1b, the 'Winter Mix', features a single-tracked lead vocal, a slightly different mix, and a few other minor differences. It was initially released on January 15, 2008 as part of an iTunes digital EP along with the music video and album version, before the physical release on January 29, 2008. Won the 2009 Grammy for "Best Rock Song".
| GOOD EYE - V1 | uncirculating | |
| GOOD EYE - V2 | 3:01 | DREAM |
Note: Written June 2007 during the mixing stages of Magic and demoed before sessions completed, completed 2008.
| GYPSY BIKER | 4:31 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March–April 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.
| HARRY'S PLACE - V1 | uncirculating | |
| HARRY'S PLACE - V2 | uncirculating | |
| HARRY'S PLACE - V3 | uncirculating | |
| HARRY'S PLACE - V4 | 4:04 | HOPES |
Note: The background of this song is somewhat confusing. Springsteen has confirmed that seventeen songs were recorded in Atlanta and that "Harry's Place" was one of the two songs that didn't make the final 15-song line-up for The Rising – Bruce felt this rocker about a fictitious local kingpin didn't blend in well with the rest of the album's material. During a July 31, 2002 TV interview Springsteen, upon request of Ted Koppel, actually recited the entire first verse of this song's lyrics. Comments made by Springsteen since suggest that only the lyrics were written in 2001 (V2) during sessions for The Rising (although he has also stated that the band attempted to record the song at sessions prior to The Rising, perhaps in the late '90s - V1), and the music dates from the mid-2000s, probably from the Magic sessions in 2007 (V3). V3 was recorded at Southern Tracks studio during the Spring of 2007 for Magic. Bruce has said that it almost made the album, but was left off because he wanted twelve songs rather than thirteen, indicating the late addition of "Terry's Song" bumped it from the final sequence. Screen captures of the lyric book show that only the first verse dates from 2002, the rest appears to have been re-written in the intervening years. The song is not related, either musically or lyrically, to "Mary's Place" – they merely happen to share the same word in the title. Subsequently issued on 2014's High Hopes. It should be noted that "Hard Drive" (often mentioned in the same breath as "Harry's Place") was not a Rising-era recording or song – rather it was a never developed (i.e., no lyrics/music) title found in Springsteen's Rising sessions songwriting notebook that had first been seen and noted by journalist Jon Pareles in a July 2002 interview with Springsteen at Bruce's home.
| HEAVEN'S WALL - V1 | uncirculating | |
| HEAVEN'S WALL - V2 | uncirculating | |
| HEAVEN'S WALL - V3 | 3:50 | HOPES |
Note: V1 recorded by Springsteen during the mid 2000s, V2 recorded by Brendan O'Brien at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, most likely in spring 2007 during the recording sessions for Magic. Ron Aniello has stated that the original basic track (vocals, drum and bass) was used, and 2013 overdubs, including guitar by Tom Morello, completed the song.
| I'LL WORK FOR YOUR LOVE | 3:34 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March–May 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.
| LAST TO DIE | 4:17 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March–April 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia. Soozie Tyrell contributes violin.
| LIFE ITSELF - V1 | uncirculating | |
| LIFE ITSELF - V2 | 4:00 | DREAM |
Note: Written June 2007 during the mixing stages of Magic, and demoed before sessions completed.
| LIVIN' IN THE FUTURE | 3:56 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia. Soozie Tyrell contributes violin. Mentioned by Bruce as the first song he wrote for the album.
| LONG WALK HOME | 4:34 | MAGIC / GREATEST: 2009 |
Note: Written by Springsteen while on the road in 2006 and premiered live as "Gonna Be A Long Walk Home" on November 11, 2006 in London during the Seeger Sessions Tour. This performance included an extra verse that was removed when Springsteen & The E Street Band recorded the song in Atlanta during March–April 2007. Now titled "Long Walk Home", it was released on Magic in October 2007. Issued as a promotional single, and a music video was also released featuring scenes of Springsteen at various Asbury Park landmarks, including Convention Hall. Patrick Warren adds Chamberlin and tack piano.
| MAGIC | 2:45 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March–April 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia. Soozie Tyrell contributes violin, Jeremy Chatzky plays upright bass, and Patrick Warren adds Chamberlin and/or tack piano.
| MARY MARY - V1 | uncirculating | |
| MARY MARY - V2 | uncirculating | |
| MARY MARY - V3 | 2:51 | BEAUTY |
Note: V1 recorded at Southern Tracks Studios with Brendan O'Brien during the Magic sessions in 2007, and again in 2008. V3, the High Hopes version, was completed in 2013 with Ron Aniello. Considered for High Hopes, but missed the cut. Released on the four-track 12" vinyl EP American Beauty on April 19, 2014, in association with Record Store Day, and digitally on April 22, 2014.
| MY LUCKY DAY - V1 | uncirculating | |
| MY LUCKY DAY - V2 | uncirculating | |
| MY LUCKY DAY - V3 | 4:01 | DREAM / ESSENTIAL: 2015 |
Note: Written in June, 2007 during the mixing stages of Magic, and demoed before sessions completed. Album version completed in summer 2008, and single released November 28, 2008. One of two songs, along with "Born To Run", that was made available as downloadable content for the video game Guitar Hero World Tour on January 29, 2009.
| RADIO NOWHERE - V1 | uncirculating | |
| RADIO NOWHERE - V2 | 3:18 | MAGIC / ESSENTIAL: 2015 / GREATEST: 2009 |
Note: V1 was recorded in late 2006 in New Jersey. V2 was recorded March 2007 at Southern Tracks studio and released as a single ahead of the album, after it had leaked out the previous week, resulting in several cease and desist letters to radio stations. On August 28, 2007, it was officially released by Sony as a free limited-time download on iTunes, to go with pre-orders of Magic.
| TERRY'S SONG | 4:11 | MAGIC |
Note: Performed by Springsteen alone, a tribute to Bruce's long-time assistant Terry Magovern, who died on July 30, 2007. Written and recorded August 2007, "Terry's Song" was added as a hidden track to Magic. It was omitted from pressings of the CD pre-ordered through Sony Music, iTunes, and other channels.
| THIS LIFE - V1 | uncirculating | |
| THIS LIFE - V2 | 4:30 | DREAM |
Note: Written June 2007 during the mixing stages of Magic and demoed before sessions completed. Features Patrick Warren on piano.
| TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS - V1 | uncirculating | |
| TOMORROW NEVER KNOWS - V2 | 2:14 | DREAM |
Note: Written June 2007 during the mixing stages of Magic and demoed before sessions completed. Features Patrick Warren on keyboards, as well as a string and horn arrangement by Eddie Horst.
| WHAT LOVE CAN DO - V1 | uncirculating | |
| WHAT LOVE CAN DO - V2 | 2:57 | DREAM |
Note: The first song written for Working On A Dream, in June 2007 during the mixing stages of Magic. A demo was recorded before the Magic sessions were over, and the song was completed in summer 2008. Released as a single April 18, 2009 to commemorate the 2009 "Record Store Day" (an annual campaign supporting independent record dealers), limited to 2,500 copies.
| YOU'LL BE COMIN' DOWN | 3:45 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March–April 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.
| YOUR OWN WORST ENEMY | 3:18 | MAGIC |
Note: Recorded March–April 2007 at Southern Tracks Studios, Atlanta, Georgia.
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