This Magic Moment

For other uses, see This Magic Moment (disambiguation).

"This Magic Moment" is a song composed by lyricist Doc Pomus and pianist Mort Shuman.^[3] It was first recorded by The Drifters, with Ben E. King singing lead.

"This Magic Moment"
Single by The Drifters[1]
B-side	"Baltimore"
Released	January 28, 1960
Recorded	December 23, 1959
Studio	Bell Sound (New York City)
Genre	R&B[2]
Length	2:28
Label	Atlantic
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
The Drifters[1] singles chronology
"(If You Cry) True Love, True Love"/"Dance with Me" (1959) "This Magic Moment" (1960) "Lonely Winds" (1960)

"This Magic Moment"
Single by Jay and the Americans
from the album Sands of Time
A-side	"Since I Don't Have You"
Released	October 28, 1968
Recorded	October 16, 1968
Studio	O.D.O. Recorders, New York City, N.Y.
Genre	Blue-eyed soul
Length	3:03
Label	United Artists
Songwriter(s)	Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman
Producer(s)	Jay and the Americans
Jay and the Americans singles chronology
"No Other Love" (1968) "This Magic Moment" (1968) "When You Dance" (1969)

Original Drifters version

It was recorded first by Ben E. King and the Drifters, at Bell Sound Studios in New York City.^[1] The Drifters version spent 11 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached No. 16 on April 2, 1960.^[4]

Chart history

Chart (1960)	Peak position
US Billboard Hot 100[5]	16
US Billboard R&B	4
US Cash Box Top 100[6]	9
CAN (CHUM Charts Hit Parade)[7]	20

Jay and the Americans version

In 1968, Jay and the Americans released a version which became the song's most widely successful release. The record spent 14 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching No. 6 on March 1, 1969,^[8] landing at No. 1 on Canada's "RPM 100"^[9] and No. 11 on Billboard's Easy Listening chart.^[10] The song also debuted at No. 4 in the first issue of RPM's "Young Adult" adult contemporary chart.^[11] The single earned gold record status from the Recording Industry Association of America.^[12]

Chart history

Weekly charts Chart (1968–69) Peak position Canada RPM Top Singles[9] 1 Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[11] 4 US Billboard Hot 100[5] 6 US Billboard Adult Contemporary[10] 11 US Cash Box Top 100[13] 5

Year-end charts Chart (1969) Rank Canada RPM Top Singles[14] 25 US Billboard Hot 100[15] 56 US Cash Box[16] 25

In popular culture

The original version of the song was used in the following productions:

• The Sandlot, the 1993 sports comedy film directed by David M. Evans
• "Soprano Home Movies", an episode of The Sopranos
• "This Magic Moment", a documentary film from ESPN's 30 for 30 about the Orlando Magic
• "Selena Gomez/Post Malone", an episode from the 47th season of Saturday Night Live, in a sketch about the invention of the whoopee cushion

Lou Reed's version, from a Doc Pomus tribute album, Till the Night is Gone, was featured in David Lynch's film Lost Highway (1997).

Rick James released a version of the song as a single as part of a medley with "Dance With Me " in 1989. It went to No. 74 on the U.S. R&B chart.