> The Watersons > Songs > Lal & Mike Waterson, Chris Collins: The Magical Man

The Magical Man

[Lal & Mike Waterson, Chris Collins]

Sung by Mike, Lal and Norma Waterson, Tim Hart, Maddy Prior, Martin Carthy, Gordon Graham, and Bernie Vickers on Lal & Mike Waterson's album Bright Phoebus. They were accompanied by Richard Thompson, lead guitar, Martin Carthy, acoustic guitar, Ashley Hutchings, bass guitar, and Dave Mattacks, drums.

This track was reissued in 1975 on the famous 4LP compilation Electric Muse: The Story of Folk into Rock and in 1996 on the 3CD set New Electric Muse: The Story of Folk into Rock, whose sleeve notes say:

When Norma Waterson left to work in radio in foreign parts, after travelling for a living had nearly broken them, never mind their folk group, the Watersons took up regular jobs. But both Mike and Lal found themselves writing contemporary songs, which were recorded by Bill Leader for a remarkable album, Bright Phoebus. On this track with them are Norma, Tim Hart and Maddy Prior, Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson, Ashley Hutchings and Dave Mattacks. Having made their name as an entirely unaccompanied group, the Watersons had then gathered some of the finest musicians around them to produce the definitive contemporary folk rock album.

Lyrics

Chorus: Come to the show and see the magical man.
Look at him closely catch him out if you can.
Isn't it amazing all he can do?
Simply devastating - phew!

Come to the show and see the magical man.
And with his magical mind he'll leave you behind
With a wave of his conjuring stick so many birds'll fly out of his hat
It's an original conjuring trick.
So many rabbits and cards and scarves,
You know he doesn't do things by halves.

Chorus

Come to the show and see the magical man.
What has he got in his big black top hat?
Cards and scarves and it folds away flat.
See the turtle doves flying into the air.
Where do they appear from? - Nowhere.

I'm the original magical man,
The original and the only one.
If you're in doubt you can come and try out
The original adjical dagical man.

One touch of my hand sends a thrill down your spine.
Two touch of my hand and you're mine.
I'm the original magical man,
The original and the only one.
If you're in doubt you can come and try out
The original adjical dagical man.

Chorus