Misplaced Pages

"We Must Believe in Magic" is a song written by Allen Reynolds and Bob McDill and originally released by Crystal Gayle on her fourth studio album We Must Believe in Magic (1977).

In 1978, it was covered by Jack Clement on his album All I Want to Do in Life.

In his book on Johnny Cash, who recorded this song on a Jack Clement–produced album in the 1980s, John M. Alexander describes "We Must Believe in Magic" as a "whimsical piece of sound advice to hold on to our ability to always believe in magic and the guiding hand."

The metaphorical ship bound for Alpha Centauri is filled with a crew of "dreamers and poets and clowns." And that's essentially how Cash and Clement viewed themselves. They were the dreamers who believed in the music and, ultimately, had the universe at their command. Reynolds recalls that the song was about Jack and the label they started together, J-M-I Records. When he and McDill first wrote it they called it "The Company Song." And the magic appears to have worked because J-M-I achieved success when they released the first two Don Williams albums.

— John M. Alexander. The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash version

Johhny Cash covered the song on his Jack Clement–produced 1982 album The Adventures of Johnny Cash.

Released as the last of three singles from it, his version reached number 84 on U.S. Billboard's country chart for the week of February 26, 1983.

Track listing

Charts

References

1. ^ Alexander, John M. (2018-04-10). The Man in Song: A Discographic Biography of Johnny Cash. University of Arkansas Press. p. 159. ISBN 978-1-68226-051-7.
2. ^ "Cover versions of We Must Believe in Magic by Crystal Gayle". SecondHandSongs. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
3. "Jack Clement – All I Want To Do In Life (1978, Specialty Pressing, Vinyl)". Discogs. 1978. Retrieved 2021-10-08.
4. "We Must Believe In Magic". Johnny Cash official site. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
5. ^ "JJohnny Cash - We Must Believe In Magic | Releases". Discogs. 1983. Retrieved 2021-10-07. JOHNNY CASH WE MUST BELIEVE IN MAGIC -A. Reynolds - B. McDill- Taken From The Columbia Lp: "THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY CASH" FC 38094 Produced by Jack Clement // JOHNNY CASH I'LL CROSS OVER JORDAN ONE DAY -P. Chandler- Taken From The Columbia Lp: "THE ADVENTURES OF JOHNNY CASH" FC 38094 Produced by Jack Clement
6. Banister, C. Eric (2014-08-01). Johnny Cash FAQ: All That's Left to Know About the Man in Black. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 287. ISBN 978-1-61713-609-2.
7. "Johnny Cash". Billboard.
8. "Hot Country Songs Chart (The week of February 26, 1983)". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-10-07.
9. Smith, John L. (1994). The Johnny Cash Record Catalog. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 11. ISBN 9780313295065.
10. "Johnny Cash Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-10-07.

External links

• "We Must Believe in Magic" on the Johnny Cash official website

v t e Johnny Cash
Albums Singles Sun Records Songs Awards
Studio albums	1950s Johnny Cash with His Hot and Blue Guitar! The Fabulous Johnny Cash Hymns by Johnny Cash Songs of Our Soil 1960s Ride This Train Now, There Was a Song! Hymns from the Heart The Sound of Johnny Cash Blood, Sweat and Tears The Christmas Spirit I Walk the Line Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian Orange Blossom Special Johnny Cash Sings the Ballads of the True West Everybody Loves a Nut Happiness Is You Carryin' On with Johnny Cash & June Carter From Sea to Shining Sea The Holy Land 1970s Hello, I'm Johnny Cash Man in Black A Thing Called Love America: A 200-Year Salute in Story and Song The Johnny Cash Family Christmas Any Old Wind That Blows Johnny Cash and His Woman Ragged Old Flag The Junkie and the Juicehead Minus Me The Johnny Cash Children's Album Johnny Cash Sings Precious Memories John R. Cash Look at Them Beans One Piece at a Time The Last Gunfighter Ballad The Rambler I Would Like to See You Again Gone Girl Silver A Believer Sings the Truth Johnny Cash Sings with B.C. Goodpasture Christian School 1980s Rockabilly Blues Classic Christmas The Baron The Adventures of Johnny Cash Johnny 99 Highwayman Rainbow Class of '55: Memphis Rock & Roll Homecoming Heroes Believe in Him Johnny Cash Is Coming to Town Classic Cash Water from the Wells of Home 1990s Highwayman 2 Boom Chicka Boom The Mystery of Life Country Christmas American Recordings The Road Goes on Forever American II: Unchained 2000–2020s American III: Solitary Man American IV: The Man Comes Around My Mother's Hymn Book American V: A Hundred Highways American VI: Ain't No Grave Out Among the Stars Songwriter
Live albums	At Folsom Prison At San Quentin The Johnny Cash Show På Österåker Strawberry Cake The Survivors Koncert v Praze (In Prague – Live) VH1 Storytellers: Johnny Cash & Willie Nelson At Madison Square Garden A Concert Behind Prison Walls Live from Austin, TX
Soundtracks	I Walk the Line Little Fauss and Big Halsy The Gospel Road Return to the Promised Land
Compilations	Johnny Cash Sings the Songs That Made Him Famous Greatest! Johnny Cash Sings Hank Williams Now Here's Johnny Cash All Aboard the Blue Train with Johnny Cash Original Sun Sound of Johnny Cash Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Heart of Cash Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 Sunday Morning Coming Down International Superstar Five Feet High and Rising Destination Victoria Station Greatest Hits, Vol. 3 The Unissued Johnny Cash Johnny & June Tall Man Encore Biggest Hits The Man in Black 1954–1958 The Man in Black 1959–1962 Come Along and Ride This Train The Essential Johnny Cash (1992) Wanted Man The Man in Black 1963–1969 The Man in Black – His Greatest Hits 16 Biggest Hits Love, God, Murder The Essential Johnny Cash (2002) Unearthed The Legend The Legend of Johnny Cash Patriot 16 Biggest Hits: Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash The Legend of Johnny Cash Vol. II The Complete Columbia Album Collection Johnny Cash and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Songs	"25 Minutes to Go" "Seasons of My Heart" "Any Old Wind That Blows" "A Wonderful Time Up There" "The Ballad of Boot Hill" "The Ballad of Ira Hayes" "Ballad of a Teenage Queen" "Big River" "Blistered" "A Boy Named Sue" "Busted" "Cat's in the Cradle" "Cocaine Blues" "Cry! Cry! Cry!" "Daddy Sang Bass" "Dark as a Dungeon" "Don't Take Your Guns to Town" "Engine 143" "Flesh and Blood" "The Folk Singer" "Folsom Prison Blues" "Forty Shades of Green" "Get Rhythm" "Give My Love to Rose" "Goodnight, Irene" "Green, Green Grass of Home" "Greystone Chapel" "Guess Things Happen That Way" "Hey, Porter" "Home of the Blues" "Hurt" "I Couldn't Keep from Crying" "I Love You Because" "I Still Miss Someone" "I Walk the Line" "If I Had a Hammer" "If I Were a Carpenter" "In My Life" "In the Jailhouse Now" "It Ain't Me Babe" "Jackson" "Kate" "Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream" "The Man Comes Around" "Man in Black" "The Matador" "Oh Lonesome Me" "One Piece at a Time" "Oney" "Orange Blossom Special" "The One on the Right Is on the Left" "Remember the Alamo" "(Ghost) Riders in the Sky" "Ring of Fire" "Rock Island Line" "So Doggone Lonesome" "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down" "Tennessee Flat Top Box" "There Ain't No Good Chain Gang" "A Thing Called Love" "Understand Your Man" "What Is Truth" "What'd I Say" "Without Love" "You Are My Sunshine"
Film	Gospel Road: A Story of Jesus
Television	The Johnny Cash Show
Biographies	Man in Black: His Own Story in His Own Words Cash: The Autobiography Johnny Cash! The Man, His World, His Music My Father and the Man in Black Walk the Line Ring of Fire (musical) Ring of Fire (2013 film) My Darling Vivian
Tribute albums	The Sound Behind Johnny Cash Kindred Spirits: A Tribute to the Songs of Johnny Cash Dressed in Black: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Johnny's Blues: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Walk the Line: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Fade to Black: Memories of Johnny All Aboard: A Tribute to Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Remixed We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash Forever Words
Associated acts	The Highwaymen The Tennessee Three Bob Wootton Carl Perkins W. S. Holland Marshall Grant Luther Perkins Million Dollar Quartet The Great Eighties Eight
Family	June Carter Cash John Carter Cash Rosanne Cash Cindy Cash Carlene Carter Tommy Cash Carter Family
Historical sites	Dyess, Arkansas Johnny Cash Boyhood Home Johnny Cash Museum House of Cash Carter Family Fold
Legacy	Statue of Johnny Cash
Category

• Crystal Gayle songs
• Johnny Cash songs
• 1977 songs
• 1983 singles
• Songs written by Allen Reynolds
• Songs written by Bob McDill
• Song recordings produced by Jack Clement
• Columbia Records singles