That Old Black Magic
Keely Smith & Louis Prima Lyrics


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Old black magic has me in its spell
Old black magic that you weave so well
Those icy fingers up and down my spine
The same old witch craft when your eyes meet mine

Same old tingle that I feel inside
And then the elevator starts it ride
Down and down I go
Round and round I go
Like a leaf caught in a tide

I should stay away but what can I do
I hear your name and I'm a flame
Flame, flame of desire
That only your kiss (put out the fire)

For you're the lover I have waiting for
Your the mate that fate had me created for
And every time your lips meet mine

Down and down I go
Round and round I go
In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love

In a spin lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
In a spin lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love

I should stay away but what can I do
I hear your name and I'm a flame
Flame, flame of desire
That only your kiss can put out the fire

For you are the lover I have waited for
Your the mate that fate had me created for
And every time your lips meet mine

Down and down I go
Round and round I go
In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
Under the old black magic called love
In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in




Under the old black magic called love
Under the old black magic called love

Overall Meaning

The song "That Old Black Magic" by Keely Smith describes the intense attraction and pull that one person has over the other. The black magic is used as a metaphor to describe the power of attraction between two people. The lyrics describe the feeling of being entranced by someone's gaze and feeling a tingle up and down your spine. The elevator ride is another metaphor for the intense feeling that the singer is experiencing when they are with their lover. It feels like they are caught in a whirlwind of emotions and the only way to escape is to give in to the desire that they feel.


The singer knows that they should stay away from this person, but they cannot resist the pull that they feel. Every time they hear their name, they feel a flame of desire that can only be put out by their lover's kiss. The singer believes that their lover is the one that fate has created for them and they cannot resist their lips when they meet. The song ends with the singer being in a spin, loving the spin that they are in, under the old black magic called love.


Line by Line Meaning

Old black magic has me in its spell
I am under the control of the old black magic


Old black magic that you weave so well
The old black magic that you use so skillfully


Those icy fingers up and down my spine
The shivers I feel when I am near you


The same old witch craft when your eyes meet mine
The familiar feeling of being enchanted whenever you look at me


Same old tingle that I feel inside
The same excitement that I feel each time we meet


And then the elevator starts it ride
Then my emotions take control, like a rollercoaster ride


Down and down I go
I become more and more consumed by you


Round and round I go
My thoughts constantly revolve around you


Like a leaf caught in a tide
I feel helpless and unable to resist my feelings for you


I should stay away but what can I do
I know I should avoid you, but I am powerless to resist you


I hear your name and I'm a flame
Just hearing your name ignites my passion for you


Flame, flame of desire
My desire for you is intense like a burning flame


That only your kiss (put out the fire)
Only your kiss can satisfy and calm my intense desire for you


For you're the lover I have waiting for
You are the one I have been waiting for, my perfect match


Your the mate that fate had me created for
Fate has brought us together, we are meant to be


And every time your lips meet mine
Whenever we kiss, I become more and more enchanted by you


In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
I am dizzy with love and enjoying every moment of it


Under the old black magic called love
All of this is happening because we are under the spell of love




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HAROLD ARLEN, JOHNNY MERCER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@slicksnewonenow

@@glenntremblay5406 I'm pretty sure that actual choreography would have wrecked the Prima show... He and Keeley were known for their goofy, off the cuff antics.

To me, the craziest part of it was how GREAT the whole band was... And every song almost sounded different, each time it was played (when seeing the live footage and they play a certain song in a different tempo, faster or slower than the record) those guys were RIGHT ON IT.

My grandparents loved that band and would go see them whenever they'd play shows close enough to their hometown... And I was blessed by getting to meet Miss Keeley and Mr. Butera once in Las Vegas.

This was in the Nineties and both of them still had "it".
That was one of the highlights of my life!

Wow... What a show!



@jeffreybarkin3177

​@@bishlap

This is COLOURIZED as Colour Film Recording was not yet available yet when this was likely recorded...

But, Keely SMITH and LOIUS PRIMA's Live shows in places like The Neville in the scenic Catskill's resort country clubs were Legendary!

Believe THIS recording is from 1958, when Las Vegas was being first developed...


Today, this would be TOTALLY VEGAS!



All comments from YouTube:

@stephencurtis1504

This is my old dads favourite song , he always used to sing it , he’s 91 years old and suffers from dementia and now lives in a care home, but still sings it to all the female residents in the home , bless him forever. STEVE C.

@poppyfield1619

Bless him!😘

@glenntremblay5406

My dad played it for me years ago and I instantly loved it... Great song.

It's too bad they weren't choreographing dance moves back then as that would have put it over the top absolutely.

@aug9676

All the choicest blessings for your pops' i bet he knows how to have fun🤣

@slicksnewonenow

@@glenntremblay5406 I'm pretty sure that actual choreography would have wrecked the Prima show... He and Keeley were known for their goofy, off the cuff antics.

To me, the craziest part of it was how GREAT the whole band was... And every song almost sounded different, each time it was played (when seeing the live footage and they play a certain song in a different tempo, faster or slower than the record) those guys were RIGHT ON IT.

My grandparents loved that band and would go see them whenever they'd play shows close enough to their hometown... And I was blessed by getting to meet Miss Keeley and Mr. Butera once in Las Vegas.

This was in the Nineties and both of them still had "it".
That was one of the highlights of my life!

Wow... What a show!

@logann7942

Much love to you and your dad. Music does something different to people. I’ve known dementia patients who don’t remember their own families, but if you find a song they liked, they remember every word. ❤

9 More Replies...

@artbeau

Got a chance to see Keely in 2010 in CA. She was absolutely genuine. She pitched the first number, "It's Magic". She stopped mid-note to say, "Stop! Stop! What the hell... " Someone right in front of us hollered.... "WE LOVE YOU KEELY"... She said "I love you too and you deserve better." She started over and absolutely killed it!!! The rest of the show was absolutely amazing! I was so happy I was able to see this legend in my lifetime!

@scottsmith2508

Keely Smith is the best. The absolute very best. She's exceptionally cute and exceptionally talented.

@barneypooch

I'm so jealous I could kill!

@catchawave1963

Saw her around the same time. Her tribute album to Sinatra from this period is terrific.

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