Magic Sam moved to Chicago in 1956, where his guitar playing earned him bookings at blues clubs on the West Side. He recorded singles for Cobra Records from 1957 to 1959, including "All Your Love" and "Easy Baby". They did not reach the record charts but had a profound influence, far beyond Chicago's guitarists and singers. Together with recordings by Otis Rush and Buddy Guy (also Cobra artists), they were a manifesto for a new kind of blues. Around this time Magic Sam worked briefly with Homesick James Williamson.
Magic Sam gained a following before being drafted into the U.S. Army. He served six months in prison for desertion and received a dishonorable discharge.
In 1963, he gained national attention for his single "Feelin' Good (We're Gonna Boogie)". He successfully toured the U.S., Britain and Germany. He was signed to Delmark Records in 1967, for which he recorded West Side Soul and Black Magic. He continued performing live and toured with blues harp player Charlie Musselwhite and Sam Lay.
Magic Sam's breakthrough performance was at the Ann Arbor Blues Festival in 1969, which won him many bookings in the U.S. and Europe.
His career was cut short when he suddenly died of a heart attack in December 1969. He was 32 years old. He is buried in the Restvale Cemetery, in Alsip, Illinois. In February 1970, the Butterfield Blues Band played at a benefit concert for Magic Sam, at Fillmore West in San Francisco. Also on the bill were Mike Bloomfield, Elvin Bishop, Charlie Musselwhite and Nick Gravenites.
His guitar style, vocals, and songwriting have inspired and influenced many blues musicians. In the film The Blues Brothers, Jake Blues dedicates the band's performance of "Sweet Home Chicago" to the "late, great Magic Sam".
The stage name Magic Sam was devised by Sam's bass player and childhood friend Mack Thompson at Sam's first recording session for Cobra as an approximation of "Maghett Sam". The name Sam was using at the time, Good Rocking Sam, was already being used by another artist.
"Magic Sam had a different guitar sound," said his record producer, Willie Dixon. "Most of the guys were playing the straight 12-bar blues thing, but the harmonies that he carried with the chords was a different thing altogether. This tune "All Your Love", he expressed with such an inspirational feeling with his high voice. You could always tell him, even from his introduction to the music."
Awards and recognition
1982, Blues Foundation Blues Music Award for Magic Sam Live in the category Vintage or Reissue Album of the Year (US)
1982, Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, induction as Performer
1984, Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, West Side Soul selected in the category Classics of Blues Recordings – Albums
1990, Blues Foundation Hall of Fame, Black Magic selected in the category Classics of Blues Recordings –
Partial album discography
1967 West Side Soul Delmark Recorded Chicago, 1967
1968 Black Magic Delmark Recorded Chicago, 1968
1969 Raw Blues Live 1969 Rock Beat Records Recorded in Berkeley, Calif., 1969
1980 The Late Great Magic Sam L+R Recorded 1963–64, 1969
1981 Magic Sam Live Delmark Recorded live in Chicago, 1963–64, and Ann Arbor, 1969
1981 Magic Touch Black Magic Recorded live in Chicago, 1966
1989 The Magic Sam Legacy Delmark Outtakes and alternate takes recorded in Chicago, 1966–68
1991 Give Me Time Delmark Solo demo and rehearsal home recordings, 1968
2001 With a Feeling – The Complete Cobra, Chief & Crash Recordings 1957–1966 Westside Most pre-Delmark recordings; also available as Out of Luck, P-Vine, 2003
2002 Rockin' Wild in Chicago Delmark Recorded live in Chicago, 1963, 1964, 1966, 1968
2008 Genius: The Final Sessions Intermedia Previously unreleased
2013 Live at the Avant Garde June 22, 1968 Delmark Recorded live at the Avant Garde coffeehouse, Milwaukee, June 22, 1968
She Belongs to Me
Magic Sam Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
about my girl,
she's the sweetest thing I know,
in this world.
She's fine,
And she's neat,
Everything about you is so sweet,
I'm so glad she belongs to me.
Everybody's looking at you,
In the neighborhood,
Pleasing that they looking at you baby,
because you look so good.
She's fine,
And she's neat,
Everything about you is so sweet,
and I'm so glad,
I'm so glad she belongs to me.
The way you walk,
down the streets,
you make a dumb man talk,
you mad a blind man see.
You're fine,
And You're neat,
Everything about you is so sweet,
and I'm so glad,
I'm so glad she belongs to me.
In Magic Sam's song "She Belongs to Me," the singer tells a story about his girl and how lucky he feels to have her in his life. The song praises the girl's beauty and charm, as seen by everyone in the neighborhood, and how her presence ends up making everyone around her talk about her looks. Through the singer's eyes, the girl is perfect in every way, from her appearance to her personality. The song is built around the idea of the girl being an object of affection and admiration, and how the singer feels blessed to be the one who gets to call her his own.
The lyrics reveal a sense of possessiveness and protectiveness towards the girl, which is further emphasized by the repetition of the phrase "she belongs to me" throughout the song. It's almost as if the singer is claiming ownership over the girl's beauty and character, and by extension, his own self-worth. Nonetheless, the lyrics never come off as arrogant or chauvinistic; instead, they convey a sense of genuine love and admiration towards the girl.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to tell you a story,
I have a narrative to share with you,
about my girl,
It pertains to my significant other
she's the sweetest thing I know,
She's the most amiable I know
in this world.
On this planet
She's fine,
She's attractive
And she's neat,
Also, she's stylish
Everything about you is so sweet,
Every characteristic of yours is charming
and I'm so glad,
I'm happy
I'm so glad she belongs to me.
I'm pleased to be her partner
Everybody's looking at you,
You are catching everyone's attention
In the neighborhood,
In this particular area
Pleasing that they looking at you baby,
You make them happy by looking at you
because you look so good.
Because you look striking
The way you walk,
Your gait
down the streets,
While you traverse the roads
you make a dumb man talk,
Even an intellectual deficit person would compliment you
you made a blind man see.
You helped someone without sight to see your loveliness
You're fine,
You're beautiful
And You're neat,
Also meticulous in fashion
Everything about you is so sweet,
Every factor of yours is endearing
and I'm so glad,
I'm thrilled
I'm so glad she belongs to me.
I'm delighted to have you as my partner.
Contributed by Cooper T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Classical Music11
Awesome tune. Magic Sam had greatness awaiting him. It's so tragic his life was cut cruelly short. What he left behind though is still a testament to his greatness.
Andrey Bessonov
fantastic song, fantastic recording
Josh N
This man was YEARS ahead of his time.
Paul Pavao
I agree he one of those greats who never got his due recognition!
Ash C
🔥🔥
GoodbyeStranger1
What the fuck! That yell is fucking brilliant. What a voice.