The Robins were formed in 1949 in Los Angeles, California. They had previou… Read Full Bio ↴The Robins were formed in 1949 in Los Angeles, California. They had previously been known since 1947 as “The Bluebirds.” The best known recording from the Robins was “Smokey Joe’s Café.” If It’s So Baby was another top 10 R&B hit from the group.

The original group members were Ty Terrell, Billy Richards, Roy Richards, and Bobby Nunn. Carl Gardner and Grady Chapman were added in 1954. In 1956, Garner and Nunn left and formed The Coasters.

That Old Black Magic
The Robins Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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
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
Only your kiss can put out the fire
Oh 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
Only your kiss can put out the fire
Oh 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

Overall Meaning

The Robins's song "That Old Black Magic" is a jazz standard that describes the power of love to enchant and bewitch. The lyrics speak of a magical force, the "old black magic," that has the singer under its spell. The feeling of being under the spell is described as "icy fingers up and down my spine," and "the same old witchcraft when your eyes meet mine." The singer experiences a "tingle" inside when in the presence of the person they love. Even when they try to stay away, they cannot resist the attraction and are consumed by the flame of desire when their lips meet.

The lyrics of "That Old Black Magic" are written in a poetic and metaphorical style that shows the power of love to cast a spell over someone. The feelings of being caught in a tide or in a spin portray the sense of being swept away by the force of love. It is a song that captures the essence of the magic of romance.

Overall, the song is a declaration of love from the singer to their lover. They acknowledge the power of the love between them and are completely devoted to their partner.

Line by Line Meaning

Old black magic has me in its spell
I am completely under the influence of this feeling, like a magic spell

Old black magic that you weave so well
You are the one who creates this magic, you do it so well

Those icy fingers up and down my spine
I feel a cold sensation going up and down my back, like something touching my spine

The same old witch craft when your eyes meet mine
The same magic occurs every time our eyes meet, like a witch's spell

Same old tingle that I feel inside
I feel the same sensation inside, like a tingling or fluttering feeling

Then the elevator starts it ride
The feeling intensifies, like an elevator starting to move

Down and down I go
I feel like I am descending, going deeper into this feeling

Round and round I go
I feel like I am going around in circles, unable to escape this feeling

Like a leaf caught in a tide
I feel like I am helpless, like a leaf being carried away by a strong current

I should stay away but what can I do
I know I should avoid this feeling, but I feel powerless to resist it

I hear your name and I'm a flame
Just hearing your name ignites a strong feeling in me, like a flame

Flame, flame of desire
This feeling is a strong desire, like a burning flame

Only your kiss can put out the fire
Only being with you can calm this desire, like putting out a fire

Oh you're the lover I have waiting for
You are the one I have been waiting for as a lover

You're the mate that fate had me created for
You are the person I am destined to be with, created for each other by fate

And every time your lips meet mine
Every time we kiss, this feeling intensifies

In a spin, lovin' the spin I'm in
I feel like I am spinning, caught up in this feeling and enjoying it

Under the old black magic called love
This feeling is the old, powerful magic of love

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Comments from YouTube:

13loomisst

11y↑2

Real nice job. Marv G. says this was recorded in the spring of '56 and released in November. I've never seen this very cool Whippet label before. When you see the writers are Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer, there's a damn good chance it's going to be a good song.