The Magic of Believing

The Magic of Believing
Studio album by Dionne Warwick featuring the Drinkard Singers
Released	June 1968
Recorded	1968
Studio	Scepter Studios, New York City
Genre	Gospel
Length	28:49
Label	Scepter Records
Dionne Warwick featuring the Drinkard Singers chronology
Dionne Warwick in Valley of the Dolls (1968) The Magic of Believing (1968) Promises, Promises (1968)

The Magic of Believing is the tenth studio album by American singer Dionne Warwick. It was released in 1968 on Scepter Records special for Easter. The singer recorded this album entirely in the genre of gospel music.[1] The band Drinkard Singers, which included Warwick's closest relatives, took part in the recording of the album.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[2]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music	[3]

The Billboard reviewer stated that Warwick's warm, inspirational style works the same chart magic for these devotional standards that mark her top ten records.[4] Record World called the album "a masterpiece in itself."[5]

William Ruhlmann from AllMusic wrote: "Fans of Warwick's pop-soul records will at times have difficulty recognizing her here; she occasionally sings in a higher register than usual, and she is often more overtly emotional than on her deliberately restrained pop hits. Clearly, however, this is music close to her heart, and she and the Drinkards perform it without any concessions to pop style; this is traditional gospel music, traditionally sung."[2]

Track listing

Side A

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"The Battle Hymn of the Republic"	Traditional	3:09
2.	"Somebody Bigger Than You and I"	Johnny Lange Hy Heath Sonny Burke	3:37
3.	"Jesus Will"	James Cleveland	3:04
4.	"Old Landmark"	Traditional	2:48
5.	"The Magic of Believing"	Norman Monath Raymond Leveen	2:32
Total length:			15:10

Side B

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Blessed Be the Name of the Lord"	Traditional	2:48
2.	"Grace"	James Cleveland	3:20
3.	"Steal Away"	Traditional	2:35
4.	"In the Garden"	C. Austin Miles	3:07
5.	"Who Do You Think It Was"	Traditional	1:49
Total length:			13:39

Personnel

• Dionne Warwick – vocals, arrangement (A1, A4, B3)
• Cissy Houston – arrangement (B1)
• Roberta Martin – arrangement (B2)
• Ann Moss – arrangement (B5)
• Burt Goldblatt – art direction, design
• The Drinkard Singers – vocals
• John Lakata – engineering
• Fred Kirby – liner notes

Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[6]

Charts

Сhart performance for The Magic of Believing

Chart (1968)	Peak position
US Best Selling R&B LP's (Billboard)[7]	49

References

1. "Dionne Weaves Magic Blues Spell at Apollo" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 12. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. March 23, 1968. p. 22. ISSN 0006-2510.
2. Ruhlmann, William. "The Magic of Believing Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 8, 2024.
3. Larkin, Colin (2007). "Warwick, Dionne". The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (5th Concise ed.). New York: Muze UK Ltd. pp. 1470–1471. ISBN 978-1-84609-856-7.
4. "Album Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 28. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. June 13, 1968. p. 78. ISSN 0006-2510.
5. "Gospel LP Reviews" (PDF). Record World. Vol. 22, no. 1098. New York: Record World Pub. Co. June 22, 1968. p. 39. ISSN 0034-1622.
6. Kirby, Fred (1968). The Magic of Believing (liner notes). Dionne Warwick. US: Scepter Records. SPS 567.
7. "Best Selling R&B LP's" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 80, no. 34. New York: Billboard Publications Inc. August 24, 1968. p. 34. ISSN 0006-2510.

External links

• The Magic of Believing at Discogs (list of releases)