Magic Time is a 2005 album by Van Morrison, released by Geffen Records. The album debuted at number 25 on the US Billboard charts and number 3 on the UK charts—Morrison's best chart debut until Still on Top – The Greatest Hits debuted at number 2 on the UK charts in 2007. By the end of 2005, Magic Time had sold 252,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan. Rolling Stone listed it as #17 on their list of The Top 50 Records of 2005.
Recording
The album covers a variety of styles ranging from Celtic rock to R&B and the blues. "Just Like Greta" was recorded in 2000 and originally intended for 2002's Down the Road, but it was ultimately dropped and used for this album. The rest of the songs were recorded in 2003.
Composition
The title song is about a nostalgic searching of the past in order to capture a magic moment almost lost in memory. "The Lion This Time" is a continuation over thirty years later of "Listen to the Lion" that first appeared on his album Saint Dominic's Preview. There is a nursery rhyme quality to it as with its predecessor and a delicate use of a classical string arrangement. Thom Jurek with Allmusic says: "The acoustic 'The Lion This Time' is one of the finest ballads Morrison has cut in decades. Period." "Gypsy In My Soul" is also reminiscent of a song "Gypsy" from Saint Dominic's Preview. "Just Like Greta" and "Stranded" have similar themes of being lost in an alien world with only oneself to rely on. "Celtic New Year" is reminiscent of Irish Heartbeat, an album with The Chieftains. An Allmusic review calls it "trademark Morrison; the long, loping, repetitive line that is his trademark fuels this one. It's carried by the interplay between Morrison's acoustic and Foggy Lyttle's electric guitar fills, and aided by Chieftain Paddy Moloney's whistle." "Carry On Regardless" is a singing list of "Carry On Films" that Morrison seemed to have a special fondness for.
Reception
A Paste reviewer on Magic Time says: "You expect to encounter a tired legend, a once-mighty king becalmed and tamed by the miles and years. You find instead an echo of a full-throated roar hanging in the air, the telltale signs of a bloody struggle, and an empty cage. The lion in winter is on the loose." The Music Box rated Magic Time the number seven album of the year in May 2005.
Liner notes
On the first page of the liner notes is the notation: "This album is dedicated to the memory of Foggy Lyttle who played on most of the tracks."
Track listing
All songs by Van Morrison
"Stranded" – 5:34
"Celtic New Year" – 6:10
"Keep Mediocrity at Bay" – 3:44
"Evening Train" – 2:48
"This Love of Mine" – 2:42
"I'm Confessin'" – 4:29
"Just Like Greta" – 6:25
"Gypsy in My Soul" – 4:04
"Lonely and Blue" – 3:41
"The Lion This Time" – 4:56
"Magic Time" – 5:06
"They Sold Me Out" – 3:11
"Carry On Regardless" – 5:54
The UK release has only 12 tracks, omitting "I'm Confessin'".
