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By: Jay and the Americans.
The initial lineup of Jay and the Americans consisted of John "Jay" Traynor, Howard Kane, Kenny Vance, and Sandy Deanne. Their greatest success came after Traynor had been replaced by singer David Blatt, whose stage name was David Black, then Jay Black.
With Black, they had such hits as "Only In America", a song originally meant for the Drifters, "Come a Little Bit Closer", (#3 US) and "Cara Mia" (#4 US).
In the November 30, 1968 issue of Billboard magazine, Jay and the Americans' version of "This Magic Moment" was featured in their Special Merit Spotlight section: "The past hit of the Drifters is brought up to date in what could easily prove a hot chart item for this group. One of their most commercial contenders in some time.
Chart position: #6 (US).
The Top Ten Songs: (US Billboard Hot 100).
- "Everyday People" (Sly and the Family Stone)
- "Proud Mary" (Creedence Clearwater Revival)
- "Build Me Up Buttercup" (Foundations)
- "Dizzy" (Tommy Roe)
- "Crimson and Clover" (Tommy James and the Shondells)
- "This Magic Moment" (Jay and the Americans)
- "This Girl's in Love with You" (Dionne Warwick)
- "Baby, Baby Don't Cry" (Smokey Robinson and the Miracles)
- "Touch Me" (Doors)
- "Indian Giver" (1910 Fruitgum Co.)
Written by: Doc Pomus (born January 27, 1925, died of cancer March 14, 1991) and Mort Shuman (born November 12, 1936, died November 2, 1991.)
Pomus and Shuman were one of the most important songwriting duos of the late 1950s and early 1960s, second only to Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, with more than 500 songs written between 1958 and 1965.
They also wrote/co-wrote such hit songs as "Youngblood", "Turn Me Loose", "Hushabye", "A Teenager in Love", "Save the Last Dance for Me", "Sweets for My Sweet", "Can't Get Used to Losing You", "Surrender", "Little Sister", "Suspicion", "(Marie's the Name of) His Latest Flame", "Viva Las Vegas", "Little Children", and "She's Not You".
Originally by: The Drifters, with Ben E. King on lead vocals and elaborate production work by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller. Their version reached #16 (US) and #4 (US R&B) in 1960.
Mike Stoller recalled that a producer went into a music store to find the kind of drum kit used on the Drifters' version of "This Magic Moment". After listening to the record, the clerk at the store said, "What I get is that these guys used every drum in this store, plus a half-dozen drums that don't even exist.
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