Magic Dance
"Magic Dance" is one of the featured songs performed by David Bowie in the 1986 Jim Henson movie, Labyrinth. It is also credited as "Dance Magic" in some instances.
In the film, the song is a dance number which breaks up the pace of the film by taking the focus away from Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) as she wanders through the maze to settle upon the events taking place in the center of the maze, where her baby brother, Toby, is being held captive. Jareth, played by Bowie, is contemplating which magical spell would be proper to use in order to turn Toby into a goblin when Sarah's time runs out. However, his goblin subjects' chicanery interrupts his musing. Angered, Jareth disrupts his goblins' bafoonery to go into song.
The song then begins with a simple dance beat, while a series of questions and answers between Jareth and the goblins presented in call-response form are layered over. Seeing that the goblins are still confused, Jareth provides further explanation in the form of an 80's dance/rock sequence. The goblins all sing along with Jareth, recounting multiple spells, and ultimately choosing a form of "magic dance" to transform Toby.
The song appears in different forms in the film and on the soundtrack. Both versions use the same basic song and recordings made in the studio, but vocal tracks for the film and soundtrack were recorded apart from each other. In addition, the song is shortened in the film, fading out mid-way through.
The song also appears in a reprise medley with Underground at the end of the film.
"Magic Dance"
You remind me of the babe What babe? babe with the power What power? power of voodoo Who do? you do Do what? remind me of the babe
I saw my baby, crying hard as babe could cry What could I do My baby's love had gone And left my baby blue Nobody knew
What kind of magic spell to use Slime and snails Or puppy dogs' tails Thunder or lightning Then baby said Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Put that baby spell on me Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Put that magic jump on me Slap that baby, make him free
I saw my baby, trying hard as babe could try What could I do My baby's fun had gone And left my baby blue Nobody knew
What kind of magic spell to use Slime and snails Or puppy dog's tails Thunder or lightning Then baby said Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Put that baby spell on me Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Put that magic jump on me Slap that baby, make him free Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Put that baby spell on me (ooh)
You remind me of the babe What babe? the babe with the power What power? power of voodoo Who do? you do Do what? remind me of the babe
Dance magic, dance, ooh ooh ooh Dance magic, dance magic, ooh ooh ooh Dance magic
What kind of magic spell to use Slime and snails Or puppy dog tails Thunder or lightning Something frightening
Dance magic, dance Dance magic, dance Put that baby spell on me Jump magic, jump Jump magic, jump Put that magic jump on me Slap that baby make him free Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Jump magic, jump (jump magic, jump) Jump magic, jump Put that magic jump on me Slap that baby Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic Slap that slap that baby make him free Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance) Dance magic, dance (dance magic, dance)