I always liked trios and the Canadian band Triumph was a great one. I’ve come to appreciate Rik Emmett’s guitar playing more and more through the years. Whenever I post a Canadian band…I can’t help but think of my Canadian friends Dave and Deke. Deke has this review of the 40th anniversary of Allied Forces, the album this song was on. Deke also hosts a video show Scotch on the Rocks with some great authors, musicians, producers, and everyone else in between. Check it out if you can.
You know this song has some age to it when a person in the song is waiting for their favorite DJ to play their favorite song. Those days have been gone for a long time with streaming music, unfortunately…but the spirit remains. This song makes me feel 16 again listening to it.
This song was written by the band… drummer Gil Moore, bassist/keyboard Mike Levine, and guitar/singer Rik Emmett. Along with Rush and Saga, Triumph was one of the big Canadian rock bands with progressive leanings. Triumph was popular in America and Canada in the 70s and 80s. In some parts more popular than Rush.
This song was on their fifth studio album Allied Forces. The song peaked at #14 in Canada, #51 in the Billboard 100, and #8 in the Mainstream Rock Charts. The album peaked at #13 in Canada, #23 in the Billboard Album Charts, and #64 in the UK. This was the highest-charting song in the US and Canada.
Rik Emmett left the band in 1988 and it took 20 years for the trio to play again, which took place in shows in Sweden and Oklahoma in 2008. They did reunite for an invitation-only three-song reunion show in 2020, which will be featured in the documentary Triumph: Rock and Roll Machine… it was released on May 13th…I have a trailer below.
Rik Emmett: “I wrote it about myself as a 9-year-old with a transistor radio, and then I changed the pronouns to ‘she’ and ‘her.’ If there hadn’t been a John Sebastian ‘Do You Believe in Magic?’ and a Pete Townshend ‘Won’t Get Fooled Again’/Who’s Next, ‘Magic Power’ might not have ever been born.
Magic Power
Something’s at the edge of your mind, you don’t know what it is
Somethin’ you were hopin’ to find but your not sure what it is
Then you hear the music and it all comes crystal clear
The music does the talkin’ says the things you want to hear
I’m young, I’m wild and I’m free
Got the magic power of the music in me
I’m young, I’m wild and I’m free
Got the magic power of the music in me
She climbs into bed, she pulls the covers overhead and she turns her little radio on
She’s had a rotten day so she hopes the DJ’s gonna play her favorite song
It makes her feel much better, brings her closer to her dreams
A little magic power makes it better that it seems
She’s young now, she’s wild now, she wants to be free
She gets the magic power of the music from me
She’s young now, she’s wild now, she wants to be free
She gets the magic power of the music from me
If you’re thinkin’ it over but you just can’t sort it out
Do you want someone to tell you what they think it’s all about
Are you the one and only who’s sad and lonely, reachin’ for the top
Well the music keeps you goin’ and it’s never gonna stop
Never gonna stop
Never gonna, never gonna, never gonna stop
The world is full of compromise, and infinite red tape
But the music’s got the magic, it’s your one chance for escape
So turn me on turn me up it’s your turn to dream
A little magic power makes it better than it seems
I’m young now, I’m wild now I want to be free
I got the magic power of the music in me
I’m young now, I’m wild and I’m free
Got the magic power of the music in me
PowerPop... An Eclectic Collection of Pop Culture 
I liked this song back then and still do. It seems to me this song got played a lot, but the band didn’t get much exposure outside of that. I saw Triumph in concert in KC when they were promoting this album, and I’m embarrassed that I can’t remember who they opened for. I don’t think they were the headliner.
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I commented on Deke’s blog about this album earlier…and I saw them open up for someone….but like you..I cannot remember who it was! I remember them well and I also saw an opening band called Zebra who was a trio like Triumph…
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Thanks for the shoutout Sir and linking my blog! Triumph is a stellar band as I loved the dynamic they had where u had Gil Moore driving the bus on the hard rock tracks whereas Emmett was more on the melodic side.
Magic Power still stands the test of time as does the whole Allied Forces record for that matter!
Cheers pal great post and thanks again!
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My pleasure man… I’ve always liked this song and they sounded so good live… It’s something about this song that still works perfectly.
They did compliment each other.
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Forgot to mention Max to check out the Triumph doc that’s out now. Very well done 👍
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They changed the name of it…Ok I corrected it thank you Deke! That is why I never found it. I want to see it…but that is sad when Rik left and it all ended.
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This proves that all a group needs is a guitar bass and drums to rick out.
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I remember this song but not sure I ever knew who sang it. I like the jangly guitars and the melody in it. Good lyrics also!
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I remember Rik Emmett was a big deal back in the early ’90’s. Now I understand why…
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I’ve seen someof his videos…he is an excellent player.
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That song and the comment about Sebastian and the Who ring true. What kid, pre ear-buds didn’t close the bedroom door, turn on their transistor, pull the duvet up overhead, build a fortress of solitude with the pillows and listen raptly in the dark and yearn of escape? Ah, them was the good/ bad old days.
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That caught my attention also…yes to everything you said!
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hometown boys eh? (Basically). They were big in Toronto, as you might imagine, and I’m told they were really big here in Texas in the early-80s. I was never hugely into them but this is one song I like a lot and I do always like to see fellow Canucks – especially from my neck of the woods – making it big internationally. Not quite as proficient as Rush, but like them they were all highly talented players.
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They were a little bit easier for me to relate to than Rush…they were more straight-ahead but still had a touch of prog in them. I saw them open for someone back in the day.
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Nice song. I don’t believe I had heard it before. I also like the live clip. It appears they were a pretty tight band.
I just pulled up “Allied Forces.” That opener, “Fool for Your Love”, sounds promising!
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This is a bit out of character for you. There’s a nice tune there.
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It is isn’t it? It’s melodic. His voice was high but good…without being annoying.
I am working up some power pop songs though. I want to get back to them.
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This is the song that got me in to Triumph. Absolutely amazing track and Rik’s voice…killer. I worked with a band in college (running sound) and the lead singer could nail this song.
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Rik was so melodic in this one.
We never did this one but our singer could do Lovin, Touchin, Squeezing… so I know what you mean.
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Clicked into this as a huge Triumph fan. Loved the mention of Rush, my all-time favorite. But I have to give you huge props for the mention of Saga, who doesn’t get nearly the amount of love they deserve! 🙂
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Thanks I really appreciate you reading. I’m more of a Beatles and Who guy but Triumph really spoke to me growing up. I could relate to them and their sound. Canada really had some great bands to come out at that time!
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