Retro Video of the Week: "You Can Do Magic" by America

I am quite sorry for my lack of posts lately.  I've been horribly busy with work, concerts, and home construction, so I haven't been listening to vinyl during the day.  Hence, the lack of CoronaVinyl posts.  That will continue for the near future.

But alas, I will not forgo Retro Video of the Week, fair readers.  Friday is the 40th anniversary of the release of Canadian band America's tenth studio album, View from the Ground.  The album only went to #41 on the Billboard album chart, but it did produce the band's last Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, "You Can Do Magic," which went to #8.

The song, which is a catchy little soft rock ditty, written by English songwriter Russ Ballard, who also guitar, bass, and keyboards on the song (and sang backing vocals).  Ballard rose to fame as the lead singer and guitarist of Argent, and he wrote one that band's two most enduring songs, "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" (later covered by KISS).  Among other songs, also wrote (1) "New York Groove" for the band Hello, and which was later a Top 20 hit for Ace Frehley off of his 1978 solo KISS album, (2) Rainbow's hits "Since You Been Gone" (my favorite post-Dio Rainbow song) and "I Surrender," (3) Santana's 1981 hit "Winning," and (4) Frida's (aka Anni-Frid Lyngstad of ABBA) 1982 solo hit "I Know There's Something Going On."

The video for "You Can Do Magic" is a delightful complement to the song and a perfect example of a band from the '70s trying to keep up in the nascent MTV era.