The “huge” 1982 hit that became a “turning point” for America

America returned to the US Top 10 in 1982 with ‘You Can Do Magic’, their biggest American hit since 1975. The song marked a turning point for Dewey Bunnell and Gerry Beckley, showing they could succeed as a duo after Dan Peek left the band.

English songwriter Russ Ballard wrote the track for America’s album *View from the Ground*. The duo made only a couple of chord changes before recording it, and it reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. Ballard later produced their 1983 album *Your Move* and co-wrote ‘The Border’, another US Top 40 hit.