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"Abracadabra"
#1 weeks: 2
weeks: 1982-09-04, 1982-09-25
genre: rock, new wave
artist: Steve Miller Band
album: Abracadabra
writers: Steve Miller
producers: Steve Miller, Gary Mallaber
label:
formats: 7", CD single
lengths: 5:08 (album), 3:34 (single)

"Abracadabra" is a well-recognized song recorded by the Steve Miller Band.

Released as the main single from Abracadabrain June 1982, it became a number-one hit on the United States BillboardHot 100 chart, and also hit number two on the UK charts. It followed Survivor's "Eye of the Tiger" (from Rocky III) on the Hot 100, and preceded Chicago's "Hard to Say I'm Sorry". After Chicago's ballad ended its two-week stay at number one, "Abracadabra" re-assumed the top spot on the U.S. charts for an additional week on September 25. John Cougar's "Jack and Diane" dislodged the Steve Miller Band's final number-one hit from the top on October 2.

The song is said to have been inspired by the American singer Diana Ross with whom the band met filming TV shows in the 1960's.

This song holds the record for the biggest drop out of the Top 10/Top 40 on the Hot 100. In the fall of 1982, as the song was moving down the chart, "Abracadabra" fell 38 spots from #10 to #48 in one week.

The song is listed at #70 on Billboard's Greatest Songs of all time.[1]

Cover versions of the song have been performed by Sugar Ray on their album 14:59and by Mike Chapman Band. A live version by the Belgian band Das Pop appeared on there 2004 DVD-single Love is Fair.

A version lasting 3 minutes and 41 seconds appears on a CD of Songs hand-picked by Guy Fieri titled Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives:Road Songs That Rock

Another CD that has the single version is from the Time-Life Label Sounds of the Eighties: 1980–1982.