Michael Jackson loved magic. A good illusion, pulled off right in front of a crowd, was exactly his kind of show.
So it makes sense that one of his most unusual songs was written for a magic show.
It started backstage in Germany in 1988, during Michael’s “Bad” tour. That’s where he met Siegfried & Roy, the German-born magicians who became famous for performing with white tigers. For years they were one of the biggest acts in Las Vegas, and Michael was a fan.
A big one. Sports Illustrated put it plainly in 2001: “Michael Jackson thinks Siegfried & Roy are the world’s greatest entertainers.”
In 1989 the duo were getting a new Las Vegas show ready, and Michael came to watch their rehearsals. That’s when Siegfried asked him for a favor. Would Michael write them a theme song?
Siegfried noticed something while they were still talking.
“As I was talking to him, I noticed he was tapping out a tune with his fingers,” Siegfried told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
Think about that for a second. Siegfried was still explaining what he wanted, and Michael was already hearing music. He didn’t go off to a studio to think it over. The song was starting right there in the conversation, one finger tap at a time.
That tune became “Mind Is the Magic.”
Michael wrote it in 1989 for the duo’s “Beyond Belief” show, and musician Bryan Loren worked on the track with him. Starting in 1990, Siegfried & Roy headlined their own theater at the Mirage hotel, and Michael’s song was the theme for their show there. If you never got to see them in Las Vegas, here’s a look at their show at the Mirage.
Siegfried & Roy’s magic show at the Mirage in Las Vegas
You won’t hear this one on the radio. Michael wrote it for a stage full of magicians and big cats.
It did travel a little. In 1995, Michael gave the duo permission to put the song on their German album, “Dreams & Illusions.” Then on Feb. 26, 2010, it finally came out as a single in Europe.
If you’ve never heard Michael’s magic song, here’s your chance to press play.
Listen to “Mind Is the Magic,” the song Michael wrote for Siegfried & Roy
Michael never forgot the song, either. Its opening was planned for “The Drill,” a dance segment in his “This Is It” concerts.
A record label channel, ZYX Sounds, posted a video of its own called “Michael Jackson for Siegfried & Roy,” and it’s worth a look if you’d like more.
A record label’s upload of Michael’s music for Siegfried & Roy
And he never stopped being a fan of the act. In 2000 he brought his young children to see Siegfried & Roy at the Mirage. Backstage they met Pride, a 600-pound white tiger. Afterward, Michael sat down with the two magicians for a private talk. For a dad who loved magic as much as he did, sharing that night with his kids must have been a treat.
It’s easy to see why the friendship worked. Michael spent his life trying to make audiences feel amazed, and so did they. When Siegfried asked for a little help, Michael didn’t send a note or a signed photo.
He just sat there listening, and his fingers started to play.