"The Magic Number" is a 1990 single by De La Soul

De La Soul

De La Soul is an American hip hop trio formed in 1987 on Long Island, New York. The band is best known for their eclectic sampling, quirky lyrics, and their contributions to the evolution of the jazz rap and alternative hip hop subgenres...

, originally recorded in 1988 and first released on their 1989 album, 3 Feet High and Rising

3 Feet High and Rising

3 Feet High and Rising is the debut album from American hip hop trio De La Soul, released in 1989.The album marked the first of three full-length collaborations with producer Prince Paul, which would become the critical and commercial peak of both parties. It is consistently placed on 'greatest...

, with the chorus based on a segment from the children's show "Schoolhouse Rock!

Schoolhouse Rock!

Schoolhouse Rock! is an American interstitial programming series of animated musical educational short films that aired during the Saturday morning children's programming on the U.S. television network ABC. The topics covered included grammar, science, economics, history, mathematics, and civics...

", written by Bob Dorough

Bob Dorough

Bob Dorough is an American bebop and cool jazz pianist, composer and vocalese singer.He worked with Miles Davis and Allen Ginsberg, and his adventurous style was an influence on Mose Allison, among other singers...

. In the song, the trio state that the number three is the magic number. The song was remixed by the 1987 Technics

Technics

Technics may refer to:* Technics turntables, no longer in production.* Technics , a brand name of the Panasonic Corporation* An anglicization of the Ancient Greek term techne, used primarily in media theory...

 World Mixing Champion, DJ, and producer, Chad Jackson

Chad Jackson (DJ)

Mark Chadwick, better known by his stage name, Chad Jackson, is an English DJ, remixer and record producer. He is best known for his hit single "Hear the Drummer ", but he also created member only mixes for the Disco Mix Club . Jackson was born in Manchester, England.-Music career:He won the DMC...

.

The song heavily samples songs and vocal samples originally sampled in "Lesson 3" by Double Dee and Steinski

Double Dee and Steinski

Double Dee and Steinski was a duo of hip hop producers, composed of Doug "Double Dee" DiFranco and Steven "Steinski" Stein. They achieved notoriety in the early 1980s for a series of underground hip-hop sample-based collages known as the "Lessons"....

, as well as sampling "Lesson 3" itself.

Track listing

1. "The Magic Number" - 3:14
2. "Buddy (Native Tongue Decision Version - Edit)" - 5:15
   • Guest Appearances: Q-Tip
     Q-Tip (rapper)
     Kamaal Ibn John Fareed , better known by his stage name Q-Tip, is an American hip hop artist, producer, singer, and actor from St. Albans, Queens, New York, part of the critically acclaimed group A Tribe Called Quest...
     
     , Jungle Brothers
     Jungle Brothers
     The Jungle Brothers are an American hip hop group that pioneered the fusion of jazz and hip-hop and also became the first hip-hop group to use a house-music producer. The group began performing in the mid-1980s and released its first album, Straight Out the Jungle, in July 1988...
     
     , Queen Latifah
     Queen Latifah
     Dana Elaine Owens , better known by her stage name Queen Latifah, is an American singer, rapper, and actress. Her work in music, film and television has earned her a Golden Globe award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, two Image Awards, a Grammy Award, six additional Grammy nominations, an Emmy...
     
     , Monie Love
     Monie Love
     Simone Riscoe , better known by her stage name Monie Love, is an English emcee and former radio personality in the United States...
     
     

Charts

Chart (1990)	Peak Position
U.S. Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...	18
U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs...	27
UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...	7

Note:

• Charted with "Buddy
  Buddy (song)
  "Buddy" is the third single released by De La Soul from their album 3 Feet High and Rising.The song is often cited as an example of an effective remix; one that includes a change of song lyrics or beat. In this case, both the original song's lyrics and the musical bed received a make over...
  
  "