Studio Album · No. 2
Abraxas
Produced by Fred Catero, Santana · Engineered by David Brown, John Fiore
Santana wrote 6 of 9 documented tracks
Authorship Breakdown 6 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Santana carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Abraxas blends Santana band originals with reinvented covers, defining the group's Latin rock fusion. Two of its biggest hits are covers: "Black Magic Woman" was written by Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green and segued into Gábor Szabó's "Gypsy Queen," while "Oye Como Va" reworks Tito Puente's mambo. Against those, Carlos Santana's instrumental "Samba Pa Ti" stands as his own original and one of his signature compositions, and Gregg Rolie supplied the rockers "Mother's Daughter" and "Hope You're Feeling Better." The result pairs interpretive flair with strong band writing across Latin, blues, and jazz idioms.
Abraxas is the second studio album by Santana, released in 1970 on Columbia Records and widely considered one of the greatest rock albums ever made. The record is defined by the effortless medley of "Black Magic Woman", originally written and recorded by Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac, blended into Gábor Szabó's jazz instrumental "Gypsy Queen," a combination that became one of rock radio's most enduring moments. "Oye Como Va," written by Latin music legend Tito Puente, gave the band their second consecutive hit single and cemented their role as popularizers of Latin music within rock. "Samba Pa Ti," Carlos Santana's solo composition, became one of his most beloved instrumental pieces, a lyrical, deeply emotional guitar showcase performed without a single lyric. Abraxas sold over 12 million copies worldwide and demonstrated that the band's debut was no fluke, confirming them as one of rock's most original voices.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Singing Winds, Crying Beasts
|
Michael Carabello | Michael Carabello | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 2 |
Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
#4
|
Peter GreenGábor Szabó | Peter GreenGábor Szabó | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 3 |
Oye Como Va
#13
|
Tito Puente | Tito Puente | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 4 |
Incident at Neshabur
|
Carlos SantanaAlberto Gianquinto | Carlos SantanaAlberto Gianquinto | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 5 |
Se a Cabo
|
José Areas | José Areas | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 6 |
Mother's Daughter
|
Gregg Rolie | Gregg Rolie | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 7 |
Samba Pa Ti
|
Carlos Santana | Carlos Santana | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 8 |
Hope You're Feeling Better
|
Gregg Rolie | Gregg Rolie | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |
| 9 |
El Nicoya
|
José "Chepito" Areas | José "Chepito" Areas | Fred CateroSantana | Carlos Santana (Guitar)Gregg Rolie (Lead Vocals, Keyboards)David Brown (Bass)Michael Carabello (Percussion)Michael Shrieve (Drums)José "Chepito" Areas (Percussion, Timbales) |