Havana Moon cover art

  Studio Album · No. 13

Havana Moon Songwriting Credits by Santana

1983 CBS Records 11 tracks 46 min

Produced by Jerry Wexler, Barry Beckett

CBS Records Roots RockRockBlues Rock
36%
Authorship
Co-Performer

Holds writing credit on 4 of 11 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 4 / 11 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 11 tracks with documented writers, by whether Santana carries a lyricist or composer credit.

36%
4 trackswritten by Santana 7 tracksoutside writers
Santana's roles on this album

Share of the 11 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist36%
Composer36%
Producer0%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

11
Tracks
13
Lyricists
2
Producers
1983
Released
Data Insight

Havana Moon is a Carlos Santana solo project rather than a Santana band album, cut at The Automatt in San Francisco with veteran producers Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett steering it toward roots rock, blues, and Tex-Mex. Santana wrote or co-wrote only a handful of tracks, including "Mudbone" and the co-credited "Lightnin'" and "Tales of Kilimanjaro," and leaned heavily on covers and guests: the title track is a Chuck Berry song, "Who Do You Love?" comes from Bo Diddley, and the supporting cast runs from Booker T. Jones and the Fabulous Thunderbirds to Willie Nelson and Santana's own father, violinist Jose Santana. The result is a guest-driven covers record where Santana the guitarist serves the songs of others more than he writes his own.

Havana Moon is the thirteenth studio album by Santana, released in April 1983 on CBS Records and produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett. A roots and blues-oriented departure from the polished rock of Zebop! and Shango, the album was recorded in San Francisco with a collection of special guests including Willie Nelson, Booker T. Jones, and The Fabulous Thunderbirds, blending blues rock, Tex-Mex, and Latin rhythms. José Santana, Carlos's father, appears playing violin and singing on 'Vereda Tropical.' The album charted modestly and is regarded as a warm, collaborative effort that revealed Santana's deep affection for American roots music.

Track Listing & Credits 11 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Watch Your Step
Phil BelmonteBobby Parker Phil BelmonteBobby Parker Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
2
Lightnin'
Booker T. JonesCarlos Santana Booker T. JonesCarlos Santana Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
3
Who Do You Love?
Ellas McDaniel Ellas McDaniel Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
4
Mudbone
Carlos Santana Carlos Santana Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
5
One with You
Booker T. Jones Booker T. Jones Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
6
Ecuador
Carlos Santana Carlos Santana Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
7
Tales of Kilimanjaro
Alan PasquaArmando PerazaRaul RekowCarlos Santana Alan PasquaArmando PerazaRaul RekowCarlos Santana Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
8
Havana Moon
Chuck Berry Chuck Berry Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
9
Daughter of the Night
Hasse HussMikael Rickfors Hasse HussMikael Rickfors Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
10
They All Went to Mexico #7
Greg Brown Greg Brown Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)
11
Vereda Tropical
Gonzalo Curiel Gonzalo Curiel Jerry WexlerBarry Beckett Carlos Santana (Guitar)

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 15 contributors

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Frequently Asked Questions Havana Moon

When was Carlos Santana's Havana Moon released and on what label?
Havana Moon was released in April 1983 on Columbia Records (CBS). It was a Carlos Santana solo album, recorded at The Automatt in San Francisco, and it reached number 31 on the Billboard 200.
Is Havana Moon a Santana band album or a Carlos Santana solo album?
It is a Carlos Santana solo album, credited to Carlos Santana rather than the Santana band. He used it to explore roots rock, blues, and Tex-Mex material with an outside cast of guests instead of recording with the touring band.
Who produced Havana Moon?
The album was produced by Jerry Wexler and Barry Beckett, the Muscle Shoals-associated team known for their work in soul and roots music. Their involvement pushed Santana toward a bluesier, more song-based sound than his usual Latin rock.
Which songs on Havana Moon are covers?
The title track "Havana Moon" is a Chuck Berry song, "Who Do You Love?" is a Bo Diddley composition (credited to Ellas McDaniel), and "Watch Your Step" was written by Bobby Parker. "Vereda Tropical" is a Gonzalo Curiel standard, and "They All Went to Mexico" was written by Greg Brown.
Who are the guest musicians on Havana Moon?
Guests include keyboardist Booker T. Jones, who co-wrote "Lightnin'" and wrote "One with You," the Fabulous Thunderbirds with guitarist Jimmie Vaughan and harmonica player Kim Wilson, and Willie Nelson, who sings "They All Went to Mexico." Carlos Santana's father, violinist Jose Santana, also appears.
Did Willie Nelson sing on Havana Moon?
Yes. Willie Nelson sang lead on "They All Went to Mexico," a Greg Brown song, and the track was issued as a single credited to Carlos Santana and Willie Nelson. Despite its breezy melody, the lyric is a reflection on death and old age.
Which songs did Carlos Santana write on Havana Moon?
Santana is credited on "Mudbone" and "Ecuador" and as a co-writer on "Lightnin'" with Booker T. Jones and on "Tales of Kilimanjaro" with Alan Pasqua, Armando Peraza, and Raul Rekow. Most of the rest of the album is made up of covers and outside compositions.
What is "Vereda Tropical" on Havana Moon?
"Vereda Tropical" is a classic Latin ballad written by Gonzalo Curiel, and it closes the album. The track is a personal one for Carlos Santana because his father, the mariachi violinist Jose Santana, performs on it.
Did Havana Moon chart well for Carlos Santana?
Havana Moon reached number 31 on the Billboard 200 in the United States and charted across Europe, including the top ten in Norway, Sweden, and Finland. It was a modest performer rather than a major hit and was not certified by the RIAA.
Did any singles from Havana Moon chart?
"They All Went to Mexico," the Carlos Santana and Willie Nelson collaboration, was the album's most successful single, reaching number 7 on the Dutch Top 40, number 8 on the Belgian VRT Top 30, and number 16 on the Euro Hit 40 in 1983.

Sources