Milagro cover art

  Studio Album · No. 18

Milagro Songwriting Credits by Santana

1992 Polydor 12 tracks 71 min

Produced by Carlos Santana, Chester Thompson

Polydor Latin RockWorldbeat
67%
Authorship
Songwriter

Holds writing credit on 8 of 12 tracks

Authorship Breakdown 8 / 12 documented

Who wrote the songs?

Scored across the 12 tracks with documented writers, by whether Santana carries a lyricist or composer credit.

67%
8 trackswritten by Santana 4 tracksoutside writers
Santana's roles on this album

Share of the 12 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.

Lyricist67%
Composer67%
Producer100%
Performer100%

By the Numbers

12
Tracks
16
Lyricists
2
Producers
1992
Released
Data Insight

Milagro is a memorial record dedicated to concert promoter Bill Graham and trumpeter Miles Davis, both of whom died in 1991, and that loss shapes the whole sequence. The opening track samples Graham's own voice over a Bob Marley and Carlos Santana frame, and the closing "A Dios" turns a John Coltrane and Gil Evans theme into a brief instrumental farewell that nods to the Davis dedication. Most songs are band compositions, with Santana co-writing alongside keyboardist Chester D. Thompson, singer Alex Ligertwood, and bassist Benny Rietveld, while "Saja/Right On" folds in Marvin Gaye's "Right On." The result blends the group's Latin rock core with worldbeat and South African references such as "Free All the People (South Africa)" and "Life Is for Living."

Milagro is the sixteenth studio album by Santana, released in 1992 on Polydor Records. The album was dedicated to the memory of manager Bill Graham, the rock promoter who had been a central figure in the band's career and who died in a helicopter crash in 1991, and to Miles Davis, who died the same year. This elegiac context gave Milagro a reflective, emotionally weighted quality that distinguished it from the polished commercial output of the 1980s. Carlos Santana's guitar playing was particularly expressive throughout, and the album's musical palette mixed Latin rock with blues, jazz, and world music in a way that felt genuinely heartfelt. Milagro received favorable reviews as a sincere creative statement during a difficult personal period for the band.

Track Listing & Credits 12 tracks

Written by the artist Written by outside writers
#TitleLyricist(s)Composer(s)Producer(s)Performers
1
Introduction, Bill Graham (Milagro)
M. JohnsonBob MarleyCarlos Santana M. JohnsonBob MarleyCarlos Santana Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
2
Somewhere in Heaven
Alex LigertwoodCarlos Santana Alex LigertwoodCarlos Santana Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
3
Saja/Right On
Joe RoccisanoEarl DeRouenMarvin Gaye Joe RoccisanoEarl DeRouenMarvin Gaye Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
4
Your Touch
Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
5
Life Is for Living
Pat Sefolosha Pat Sefolosha Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
6
Red Prophet
Benny Rietveld Benny Rietveld Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
7
Agua que va caer
Carlos ValdesEugene "Totico" Arango Carlos ValdesEugene "Totico" Arango Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
8
Make Somebody Happy
Carlos SantanaAlex Ligertwood Carlos SantanaAlex Ligertwood Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
9
Free All the People (South Africa)
Jackie Holmes Jackie Holmes Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
10
Gypsy/Grajonca
Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
11
We Don't Have to Wait
Carlos SantanaArmando PerazaChester D. Thompson Carlos SantanaArmando PerazaChester D. Thompson Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana
12
A Dios
Carlos SantanaJohn ColtraneGil Evans Carlos SantanaJohn ColtraneGil Evans Carlos SantanaChester D. Thompson Carlos Santana

Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 16 contributors

CS
Carlos Santana
Writer · Producer
On this album7 written
CD
Chester D. Thompson
Writer · Producer
On this album3 written
AL
Alex Ligertwood
Writer
On this album2 written
AP
Armando Peraza
Writer
On this album1 written
BR
Benny Rietveld
Writer
On this album1 written
BM
Bob Marley
Writer
On this album1 written
CV
Carlos Valdes
Writer
On this album1 written
ED
Earl DeRouen
Writer
On this album1 written
E"
Eugene "Totico" Arango
Writer
On this album1 written
GE
Gil Evans
Writer
On this album1 written
JH
Jackie Holmes
Writer
On this album1 written
JR
Joe Roccisano
Writer
On this album1 written

More from Santana

1969 78%
Santana
Columbia
9 tracksProd. David Rubinson
1970 67%
Abraxas
Columbia
9 tracksProd. Fred Catero
1971 78%
Santana III
Columbia
9 tracksProd. Fred Catero
1972 80%
Caravanserai
Columbia
10 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1973 44%
Welcome
Columbia
9 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1974 58%
Borboletta
Columbia
12 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1976 86%
Amigos
Columbia
7 tracksProd. David Rubinson
1977 64%
Festival
Columbia
11 tracksProd. David Rubinson
1977 88%
Moonflower
Columbia
16 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1978 56%
Inner Secrets
Columbia
9 tracksProd. Brian Potter
1979 91%
Marathon
Columbia
11 tracksProd. Keith Olsen
1980 44%
The Swing of Delight
Columbia Records
9 tracksProd. David Rubinson
1981 58%
Zebop!
Columbia
12 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1982 55%
Shangó
Columbia
11 tracksProd. Bill Szymczyk
1983 36%
Havana Moon
CBS Records
11 tracksProd. Jerry Wexler
1985 64%
Beyond Appearances
Columbia
11 tracksProd. Val Garay
1987 100%
Blues for Salvador
CBS Records
9 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1987 90%
Freedom
Columbia
10 tracksProd. Jeffrey Cohen
1990 60%
Spirits Dancing in the Flesh
Columbia
10 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1994 55%
Brothers
Polydor Records
11 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
1999 54%
Supernatural
Arista
13 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
2002 25%
Shaman
Arista
16 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
2005 38%
All That I Am
Arista
13 tracksProd. Clive Davis
2010 0%
Guitar Heaven
Arista
12 tracksProd. Howard Benson
2012 85%
Shape Shifter
Sony Masterworks
13 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
2014 8%
Corazón
RCA
12 tracksProd. Lester Mendez
2016 100%
Santana IV
Santana IV Records
16 tracksProd. Carlos Santana
2019 0%
Africa Speaks
Concord Records
11 tracksProd. Rick Rubin
2021 67%
Blessings and Miracles
Concord Records
15 tracksProd. Carlos Santana

Frequently Asked Questions Milagro

Who is the Milagro album by Santana dedicated to?
Milagro is dedicated to the lives of Bill Graham and Miles Davis, both of whom died in 1991. Graham was the concert promoter who launched Santana's early career in San Francisco, and Davis was the jazz trumpeter Carlos Santana long cited as an influence. The album frames itself as a tribute to both men.
Why does the song Introduction - Bill Graham (Milagro) feature Bill Graham's voice?
The opening track builds around a recording of Bill Graham speaking, honoring the promoter who helped launch Santana at venues like the Fillmore. It is credited to M. Johnson, Bob Marley, and Carlos Santana, weaving Graham's words into a musical setting as the album's memorial opening.
What is the song A Dios on Milagro based on?
"A Dios" is a short closing instrumental credited to Santana, John Coltrane, and Gil Evans. It draws on jazz themes from those composers and serves as a farewell that ties back to the album's dedication to Miles Davis, whose work was closely linked to both Coltrane and Evans.
Did Carlos Santana write all the songs on Milagro?
No. Milagro is largely a band effort, with Carlos Santana co-writing many tracks alongside keyboardist Chester D. Thompson, singer Alex Ligertwood, and bassist Benny Rietveld. Other songs come from outside writers, and "Saja/Right On" incorporates Marvin Gaye's "Right On."
What is Saja/Right On on the Milagro album?
"Saja/Right On" pairs an original section credited to Joe Roccisano and Earl DeRouen with Marvin Gaye's "Right On." It is one of the album's reinterpretation pieces, blending Santana's Latin rock sound with Gaye's soul composition.
What musical styles are on Santana's Milagro?
Milagro mixes the band's signature Latin rock with worldbeat influences. Tracks such as "Free All the People (South Africa)" and "Life Is for Living" carry South African references, while the Spanish-language "Agua que va caer" leans on Afro-Cuban percussion, reflecting the wide range of styles across the record.
Who produced Milagro by Santana?
Milagro was produced by Carlos Santana and Chester D. Thompson, the band's longtime keyboardist. Thompson also co-wrote several tracks on the album, including "Your Touch," "Gypsy/Grajonca," and "We Don't Have to Wait."
How did Milagro perform on the charts?
Milagro reached number 102 on the US Billboard 200. It charted higher in parts of Europe, peaking at number 11 in Switzerland and number 31 in Austria, but it did not produce a major hit single in the United States.
When was Milagro by Santana released?
Milagro was released in May 1992 on the Polydor label. It was the band's first album following the deaths of Bill Graham and Miles Davis, and the dedication to both men runs through the record.

Sources

Wikipedia: Milagro (album) Wikipedia: Milagro (Santana album) MusicBrainz: Milagro release-group Cover Art Archive: Milagro front cover Cover Art Archive: Milagro by Santana