•
Rating:
There are sounds that have the power to transport the listener through a kind of special dimension of consciousness. It is 1971 and Carlos Santana's band brings to life this third album simply titled "Santana III". Behind them are already the overwhelming debut, born directly from the atmospheres of Woodstock, and the magnificent "Abraxas", in which pieces like "Samba Pa Ti", "Black Magic Woman", "Oye Como Va", had defined the original mix of rock-blues, Latin rhythms, and psychedelia, which in this third effort consolidate, creating what I believe remains the masterpiece of the Mexican guitarist.
I still remember when my father used to let me listen to this record, and I, still a kid, was fascinated by this blend of spirituality and sensuality and I would listen to it over and over again while enjoying building model ships, dreaming of journeys to exotic and distant lands... But it was not just about that, it was deeper and more complex sensations. Because throughout the album there is what I define as a "cosmic background", like the beautiful cover made of humanoids, planets, nebulas, and primordial landscapes. As I always maintain, the ability to "objectify" sensations always gives rise to works in which expressiveness is at the highest level, and in the case of this album, it is extraordinary in its ability to blend purely dreamlike and spiritual sensations with extremely earthly ones; it's as if two diametrically opposed aspects of existence magically fused. The percussion with which the album opens seems to bring "Batuka" from the origins of the world; the piece grows with the entry of the drums and, in a similarly natural manner, dissolves to merge with "No One To Depend On", the first highly successful single. These are wonderful progressions that dominate the third track. An essential piece, the cosmic "Taboo" has a spiritual power and intensity rare even in other peaks of Santana. This piece literally made me dream and "see" distant islands, I don't know, the archipelagos and atolls of Micronesia where Americans and Japanese fought to the last man... Then follows the tumultuous salsa of "Toussaint l'Overture", a real sonic battle fought with Carlos's lethal solos and the heights reached by Gregg Rolie's organ, with which the ideal first part of the album closes. (and in the original version, the first side).
We start again grandly with the pure joy and fun of the overwhelming R&B of "Everybody's Everything", followed by the subtly sad atmosphere of "Guajira", in which Carlos's sculpted solos blend with the rhythm section, the horns, and a vaguely jazz piano. But the mysterious and seductive side of the album resurfaces in "Jungle Strut", where the purest Santana style returns to prominence. There is something disconcerting in "Everything's Coming Our Way". Similar to what was said about "Taboo", here the acoustic guitar literally makes the piece take flight; there's no doubt, Rolie's organ tells us we are flying on an airplane, high, above the clouds, where there are no turbulences, illuminated by the reflections of the sunrise on the wings... But we must return to the Earth of men, and "Para Los Rumberos" reminds us of it with a trumpet that joyfully flutters over an overwhelming rhythm, closing a work that speaks from regions of the spirit still unexplored.
Tracklist Lyrics Samples and Videos
02 No One to Depend On (05:31)
Ain't got nobody that I can depend on
Ain't got nobody that I can depend on
Ain't got nobody that I can depend on
Ain't got no one tengo anadie
That I know of no tengo anadie
That I can depend on no tengo anadie
Ain't got no one
Got nobody
That I can depend on no tengo anadie
Ain't got nobody that I can depend on
No tengo anadie.
03 Taboo (05:34)
I lay not sleeping
Don't know what to do
Lay out in waiting
Lord for the noon
Pass so slowly
Time without you
I can't see why
My open eyes can't see
So much to look by
So many things to be
Can't keep looking
In and out of me
She looks at nothing
Someone you all have seen
She never cried
As I watched her leave
Try to help me
Find the change in me
Oh, oh, oh
Try to help me
Find the change in me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
04 Toussaint L'Overture (05:57)
Los cueros me llaman
(repeat)
El timbal
(repeat)
Vamos morena a bailar mi montuno
(repeat)
05 Everybody's Everything (03:30)
Seems like everybody's waitin'
For the new change
Come around, come around,
Come around, come around
Waitin' for the day when the king, queen of shows
Singing, round, singing round, singing round
Singing round, singing round, singing round for everyone
Yeah do it
You can understand everything to share
Let your spirits dance brothers everywhere
Let your head be free
Turn the wisdom key
Find it naturally
See you're lucky to be
If you're sad just spin around
And round and round
Do it
Yes just hold me baby
Something on your back
Lay it down, lay it down, lay it down, lay it down
Don't you know honey maybe
You're like my childless hometown
This ole town, this ole town, this ole town
See it now
Time for you to all get down
Yeah do it
Get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready
Dig this sound
Spinnin' round and round and round
Do it
You can understand everything's to share
Let your spirits dance brother everywhere
Let your head be free
Turn the wisdom key
Find it naturally see your lucky to be
Sing it now
Time for you to all get down
Yeah do it
Get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready
Get ready, get ready, get ready, get ready
Singing it now
Time for you to all get down
06 Guajira (05:45)
Vamonos guajira
Vamos a bailar
Carinito
Vamonos guajira
Vamos a bailar
Que lo que quiere guajira
Si tu quieres bailar.
Yo te a garro la mano
Y vamos a bailar.
Vamonos guajira
Vamos a bailar
Si morena
Vamonos guajira
Vamos a bailar
Que lo que quiere guajira
Si tu quieres bailar
Ben be len ben be len ben be len ben
Y vamos a gozar.
Vamonos guajira
Vamos a bailar
Primorcito
Vamonos guajira
Vamos a bailar.
Backing Vocal for Piano Solo:
Guajira . . .
Te quiero . . .
Guajira . . .
Te quiero . . .
Guajira . . .
Te quiero . . .
Guajira . . .
Te quiero . . .
Guajira . . .
Te quiero . . .
Guajira . . .
Te quiero . . .
Vamonos guajira
Vamonos bailar
Vamonos guajira
Vamonos bailar.
09 Para Los Rumberos (02:46)
Vamos rumbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos rumbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos congero que la rumba ya va empezar.
Vamos Car�bello que la rumba ya va empezar.
(Repeat 3x)
Vamos Timbero que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Chepito que la rumba ya va empezar.
(Repeat 3x)
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar
Vamos Santana que la rumba ya va empezar.
Loading comments slowly
Other reviews
By De-cano
If you don’t know Santana and are looking for his best album, or have become a fan after the recent successes of Shaman and Supernatural, then Santana III is the album you’re looking for!
You can very well say that this was the first WORLD MUSIC album in history.
By Caravan
Santana is a unique character: at 22 he was one of the heroes of Woodstock, thanks to his Latin roots he revolutionized Rock by incorporating rhythms and sounds that were nearly unknown in this world into his music.
"Para Los Rumberos" is a truly explosive finale as only the music of an old lion like Carlitos can be!
