Abraxas is the second studio album by Santana, released in September 1970.

The album’s title comes from a line in Hermann Hesse’s book Demian, referenced on the album’s back cover:

“We stood before it and had begun to freeze inside from the exercise. We questioned the painting, we scolded it, we made love to it, we prayed for it. We called it mother, whore, singer, slut, we called it our beloved, we called it Abraxas…”

The album cover features the Annunciation, from a 1961 painting by Franco-German painter Mati Klarwein, which according to him, was one of the first paintings he did after moving to New York. Carlos Santana saw it in a magazine and requested it be the cover of the band’s upcoming album, making Abraxas now considered to have a classic rock album cover.

In 2003, the album was ranked No. 207 on Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. The album was also included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

The song “Samba Pa Ti” was covered by José Feliciano, who also added lyrics, and by Angélique Kidjo, who also added lyrics and included it on her album Oyo. It is also one of the songs featured in Nick Hornby’s book, 31 Songs.

The album was deemed “culturally, historically, and artistically significant” by the Library of Congress and was selected for the National Recording Registry in 2016.

The album’s two hits are “Black Magic Woman,” a song by Peter Green and Fleetwood Mac, and “Oye Como Va,” a song by Tito Puente. The album blends blues, rock, and salsa together in a multicultural package, but also contains other standout tracks like “Gypsy Queen” and “Singing Winds, Crying Beasts,” the latter highlighting Carlos Santana’s growing oriental sensibility.

From this amazing album, I select, of course, “Oye Como Va.”
 
Tracklist

1. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts 4:48
2. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen 5:17
3. Oye Como Va 4:17
4. Incident At Neshabur 4:58
5. Se A Cabo 2:49
6. Mother’s Daughter 4:25
7. Samba Pa Ti 4:46
8. Hope You’re Feeling Better 4:10
9. El Nicoya 1:29