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Black Magic Woman

"Black Magic Woman" is a written by British guitarist Peter Green, first released as a single by his band in 1968, where it peaked at number 37 on the . The track's haunting melody and lyrics, which portray a man ensnared by a mysterious and manipulative woman, drew inspiration from Green's former girlfriend Sandra Elsdon, whom he nicknamed "Magic Mamma." Its iconic guitar riff, adapted from Otis Rush's 1958 blues song "All Your Love (I Miss Loving)," which itself drew from ' 1957 "Lucky Lou," reflecting Green's deep roots in the blues tradition during his time with . The song achieved widespread international success through a cover by the American band , released on their 1970 album , with keyboardist on lead vocals and an opening riff that became a signature element. 's version, which fused the original's bluesy structure with Afro-Cuban rhythms and percussion, debuted on the on November 14, 1970, and climbed to number four, propelling to the top of the album charts and multi-platinum sales. This rendition not only revitalized the track but also exemplified 's pioneering blend of , , and , contributing to the band's rising success in the early 1970s and cementing "Black Magic Woman" as a cornerstone of 1970s . Fleetwood Mac continued to perform the song live into the , while Santana's interpretation has endured as a live staple, often extended with improvisational solos, and has been covered by numerous artists across genres. The track's legacy highlights the cross-cultural exchange in , bridging origins with Latin American influences, and remains a celebrated example of Peter Green's songwriting prowess before his departure from in 1970.

Original version

Composition and influences

"Black Magic Woman" was written by Peter Green in 1968, during Fleetwood Mac's early period as a band rooted in interpretations of traditions. The song emerged from Green's immersion in the genre, reflecting themes of romantic obsession and supernatural allure drawn from his personal life, particularly his relationship with girlfriend Sandra Elsdon, whom he affectionately called "Magic Mamma." Green's influences for the track included standards, such as those penned by , whose work shaped the band's sound during sessions involving Dixon himself, alongside direct musical inspirations like Otis Rush's recording "All Your Love (I Miss Loving)," which informed the song's rhythmic and melodic framework. Green's guitar style further defined the composition, employing a minor-key blues progression that adapts the traditional 12-bar structure into a more concise, pop-blues format suitable for a release. The portray a mysterious exerting control, using straightforward, repetitive phrasing to convey mysticism, as in the : "Got a black magic woman / Got me so blind I can't see." This evocative simplicity underscores Green's intent to craft an accessible yet haunting track, emphasizing his fluid, emotive guitar riffs central to the song's essence. later reimagined it as a Latin-infused cover in 1970.

Recording and release

"Black Magic Woman" was recorded in February 1968 at in , with producer Vernon overseeing the session and engineer Ross handling the technical aspects. The track featured the band's original lineup, consisting of Peter Green on lead vocals and guitar, on second guitar, on bass, and on drums, without any additional musicians. Captured in a raw style true to the band's early sound, the production emphasized Green's haunting, reverb-drenched guitar solos and employed minimal overdubs to retain an authentic live energy. The song clocked in at a runtime of 2:52 and was issued as Fleetwood Mac's second single on March 29, 1968, in the via Blue Horizon Records (catalog number 57-3138), backed with "The Sun Is Shining" on the B-side. A limited edition followed in 1968 on (catalog number 5-10351), pairing it with "Long Grey Mare" as the B-side. It later appeared on the 1969 compilation The Pious Bird of Good Omen and the 1971 Black Magic Woman. Promotion focused on the blues scene, aligning with the track's composition roots in traditional structures.

Commercial performance

Fleetwood Mac's "Black Magic Woman," released as a in the on March 29, 1968, by Blue Horizon Records, achieved modest chart success. It peaked at number 37 on the and remained in the Top 75 for seven weeks. The saw no significant entry on major United States charts upon its initial release, though it gained gradual traction through radio and inclusion on the band's 1969 compilation album English Rose, which introduced Green's blues-rock style to listeners and bolstered early catalog sales. Contemporary critics highlighted Peter Green's distinctive guitar work and songwriting on the track, commending its blues authenticity despite its status as a minor hit relative to Fleetwood Mac's subsequent breakthroughs, thereby aiding Green's emergence as a respected in the genre. In the long term, "Black Magic Woman" has appeared on numerous Fleetwood Mac compilations, including the 1971 double album Black Magic Woman and the 2009 collection Black Magic Woman: The Best Of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac, sustaining its place in the band's early without individual certifications for the single. The song experienced a resurgence in the 2010s amid renewed interest in , accumulating over 58 million streams on by late 2025. This initial UK chart showing pales in comparison to Santana's 1970 adaptation, which propelled the song to international prominence.

Santana version

Background and recording

Carlos Santana first encountered "Black Magic Woman," originally written and recorded by Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac in 1968, through a UK import record in 1969. Inspired by its bluesy groove, Santana decided to cover the song for the band's second album, Abraxas, aiming to infuse it with Latin rhythms to bridge rock and his cultural influences. The track was recorded during the Abraxas sessions in April 1970 at in and Pacific Recording Studios in . Co-produced by and engineer Fred Catero, these sessions occurred in the wake of the band's breakthrough performance at in 1969, which had propelled their rising fame and allowed for a more experimental approach. Key band members included on lead vocals and Hammond B3 organ, on lead guitar, on bass, on drums, and percussionists "Chepito" Areas on and on congas and other instruments. The recording emphasized the band's improvisational style, from extensive live rehearsals to infuse the track with a dynamic, jam-like energy that mirrored their stage performances. Santana chose to fuse "Black Magic Woman" into a medley with "Gypsy Queen," a 1966 instrumental by jazz guitarist , creating a seamless 5:19 piece that highlighted Santana's growing interest in and elements. This arrangement reflected Szabó's influence on Santana's guitar tone and phrasing, blending the structure with flamenco-inspired rhythms. The production utilized multi-track recording techniques to layer the instrumentation, applying heavy reverb to the guitar solos and patterns to enhance the atmospheric, live-like quality while capturing the band's rhythmic interplay.

Musical structure and arrangement

The Santana version of "Black Magic Woman" extends to a duration of 5:19, presented as a medley that opens with the core verse-chorus form in and 4/4 before transitioning via an extended into "Gypsy Queen," a jazzy infused with flamenco-inspired elements. This arrangement markedly diverges from the original's minimalist blues setup by integrating Latin percussion—including timbales and congas—for rhythmic drive, alongside Gregg Rolie's Hammond organ embellishments and Carlos Santana's signature wah-wah guitar phrasing, evolving the track into a psychedelic rock fusion. Central musical features encompass the preserved opening guitar riff, now enriched with interlocking conga patterns; a soulful, echoed vocal interpretation that heightens emotional depth; and a concluding improvisational fade-out that allows for spontaneous interplay among instruments. In contrast to Peter Green's foundational blues structure, Santana's rendition approximately doubles the original's length while weaving in Gábor Szabó's "Gypsy Queen" progressions—such as to to A—yielding a hybrid of traditions and sensibilities.

Release and chart performance

"Black Magic Woman" was released as a single by in late 1970 on (catalog number 4-45270), edited down to 3:20 from the 5:19 medley version featured on their album . The release capitalized on the band's rising popularity following their standout performance at in 1969 and the ongoing tour, which helped propel the track to widespread airplay on radio stations. The single achieved significant commercial success, peaking at #4 on the in the United States in early 1971 and spending 13 weeks on the chart. It also reached #4 on Canada's RPM Top Singles chart. On the year-end for 1971, "Black Magic Woman" ranked #61, reflecting its enduring radio presence and crossover appeal that blended rock, blues, and Latin influences to attract a broad audience. Sales figures underscored the single's impact, with over 1 million copies sold by 1971, significantly contributing to the Abraxas album's global sales of more than 4 million units. Critics and industry observers praised the track for its role in establishing Santana's , highlighting how its of styles broadened rock's reach and boosted FM radio's role in promoting album-oriented music. As of November 2025, the single version has amassed over 298 million streams on , demonstrating its lasting popularity and continued radio play.

Certifications

The Santana version of "Black Magic Woman," released as the lead single from the album Abraxas, has contributed to several certifications for both the single and the album, reflecting its enduring commercial impact. In the United States, the RIAA certified Abraxas Gold on October 20, 1970, recognizing sales value of $1 million (equivalent to approximately 500,000 units under contemporary standards). The album reached 5× Platinum status on April 3, 2000, for shipments of 5 million units. The single itself has accumulated over 1.3 million physical sales and 1.37 million digital downloads, equating to more than 2 million units when factoring in streaming eligibility under current RIAA criteria. In , Abraxas was certified 3× Platinum by for 300,000 units shipped. The track has no major standalone international certifications prior to the , though digital sales and streaming have driven global equivalent units to over 22 million by 2025. Certifications are further bolstered by its inclusion on compilations such as (2007), which features the song and has sold over 500,000 units worldwide.

Legacy and covers

Live performances

Fleetwood Mac frequently performed "Black Magic Woman" during their early blues-rock era from 1968 to , including in sessions such as the April 9, 1968, recording at the in . The song appeared regularly in their live sets, exemplified by the December performance at the venue in , , captured on bootleg audio. Bootleg recordings from their February 5, , shows at the Fillmore East in also include extended renditions, highlighting Peter Green's raw guitar work amid the band's improvisational style. The track was revived for Fleetwood Mac's 2018–2019 "An Evening with Fleetwood Mac" world tour, where Stevie Nicks provided harmonized vocals alongside Neil Finn, adapting the blues original into a more polished rock arrangement. Notable performances occurred on October 3, 2018, at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and October 6, 2018, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, marking a rare inclusion of early Peter Green material in the band's later repertoire. This tour represented the last major live outings for the song by the group, with final plays in March 2019 before Nicks' retirement from full-band touring. Santana made "Black Magic Woman" a concert staple starting in 1970, shortly after its studio release, with early live versions blending Latin rhythms and extended guitar solos; a key example is the July 26, 1970, performance at Tanglewood Music Shed in , featuring on vocals and the band's signature percussion drive. The song appeared in their 1971 Japanese tour sets, including shows in and , where it was delivered with improvisational flair typical of the era's global outings. Throughout the 1990s, Santana continued to feature the track in tours, often extending it beyond eight minutes with layered solos influenced by the band's evolving sound, as heard in 1998 European and North American performances leading into the era. In the , it was prominently showcased in the concert film Viva Santana!, a 1983 release documenting live footage from various shows, emphasizing Carlos Santana's fluid guitar phrasing over rhythmic grooves. The song remained a fixture in Santana's ongoing Las Vegas residency at through 2025, where versions incorporated guest percussionists and stretched into jam sessions exceeding ten minutes. Over the decades, the core structure of "Black Magic Woman," with its verse-chorus form and guitar lines, facilitated extended jams in live settings. Mac's original renditions stayed bluesy and raw, while Santana's evolved into increasingly improvisational pieces, often fusing with "Gypsy " and incorporating guest percussion for dynamic builds.

Cultural impact and other versions

Santana's rendition of "Black Magic Woman" pioneered the of blues-rock with Latin rhythms, creating a cultural mashup that blended Afro-Caribbean percussion, , and leads. This innovative approach influenced subsequent rock explorations of genre boundaries in the , with bands incorporating similar Latin-infused elements into their sound. The track has also permeated through sampling, appearing in productions like Le$'s "" featuring , which draws on its iconic guitar riff. Post-2000, streaming platforms have contributed to a , with the Santana version accumulating over 298 million Spotify streams as of November 2025. Peter Green's original composition and 's adaptation remain foundational to the song's enduring legacy, symbolizing the counterculture's embrace of mystical and psychedelic themes. Green's later ambivalence toward his early work, influenced by his struggles with in the 1970s and beyond, added a poignant layer to the song's reception; he largely withdrew from public performances of his catalog until his death on July 25, 2020. The track's cultural footprint extends to its role as a staple in Santana's repertoire, which he has credited with sustaining his career across decades, including a landmark 1998 performance alongside at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. , the album featuring the medley with "Gypsy Queen," was inducted into the in 1999, recognizing its historical significance in rock and Latin fusion. Beyond these core versions, "Black Magic Woman" has inspired diverse covers that reinterpret its blues core across genres. The song's cross-generational appeal is evident in its appearances in video games like Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock (2007), where it challenges players with its rhythmic guitar solo, and television, including episodes of Cold Case (2003–2010) and Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (2018), where covers underscore themes of mystery and allure. These uses, alongside Santana's ongoing live performances—documented in over 2,400 setlist entries since 1970—affirm its status as a timeless emblem of musical innovation and cultural resonance.

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