Abraxas Songs Ranked
Abraxas is the second studio album by Latin rock band Santana. It was released on September 23, 1970 by Columbia Records and became the band’s first album to reach number one in the United States. The title of the album originates from a line in Hermann Hesse’s book Demian, quoted on the album’s back cover: “We stood before it and began to freeze inside from the exertion. We questioned the painting, berated it, made love to it, prayed to it: We called it mother, called it whore and slut, called it our beloved, called it Abraxas. The album cover features the 1961 painting Annunciation by German-French painter Mati Klarwein. According to the artist, it was one of the first paintings he did after relocating to New York City. Carlos Santana reportedly noticed it in a magazine and asked that it be on the cover of the band’s upcoming album. On the back of the record sleeve the cover art is just credited to ‘MATI’. It is now considered a classic of rock album covers. Klarwein went on to design album artwork for many notable artists, including Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Gregg Allman. Here are all of Abraxas songs ranked.
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9. Se a cabo
“Sometimes, little instrumental details themselves feel lifted from an obscure record collection, like how the bassline to certain parts of ‘Se a Cabo’ sounds identical to Duke Ellington’s ‘Caravan’ or how the organ tones are akin to that of any number of late 60s psych rock artists.”
8. Singing Winds, Crying Beasts
“‘Singing Winds, Crying Beasts’ opens (dramatic piano chords, faint windchimes, and searing guitar feedback) invokes the cinematic uncertainty of something like prog rock (certified by the eventual oscillating cymbals, which sound like the distant crashes of waves).”
7. Mother’s Daughter
“A great outing from Santana and one that I may rate higher in the future. This is officially that album that made Santana click with me, so I’m grateful for that.”
See more: Santana Albums Ranked
6. Black Magic Woman / Gypsy Queen
“It segues into the double cover version of “Black Magic Woman” (Peter Green’s Fleetwood Mac) and “Gypsy Queen” (a Gabor Szabo song). The vocals are great and that big guitar break half way through is now muscular as it assaults your speakers.”
5. Samba pa ti
“A truly serene guitar-led second half; the bluesy samba rock of ‘Samba Pa Ti’, which features some of Santana’s most impressive playing on the entire record”
See more: Santana Songs Ranked
4. Oye como va
“And while I do enjoy more of the standard kind of Mexican music, this is definitely more of my speed. Psych rock mixed with jazz filled with Afro-Latin percussion and buttery-smooth guitar licks. Yeah, this is definitely my style. Whether it’s the slow and steady beats of “Oye como va”, or the keyboard solos of “Incident at Neshabur”, it’s a groove that reminds me of home, and I think that is why I like this album.”
3. Hope You’re Feeling Better
“One of their typical jammy songs like “Hope You’re Feeling Better” but then halfway through the song slows down, and creates a pure bliss atmosphere of piano, guitar, drums, organ, with some gentle acoustics.”
2. Incident at Neshabur
“The jazzy loud/soft dynamic on ‘Incident at Neshabur’, with a liquid bassline and bouncy piano in its first half, and truly serene guitar-led second half”
1. El nicoya
” I really enjoy the talent of all the musicians in Santana music. Fantastic rythms and sound–I blast all my new Santana albums to get as close as I can to the music.”
