From album
Supernatural
Santana · 1999 · Track 5
Details
TonalidadAm
Compás4/4
Tempo117 BPM
Duración4:58
CompositorItaal Shur / Rob Thomas
ÁlbumSupernatural
Año1999
Credits
Music Itaal Shur, Rob Thomas
If you like this, try
The story behind
When you listen to Smooth, you encounter an energy that instantly captivates you. The song, born from the collaboration between Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas, became a phenomenon. Its structure, with that catchy melody and Thomas's voice over Santana's unmistakable guitar, made it stand out. Originally, Itaal Shur's idea was different, a song called Room 17. But Rob Thomas took that foundation, gave his own spin to the lyrics and melody, and thus Smooth was born. He recorded it as a demo to show Santana, and the result was so impactful that they decided Thomas would sing the final version. Producer Matt Serletic, who had already worked with Thomas in 1996, was key in shaping this track.
The impact of Smooth was enormous. It was the first major hit in Carlos Santana's career, even surpassing his 1971 classic Black Magic Woman. The song dominated the charts, spending twelve consecutive weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, and became the last number one of the 90s and the first of the 2000s. Its success was such that it was ranked as the second most important song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100. Furthermore, it won three Grammy Awards in 2000: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. The song also resonated strongly in other countries, reaching number one in Canada and the top 10 in places like Australia, Austria, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Even in the 21st century, the song had an unexpected resurgence, becoming the subject of internet memes in 2016.
0:00