Lead vocal: Gregg Rolie
Lead guitar: Carlos Santana
Single:
Oye Cómo Va entered the Australian singles chart* on 5 April 1971 and peaked at #55.
Album:
The song is on Abraxas which entered the Australian albums chart* on 25 January 1971. The album reached #1 on 22 February 1971.
Songwriter:
Tito Puente
Producers:
Fred Catero, Carlos Santana
Record label of Australian release:
CBS
*Kent Music Report / Australian Chart Book. See About.
Songfacts:
Salsa legend Tito Puente wrote Oye Cómo Va and recorded it in the early ’50s. While Puente was very popular in the Latin community, Santana’s cover became a hit and helped introduce Puente to a wider audience. On Santana’s version of the song, everything, including the guitar wails and keyboards, follows the original music.
Gregg Rolie, who sang on many of Santana’s early hits, took the lead vocals on this song. Rolie was a founding member and keyboard player for Santana; he joined Journey in 1973.
Read more: www.songfacts.com/facts/santana/oye-como-va
Lyrics:
The voice in the beginning says “sabor” which is Spanish for “flavour”. The lyrics are entirely in Spanish.
Oye como va
Mi ritmo
Bueno pa’ gozar
Mulata
Click for full lyrics
This song is also on our Spotify playlist Bang a Gong – the 70s
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