Maps of Music

Supernatural (1999)

Where the lyrics of Supernatural take you, and where it was really made.

The album was first titled Mumbo Jumbo, and the title was changed only shortly before its release.

Key places

Fantasy Studios, Berkeley (1999)

Recording site Fantasy Studios — Listed among the studios where Supernatural was recorded. The point marks the studio building in Berkeley. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Hit Factory, New York City (1999)

Recording site The Hit Factory — Listed among the studios where Supernatural was recorded. The point marks the studio building in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

The Plant Studios, Sausalito (1999)

Recording site Record Plant — Listed among the studios where Supernatural was recorded. The point marks the studio building in Sausalito. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Electric Lady Studios, New York City (1999)

Recording site Electric Lady Studios — Listed among the studios where Supernatural was engineered. The point marks the studio building in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

South Beach Studios, Miami (1999)

Recording site South Beach (Miami) — Listed among the studios where Supernatural was engineered. The point marks the studio building in Miami. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Chung King Studios, New York City (1999)

Recording site Chung King Studios — Listed among the studios where Supernatural was engineered. The point marks the studio building in New York City. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Conway Recording Studios, Los Angeles (1999)

Recording site Conway Recording Studios — Listed among the studios where Supernatural was engineered. The point marks the studio building in Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Supernatural: 18th studio album by the American rock band Santana
• Released June 15, 1999 on Arista Records
• Features guest artists including Rob Thomas, Eric Clapton, Everlast, Eagle-Eye Cherry, Lauryn Hill, Dave Matthews, Maná, and CeeLo Green
• Huge commercial success worldwide, renewing interest in Santana's music
• Reached No. 1 in eleven countries; certified 15× platinum in the US
• Estimated 30 million copies sold worldwide

Background

• Santana's Columbia Records deal ended in 1991; the two later Polydor/Island albums failed to sell strongly
• In October 1996, Carlos Santana asked Island founder Chris Blackwell for release from the label
• In 1995, Santana was invited to a documentary about Arista founder Clive Davis
• Davis had first signed the band to Columbia in 1969
• Santana approached Davis about signing with Arista, encouraged by his wife
• EMI, Arista, and Tommy Boy were the three labels interested; EMI was the most interested
• The first contract was scrapped in May 1997; Santana then reconnected with Davis
• Davis wanted half the album to be vintage Santana and the other half contemporary collaborations
• Santana wanted more radio-friendly songs with strong melodies and lyrics
• Pete Ganbarg worked with Santana and Davis as A&R man
• Davis held a release party at the Boathouse restaurant in New York City on June 1, 1999

Recording

• Recorded at several studios, including Fantasy Studios, The Plant Studios, The Hit Factory, Electric Lady Studios, South Beach Studios, The Record Plant, Chung King Studios, and Conway Recording Studios
• Mastered at A&M Mastering Studios and Sterling Sound
• The album was initially titled Mumbo Jumbo before the title changed shortly before release

Cover

• Artwork adapted from the original painting 'Mumbo Jumbo' by Michael Rios of Heaven Smiles Art

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · pt.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com · www.discogs.com

Artist

Formation

• Formed in San Francisco, California, in 1966 by Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana.
• Named the Santana Blues Band at a January 1967 Fillmore audition; shortened to Santana by the end of 1967.
• Signed with Columbia Records in late 1968.
• The "classic" line-up stabilised in May 1969: Carlos Santana, Gregg Rolie, Michael Carabello, David Brown, Michael Shrieve and Jose "Chepito" Areas.

Members

• Carlos Santana is the only consistent member across the band's history.
• Classic line-up: Santana, Gregg Rolie (organ, lead vocals), Michael Carabello and Jose "Chepito" Areas (percussion), Michael Shrieve (drums), David Brown (bass).
• Brown died in 2000; Areas was not invited to the 2014 reunion.
• Classic line-up members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1998.

Career

• Breakthrough at the 1969 Woodstock Festival; the debut album Santana peaked at No. 4 on the US Billboard 200.
• Abraxas (1970) and Santana III (1971) both reached No. 1 on the US Billboard 200.
• Early 1970s experiments with jazz fusion on Caravanserai (1972), Welcome (1973) and Borboletta (1974).
• Amigos (1976) returned the band to commercial success; Moonflower (1977) was its most successful album since Santana III.
• Commercial decline in the 1980s, followed by a seven-year recording hiatus.
• Supernatural (1999) won eight Grammy Awards and sold an estimated 30 million copies worldwide.
• Santana IV (2016) reunited the classic line-up, the first recording together in 45 years.
• Estimated 100 million records sold worldwide.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine: called the number of guest stars the album's main problem and said it never develops a consistent voice; still found its peak moments among Santana's best music of the '90s, a successful comeback
• Rolling Stone's David Wild: noted the number of featured artists and said not everything is as appealing, calling 'Do You Like the Way' with Lauryn Hill and CeeLo Green more forced

Records

• Billboard 200: No. 1 for 12 non-consecutive weeks
• US: certified 15× platinum
• 'Smooth' with Rob Thomas: No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks
• 'Maria Maria': No. 1 in the US for 10 weeks
• 2000 Grammy Awards: nine wins, breaking Michael Jackson's Thriller record for the most honored album
• Album of the Year and Best Rock Album among the Grammy wins
• Latin Grammy Awards: three wins, including Record of the Year
• Inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2025
• UK: No. 1 for two weeks starting April 1, 2000
• Best-selling album by a Latino artist; estimated 30 million copies sold worldwide
• US sales: 11.8 million copies

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The album was first titled Mumbo Jumbo, and the name was changed shortly before release.
• The hidden track 'Day of Celebration' plays about twelve seconds after 'The Calling'.
• 'Love of My Life' is a reworking of the third movement of Brahms' Symphony No. 3, and Brahms is credited on the track.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · es.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

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