Black Magic Woman
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For the compilation album, see Black Magic Woman (The Original Fleetwood Mac).
| "Black Magic Woman" | ||
|---|---|---|
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| Single by Fleetwood Mac | ||
| Released | 1968 | |
| Format | 7" single | |
| Recorded | February 1968 | |
| Length | 2:48 | |
| Label |
5-10351 (USA) |
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| Chart positions | ||
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"Black Magic Woman" is a song written by Peter Green that first appeared as a Fleetwood Mac single in various countries in 1968, subsequently appearing on the 1969 Fleetwood Mac compilation albums English Rose (US) and The Pious Bird Of Good Omen (UK). It became a classic hit by Santana in 1970, reaching #4 in the U.S. charts, after appearing on their Abraxas album, becoming more closely associated with Santana than Fleetwood Mac.
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[edit] Fleetwood Mac version
Although not nearly as popular as Santana's arrangement two years later, "Black Magic Woman" nevertheless became a fairly popular blues-rock hit peaking at #37 in the UK Singles Chart. It featured in Fleetwood Mac live set-lists even after Green had left the band, when it was often sung by Danny Kirwan, and during concerts in the early 1970s it would form the basis for a long mid-concert jam. The song would often be preceded by a band member reminding the audience that it was a Fleetwood Mac song before it became such a big hit for Santana.
[edit] Structure
Set in the key of D Dorian and often modulating to D minor, the verse follows a twelve bar chord progression alternating between D minor7, A minor7, and G minor7, and the instrumentation consists of vocals, two guitars, bass guitar and drums. It is homophonic, the voice and lead guitar taking the lead roles, and set in common time (4/4).
- D minor 7 | D minor 7 | A minor 7 | A minor 7 | D minor 7 | D minor 7 | G minor 7 | G minor 7 | D minor 7 | A minor 7 | D minor 7 | D minor 7
[edit] Santana version
| "Black Magic Woman" | ||
|---|---|---|
 |
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| Song by Santana | ||
| from the album Abraxas | ||
| Released | 1970 | |
| Genre | Blues-rock | |
| Length | 5:24 | |
| Label | Columbia | |
| Writer(s) | Peter Green | |
| Producer(s) | Fred Catero and Carlos Santana | |
| Chart positions | ||
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| Abraxas track listing | ||
| "Singing Winds, Crying Beasts" (1) |
"Black Magic Woman" (2) |
"Oye Como Va" (3) |
[edit] Background
The song, whose full title is "Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen," was adapted from Gabor Szabo's 1967 "Gyspy Queen," a mix of jazz, Hungarian folk and Latin rhythms, and Fleetwood Mac's own "Black Magic Woman," and recorded in 1970. The song became one of Carlos Santana's staples and arguably his most popular song, along with "Oye Como Va." Abraxas reached #1 on the charts and hit quadruple platinum in 1986, partially thanks to "Black Magic Woman."
[edit] Structure
While the song follows the same general structure of Peter Green's version, also set in common time, in D Dorian and using the same chord progression, melody and lyrics, it is considerably different. A curious blend of blues, rock, jazz and Latin polyrhythms, Santana's arrangement added conga, timbales and other percussion, in addition to organ and piano, to make complex polyrhythms that give the song a "voodoo" feel distinct from the original.[1]
The introduction of the song, which was adapted from Szabo's "Gypsy Queen," consists of simple hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides, before moving into the introduction solo of "Black Magic Woman." After the introduction solo, which follows the same chord progression as the verse, the song moves into an eight-bar piano solo on D minor, and proceeds to two verses sung by keyboardist Gregg Rolie. Two verses of guitar solo follow the two sung verses, which is then succeeded by another verse, before moving into a modified version of the "Gypsy Queen" beginning of the song, to end the piece.
[edit] Snowy White version
| "Black Magic Woman" | ||
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| Single by Snowy White & the White Flames | ||
| Released | July 10, 2005 | |
| Genre | Blues-rock | |
| Length | 3:17 | |
| Label | White Flames Records | |
| Writer(s) | Peter Green | |
| Producer(s) | Snowy White | |
In 2005, ex-Thin Lizzy guitarist Snowy White and his band The White Flames recorded a blues version. The arrangement added a keyboard solo, in addition to a continuous bass guitar. After the introduction, the vocal part is sung by White, featuring a plucking guitar solo. The song was released on the album The Way It Is, and White also made a promotional video.
[edit] References
- ^ Olsen, Eric. "That Voodoo You Do: The Classic Santana." Blogcritics.org (Accessed October 3, 2006). <http://blogcritics.org/archives/2004/02/16/155414.php>
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