ROCK MOMENT – Santana ‘Oye Como Va’
When Santana recorded ‘Oye Como Va‘ in 1970 for their landmark album Abraxas, they weren’t just covering a song—they were helping to change the course of popular music. Originally written and recorded in 1962 by Tito Puente, the Cuban-American bandleader and percussionist often called the “King of Latin Music,” the track was a cha-cha infused with Afro-Cuban rhythm. Its simple lyrics, “Oye como va, mi ritmo” (“Listen to how it goes, my rhythm”), were meant to spotlight the irresistible groove rather than tell a story.
Carlos Santana, raised in Mexico before moving to San Francisco, grew up surrounded by Latin sounds but also absorbed blues and psychedelic rock. Puente’s tune resonated deeply with him, and Santana reimagined it with a rock framework. With Gregg Rolie’s Hammond organ riffs, David Brown’s hypnotic bassline, Michael Shrieve’s drums, and Santana’s fiery yet melodic guitar, ‘Oye Como Va‘ became a Latin rock anthem.
Released as a single in 1971, it reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helped push Abraxas to No. 1. The song gave mainstream rock audiences their first true taste of Latin-infused music. Tito Puente warmly embraced Santana’s version, famously saying the royalties bought him “a beautiful Cadillac.”
Onstage, ‘Oye Como Va‘ became a staple of Santana’s concerts, often extended into improvisational jams that highlighted the fusion of cultures and styles. Its live energy made it one of the band’s most requested songs worldwide.
The song’s influence has only grown with time. In 2000, Santana’s version was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, cementing its historical importance. Rolling Stone later ranked it among the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time,” recognizing its role in breaking down cultural barriers in music. More than five decades later, ‘Oye Como Va‘ endures as both a signature Santana song and a timeless bridge between Latin music traditions and the rock mainstream.
