Fleetwood Mac: Black Magic Woman

Most people are familiar with the hit version of today’s Friday’s First tune by Santana, but the song was written by Peter Green and was released as a single for his band, Fleetwood Mac, in 1968. The song features Green on guitar and vocals, Jeremy Spencer on guitar, John McVie on bass, and Mick Fleetwood on drums. Issued originally as the band’s third single in Europe, it was released on the US compilation LP “English Rose” in 1969.

In addition to the misconception that this was originally a Santana song, most folk are unaware that Fleetwood Mac existed for eight years before Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham joined the band in 1975 and helped bring the band to its mainstream notoriety.

From Santana’s second album “Abraxas,” “Black Magic Woman” peaked on the US singles charts at #4 in 1970. To hear this song in its pristine entirety, you must listen to it in the context of the previous cut, “Singing Winds/Crying Beasts,” that opens the album and segues directly into “Black Magic Woman.” In addition, the LP version features “Black Magic Woman” as a medley with Hungarian jazz guitarist Gabor Szabó’s “Gypsy Queen.”

Gabor Szabó: Gypsy Queen

Gregg Rolie, who plays a Fender Rhodes electric piano and Hammond Organ on the Santana version, also handles the lead vocals. Rolie, and later Santana member Neil Schon, formed Journey in 1973.

Santana’s Black Magic Woman/Gypsy Queen