Music Blog

Man, It’s A Hot One

Nancy's Notes 🖊️🎶

Written for Song Lyric Sunday. This week Jim Adams
has asked his readers in his post “Songs That Matter” to write  
about a song that won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year.
Today’s gorgeous graphic was created by Kevin @
No Theme Thursday. Here’s my musical choice.

© Kevin @ No Theme Thursday

The year was 1999. Carlos Santana and Rob Thomas recorded “Smooth” and it quickly became one of the most ubiquitous and successful singles of all time. Whether you love it or hate it, “Smooth” remains a career defining moment for both Santana and Thomas and continues to evoke strong and passionate reactions 25 years later. 

When Santana released their 1999 album Supernatural, the band had not had a Top 40 hit or a Gold or Platinum album in 17 years. Hard to believe! The album broke that commercial slump in a big way, and in no small part thanks to its lead single “Smooth”. Supernatural was Diamond certified less than nine months after its release, and “Smooth” ranks as one of the most popular singles of all time.

Singer/songwriter and Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas was thrilled to have an opportunity to write a song for Santana; it was to be the first song he ever wrote that he wasn’t going to perform himself. That’s right – Rob Thomas had no intention of singing “Smooth” and wasn’t aware he would even be considered for that position. He suggested one of his musical heroes, George Michael. Thomas told Billboard, “It was George I had in my head when I recorded the vocals in the first place. If you listen to the melody and the cadence, it’s an attempt to emulate his style in so many ways.”

But it was Thomas’ performance on a demo of “Smooth” that sold Carlos Santana on the idea of him performing on the record. Santana said he really liked the sound of Thomas’ voice and believed what he was saying as he sang the lyrics. Enter Rob Thomas, exit George Michael.

Carlos Santana clearly had superb judgment in having Rob Thomas sing the lead vocals on “Smooth.” The song became the group’s first #1 single (What?? You read that correctly!), and it topped the Billboard Hot 100 for 12 weeks. On Billboard’s all-time ranking of Hot 100 songs, “Smooth” ranks third, trailing only The Weekend’s “Blinding Lights” and Chubby Checker’s “The Twist.” “Smooth” also peaked at #1 in Canada and charted within the top 10 in Australia, Austria, Ireland, and the United Kingdom. In 2000, the song won GRAMMY awards for Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Santana never again approached the level of chart success attained by “Smooth.” That was to be expected; even the Beatles and Michael Jackson have placed no more than two singles on Billboard’s all-time Hot 100. Santana would team up with Thomas for two more chart hits …. a cover of Cream’s ”Sunshine of Your Love” in 2011 and “Move” in 2021. Those two successive singles further solidified the link between Santana and Thomas, one that would have never occurred if Thomas had succeeded in getting George Michael for “Smooth” in the first place!

From 1999, this is “Smooth” by Santana, featuring Rob Thomas

LYRICS

Man, it’s a hot one
Like seven inches from the midday sun
Well, I hear you whisper and the words melt everyone
But you stay so cool
My muñequita, my Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa
You’re my reason for reason
The step in my groove

And if you said this life ain’t good enough
I would give my world to lift you up
I could change my life to better suit your mood
Because you’re so smooth
And it’s just like the ocean under the moon
Oh, it’s the same as the emotion that I get from you
You got the kind of lovin’ that can be so smooth, yeah
Give me your heart, make it real, or else forget about it

But I’ll tell you one thing
If you would leave it’d be a crying shame
In every breath and every word
I hear your name calling me out
Out from the barrio
You hear my rhythm on your radio
You feel the turning of the world, so soft and slow
It’s turning you round and round

And if you said this life ain’t good enough
I would give my world to lift you up
I could change my life to better suit your mood
Because you’re so smooth
Well, and it’s just like the ocean under the moon
Well, it’s the same as the emotion that I get from you
You got the kind of lovin’ that can be so smooth, yeah
Give me your heart, make it real, or else forget about it

Well, and it’s just like the ocean under the moon
Oh, it’s the same as the emotion that I get from you
You got the kind of lovin’ that can be so smooth, yeah
Give me your heart, make it real, or else forget about it

Or else forget about it
Or else forget about it
Oh, let’s don’t forget about it
Give me your heart, make it real
Let’s don’t forget about it (hey)
Let’s don’t forget about it (now, oh, now, oh)
Let’s don’t forget about it (now, now, now, oh)
Let’s don’t forget about it (hey, now, now, oh)
Let’s don’t forget about it (hey, hey, hey)

Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Itaal Shur/Robert Thomas
Smooth lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Songs That Matter

Big thanks to Jim Adams for hosting another great Song Lyric Sunday this week. Be sure to follow the link and check out Jim’s site.

Thanks for stopping by and spinning some tunes. See you on the flip side. 😎

NAR©2024

All text, graphics and videos are copyright for Nancy (The Sicilian Storyteller), The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section and is not for use by anyone without permission. NAR©2017-present.

46 thoughts on “Man, It’s A Hot One”

  1. Pingback: NTT Showcase: 11.14.24 Edition – The Beginning At Last

  5. I am so happy this was picked today. I remember that story of Rob Thomas not wanting to sing his own song with Santana and had to be convinced by Santana to do it. It was definitely a match made in heaven wasn’t it? Look what they did together. Amazing! I will never get tired of this song. ☺️❤️

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    1. It really is great, Christine. I have to admit I didn’t know the backstory and just learned about it during my research. What a great read that was. I’ve loved the sexy coolness of this song since the first time hearing it. Honestly, I can’t imagine George Michael doing as good a job as Rob Thomas. What a great combo he and Carlos Santana make. So glad you love this one as much as I do.

      Thanks, Christine! ❤️‍🔥😊

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      Reply

  13. I’ve just singing along with the wonderful lyrics … what a superb Santana song! …
    “Oh, let’s don’t forget about it
    Give me your heart, make it real” … 🎵😍🌝🐶

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