1970 Hit Ranked Among 'Greatest Songs' of All Time Became an Unlikely Rock Anthem
1970 Hit Ranked Among 'Greatest Songs' of All Time Became an Unlikely Rock Anthem
Nicole MooreSun, April 5, 2026 at 8:16 PM UTC
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(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
Santana's 1970 take on Tito Puente's 1962 song, "Oye Como Va," eventually became a timeless rock anthem. However, in a 2018 Masterclass video, the band's frontman, Carlos Santana, revealed there were some doubts that he could make a rock hit out of the salsa beat.
"So when I discovered ‘Oye Como Va,’ people said, 'Well that's not rock and roll.' And I was like, 'Well not yet. But it will be,'" said Santana before playing the song's iconic riff on his guitar.
He also noted that he added the electric guitar to his "Oye Como Va" cover, which ranked as 479 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of 500 best songs of all time. Santana also said that fans of the song might notice that there's an intense conversation going on between said guitar and the horns.
"There's two people," said Santana before sharing that the final part of the song is supposed to say, "Get out of here man."
"Music is to move you," continued the musician, now 78. "It's suppose to move you, out of your doldrum existence. If you have a doldrum existence, music invites you to like come and celebrate the best of you. And don't be shy about it."
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Tito Puente Shared What He Thought About Carlos Santana's Cover
In a 2000 interview, Puente shared his thoughts about Santana covering "Oye Como Va" for his 1970 album, Abraxas. The percussionist, who died in 2000 at the age of 77, said he was grateful for the song's rise in popularity after Santana released his cover.
"I was very fortunate because Mr. Santana, Carlos, was a friend of mine. He recorded that number about 12 and a half years after I had originally done it, but naturally his recording catered to a massive audience," said Puente.
He also expressed gratitude that Santana credited him on the album.
"They also made a composer out of me, really because he gave me credit on the Abraxas album, on the Columbia label. So thanks to Carlos, I was able to get exposure for 'Oye Como Va’ around the whole world," said Puente.
This story was originally published by Parade on Apr 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
