Smooth (song)

"Smooth"
Single by Santana featuring Rob Thomas
from the album Supernatural
Released June 29, 1999 (1999-06-29)
Format CD single
Recorded 1999
Genre
Length
  • 4:58 (album version)
  • 4:00 (radio edit)
Writer(s)
Producer(s) Matt Serletic
Santana singles chronology
"Say It Again"
(1985)		 "Smooth"
(1999)		 "Maria Maria"
(1999)
Rob Thomas singles chronology
"Smooth"
(1999)		 "A New York Christmas"
(2003)
"Smooth"
Sample from "Smooth" by Santana featuring Rob Thomas
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Smooth" is a collaboration between Latin rock band Santana and Matchbox Twenty vocalist Rob Thomas. The song was written by Thomas, DeGaetano, and Itaal Shur, produced by Matt Serletic and sung by Thomas. It won three Grammy Awards: Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals. Not only was it the final number-one Hot 100 hit of the 1990s, it was also the number-two Hot 100 hit of the 20th century. "Smooth" is the only song to appear on two decade-end Billboard charts. As of 2013, "Smooth" is ranked the second most successful song of all time by Billboard.

Concept and background

"Smooth" was originally conceived by Shur as a song called "Room 17". The lyrics were stripped off and the track was given to Thomas, who re-wrote the lyrics and melody and re-titled it "Smooth", then recorded the song as a demo to play for Santana. After hearing the song, Santana decided to have Thomas record the final version.[1] Matt Serletic (who produced Matchbox Twenty's debut album Yourself or Someone Like You) produced the song and it was released from Santana's album Supernatural.

Thomas wrote "Smooth" for his wife, Marisol Maldonado. He stated in interviews that the lyric "My Spanish Harlem Mona Lisa" was inspired by the 1972 Elton John song "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters", which includes references to the 1961 Ben E. King song "Spanish Harlem".

Success

"Smooth" became a massive hit in 1999, spending 12 weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 beginning with the October 23, 1999 issue. It was the first chart-topping song in Carlos Santana's long-running career (his previous biggest hit being "Black Magic Woman", which peaked at number four in 1971). The song stayed in the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100 for 30 weeks, a record only bested by "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes. In 2015, Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk" also surpassed "Smooth" by spending 31 weeks in the top ten.

In the United Kingdom, "Smooth" first charted at number 75 in the UK Singles Chart in October 1999. On a full release in March 2000 it peaked at number 3, spending eight weeks in the top 40.

"Smooth" also spent a record-breaking ten consecutive weeks at the top of the VSpot Top 20 Countdown, a record that held up until the Dixie Chicks broke it in 2006.

Legacy

On Billboard magazine's rankings of the top songs of the first 50 years of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart, "Smooth" was ranked as the number-two song overall (behind only "The Twist" by Chubby Checker)[3] and the number-one rock song in the history of the chart.[4]

Cover versions

A cover version of the song is included in the Nintendo Wii version of Samba de Amigo. Post-hardcore group Escape the Fate also recorded a cover version of the song for the compilation album Punk Goes Pop 2, released on March 10, 2009. Neil Cicierega covered "Smooth" under the title "Melt Everyone" on his album Mouth Sounds.

Remixes

  1. Chris Staropoli Remix – 3:53
  2. Club Mix – 7:29
  3. Club Mix [instrumental] – 7:29

Track listing

  1. "Smooth" (Edit) – 3:55
  2. "El Farol" – 4:59

Extended credits

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999–2000) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[5] 4
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[6] 9
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[7] 30
Canada Alternative 30 (RPM) 1
Canada Top Singles (RPM) 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[8] 12
France (SNEP)[9] 15
Germany (Official German Charts)[10] 21
Ireland (IRMA) 3
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[11] 37
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[12] 18
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[13] 18
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[14] 3
US Billboard Hot 100[15] 1
US Billboard Mainstream Top 40[15] 1
US Billboard Adult Top 40[15] 1
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[16] 11
US Billboard Modern Rock Track[15] 24
US Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks 10

Year-end charts

Chart (1999) Position
Australia (ARIA)[17] 11
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[18] 9
Canada Top Rock (RPM)[19] 8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[20] 36
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 19
Chart (2000) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[22] 2

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[23] 41
Chart (2000–2009) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[24] 33

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[25] 2× Platinum 140,000^
United States (RIAA)[26]
(physical)		 Platinum 1,200,000[27]
United States (RIAA)[26]
(digital)		 Gold 500,000^

*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rob Thomas: Santana's Smooth Sidekick". VH1. December 2, 2002. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Santana And Rob Thomas' 'Smooth' Sweeps Grammy Awards For 13th Year In A Row".
  3. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary – The Billboard Hot 100 All-Time Top Songs (10-01)". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100 Chart 50th Anniversary – Top Billboard Hot 100 Rock Songs". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  5. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Santana feat. Rob Thomas – Smooth". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  6. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Santana feat. Rob Thomas – Smooth" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40.
  7. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Santana feat. Rob Thomas – Smooth" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  8. ↑ "Santana feat. Rob Thomas: Smooth" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  9. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Santana feat. Rob Thomas – Smooth" (in French). Les classement single.
  10. ↑ "Musicline.de – Santana feat. Rob Thomas Single-Chartverfolgung" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  11. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Santana feat. Rob Thomas search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40.
  12. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Santana feat. Rob Thomas – Smooth". Top 40 Singles.
  13. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Santana feat. Rob Thomas – Smooth". Swiss Singles Chart.
  14. ↑ "Santana: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company.
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Smooth - Santana". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Santana Singles". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  17. ↑ "ARIA Charts - End Of Year Charts - Top 100 Singles 1999". ARIA. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  18. ↑ "Top Singles - Volume 70, No. 8, December 13, 1999". RPM. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Rock/Alternative - Volume 70, No. 8, December 13, 1999". RPM. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  20. ↑ "End of Year Charts 1999". NZTop40. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  21. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1999". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  22. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 2000". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  23. ↑ Geoff Mayfield (December 25, 1999). 1999 The Year in Music Totally '90s: Diary of a Decade - The Listing of Top Pop Albums of the '90s & Hot 100 Singles of the '90s. Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Billboard best of the 2000s Hot 100 songs". Billboard. December 31, 2009. Archived from the original on October 14, 2010. Retrieved October 15, 2010.
  25. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association.
  26. 1 2 "American single certifications – Santana – Smooth". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
  27. ↑ "Best-Selling Records of 1999". Billboard. BPI Communications Inc. 112 (4): 63. January 22, 2000. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/10/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.