Smooth (song)

"Smooth"
Single by Santana featuring Rob Thomas
from the album Supernatural
Released June 29, 1999
Format CD single
Recorded 1999
Genre Latin rock, pop rock
Length 4:58 (album version)
4:00 (radio edit)
Writer(s) Rob Thomas, Itaal Shur
Producer(s) Matt Serletic
Certification Platinum (US)
Santana singles chronology
"Say It Again"
(1985)		 "Smooth"
(1999)		 "Maria Maria"
(2000)
Rob Thomas singles chronology
"Smooth"
(1999)		 "A New York Christmas"
(2003)
"Smooth"
Sample from "Smooth" by Santana featuring Rob Thomas
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"Smooth" is a collaboration between Latin rock band Santana and Rob Thomas of the rock group Matchbox Twenty. The song was written by Thomas and Itaal Shur, sung by Thomas, and produced by Matt Serletic. 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 broken by "How Do I Live" by LeAnn Rimes.

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.

In popular culture

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")[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

Peak positions

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 (Media Control 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 (The Official Charts Company) 3
US Billboard Hot 100[14] 1
US Billboard Pop Songs[14] 1
US Billboard Adult Pop Songs[14] 1
US Billboard Adult Contemporary[15] 11
US Billboard Alternative Songs[14] 24
US Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks 10

Year-end charts

Chart (1999) Position
Canadian RPM Singles Chart[16] 9
Canadian RPM Rock Chart[17] 8
US Billboard Hot 100[18] 19
Chart (2000) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[19] 2

Decade-end charts

Chart (1990–1999) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[20] 41
Chart (2000–2009) Position
US Billboard Hot 100[21] 33

All-time charts

Chart (1958–2013) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[3] 2


See also

References

  1. ↑ "Rob Thomas: Santana's Smooth Sidekick". VH1. December 2, 2002. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  2. ↑ http://www.theonion.com/video/santana-and-rob-thomas-smooth-sweeps-grammy-awards,31251/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "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. ↑ "Chartverfulgong > Santana feat. Rob Thomas > Smooth – musicline.de" (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. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 "Smooth - Santana". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  15. ↑ "Santana Singles". Billboard. Retrieved July 8, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Top Singles - Volume 70, No. 8, December 13, 1999". RPM. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  17. ↑ "Rock/Alternative - Volume 70, No. 8, December 13, 1999". RPM. Retrieved October 21, 2010.
  18. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1999". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 2000". Retrieved August 28, 2010.
  20. ↑ 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.
  21. ↑ "Billboard best of the 2000s Hot 100 songs". Billboard. December 31, 2009. Retrieved October 15, 2010.