The Calling
by Santana (featuring Eric Clapton)

Album: Supernatural (1999)
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Songfacts®:

  • "The Calling" is a collaboration of guitar greats, teaming Carlos Santana with Eric Clapton. They crossed paths before when Carlos took that stage at a Clapton concert in Los Angeles in 1975 to join him on "Eyesight to the Blind" and "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad," which can be heard on Clapton's Crossroads 2 compilation.
  • This song is listed as running 7:48 on the album, but 12 seconds after it fades out, a different song starts playing as a hidden track. This song is called "Day Of Celebration" and runs 4:27. It starts off with an acoustic guitar before switching to an electric guitar.

    Clapton doesn't appear on "Day Of Celebration," which is performed entirely by members of the band Santana.
  • Supernatural is the first Santana album to feature guest musicians. Clapton was the only one from Santana's generation; the other guests were younger hitmakers like Rob Thomas (on "Smooth") and Wyclef Jean (on "Maria Maria"). Clapton's appearance gave Santana's core fans an aural treat, but most of the album is geared toward younger listeners in the pop genre. The practice of guest musicians continued on Santana's 2002 follow-up, Shaman.
  • The song has some vocals, with Tony Lindsay and Jeanie Tracy repeating "people... hear me calling." Still, the song qualified for the Best Rock Instrumental Performance Grammy Award and won, one of eight Grammys Santana won at the ceremony in 2000.

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