Fifty years ago, rock band Santana released “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile),” a song that became a major international hit.
Released on March 26, 1976, as a single from their seventh studio album, Amigos, “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” became a massive success. In Spain, the song climbed up the Spanish Singles Chart, peaking at No. 1 in July. Its chart success was especially incredible given that the single was a five-minute instrumental track.
“Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” was co-written by Carlos Santana and keyboardist Tom Coster. The first draft of the song stemmed from an unsettling moment Carlos experienced while watching a close friend go through a severe mescaline-induced hallucination. Inspired by the sight, he picked up a guitar and penned a shelved instrumental piece called “The Mushroom Lady’s Coming to Town”—which contained the final version’s iconic opening guitar riff.
Photo of Carlos Santana, Mick Jagger, and Billy Preston of The Rolling Stones performing live onstage.Graham Wiltshire/Redferns
A few years later, while on tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, Carlos revisited the song, playing it in a dressing room before a show. Coster overheard the tune and, recognizing its potential, helped Carlos reshape and develop the piece into what we know today.
“Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” is a stunning Latin rock instrumental ballad. Its soaring guitar melody carries so much emotion that it almost feels like a vocal part is present. The song seamlessly blends rock elements with jazz and blues to create a dreamy soundscape that feels as though it tells a complete story.
In 2022, Guitar World ranked their picks of the 30 best guitar solos of all time. “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” secured the No. 27 spot on the list, alongside other jaw-dropping solos like Mike McCready’s lead in “Alive” by Pearl Jam and Billy Gibbons’ riff in “La Grange” by ZZ Top.
Five decades after its release, “Europa (Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile)” remains an unforgettable staple of Latin rock music. In the digital era, the track has continued to thrive, racking up over 102 million streams on Spotify alone—a stellar feat for an entirely instrumental single.
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