Off of the early Santana album, Abraxas, “Black Magic Woman” has one of the more memorable guitar intros ever recorded. Though written by Peter Green for Fleetwood Mac, Santana took the song and made it his own.
The use of slides in the lead is so simple, but makes for such a mellow and moody part. At the end it goes into a major jam called “Gypsy Queen”.
“Black Magic Woman” arranges for ukulele nicely, provided you can pull off some sort of spin on the big electric tone that Santana has. To do this, try picking with the flesh of your finger instead of a fingernail or pick.
One of the main features of the picking part are the slides up and down. These are all played as fast transitions between the notes so be sure to push through them quickly instead of bumping your finger along, one fret at a time.
You can find charts for these minor ukulele chords here.
Intro: Dm |------------|--------------|-------------|------------|----------| |-3s1--------|--------------|-------------|------------|-1h3p1----| |------------|------------2s|=4s2---------|------------|----------| |------------|--------------|-------------|------------|----------| |--------------|----------------|-------------|----------------| |------------1-|----------------|-------------|-5----3----1p0--| |--------------|-2s4s2----------|-------------|----------------| |--------------|----------------|-------------|----------------| Gm Dm7 |-------------|---------------|-------------|---------------| |-------------|-3----1--------|-------------|-5----3----1p0-| |-------------|-----------4s2-|-------------|---------------| |-------------|---------------|-------------|---------------| Gm Dm7 |-----------|-------------|-----0-5-8-12-17-| |-----------|-3---1-------|-----------------| |-----------|---------4---|---2-------------| |-----------|-------------|-----------------| Guitar Solo: Dm7 //// //// Am7 //// //// Dm7 //// //// Gm7 //// //// Dm7 //// Am7 //// Dm7 //// //// /... Piano Solo: Dm7 //// //// //// //// //// //// //// /... Dm7 Am7 I got a black magic woman, I got a black magic woman Dm7 Gm7 I got a black magic woman, got me so blind I can't see Dm7 Am7 Dm7 That she’s a black magic woman, she’s tryin' to make a devil out of me Dm7 Am7 Don’t turn your back on me baby, don’t turn your back on me baby Dm7 Gm7 Yes, don’t turn your back on me baby, stop messin’ round with your tricks Dm7 Am7 Dm7 Don’t turn your back on me baby, you might just pick up my magic sticks Guitar Solo: Dm7 //// //// Am7 //// //// Dm7 //// //// Gm7 //// //// Dm7 //// Am7 //// Dm7 //// //// /... (repeat) Dm7 Am7 Got your spell on me baby, got your spell on me baby Dm7 Gm7 Got your spell on me baby, turnin’ my heart into stone Dm7 Am7 Dm7 I need you so bad, magic woman I can't leave you alone Outro/Segue: Dm |------------|--------------|-------------|------------|----------| |-3s1--------|--------------|-------------|------------|-1h3p1----| |------------|------------2s|=4s2---------|------------|----------| |------------|--------------|-------------|------------|----------| |--------------|----------------|-------------|----------------| |------------1-|----------------|-------------|----------------| |--------------|-2s4s2----------|-------------|----------------| |--------------|----------------|-------------|----------------| Gypsy Queen (Key change to D): D |-------------|-------------|----------|--------|----------| |-------------|-------------|----------|--------|----------| |-2---2---2---|-2---2---2---|-2--------|--------|----------| |---2---2---2-|---2---2---2-|-2--------|--------|----------| |--------------|------------|------------|---------------|---------| |--------2h3p2-|------2-----|------------|---2h3p2-----2-|---------| |--------------|-2----2-----|------------|---------2---2-|---------| |--------------|------2-----|------------|-----------2-2-|---------| |------------|-------------|-----------------|----------------|-------| |----------0-|-2/5---------|---------2h3p2p0-|---2------------|-------| |--------2---|-------------|-----------------|-2-2------------|-------| |------------|-------------|-----------------|---2------------|-------| |---------------|--------------|-----------------|--------------|-----| |---------------|--------------|-------3-3-2-2p0-|---2----------|-----| |---2---0---0-0-|--------------|-----------------|-2-2----------|-----| |-2---2---2-----|-0h2----------|-----------------|---2----------|-----| Solo on repeat. (D) D /... /... /... C / G / D / .... C / G / D / .... C / G / D / .... |-------------|-------------|-------------|-------------| |-----------0-|-----------0-|-----------0-|-----------0-| |-2---0-2-----|-2---0-2-----|-2---0-2-----|-2---0-2-----| |---2-----2---|---2-----2---|---2-----2---|---2-----2---| repeat C/ G / A/ .... (feedback into Oye Como Va)