Santana is a Latin music and rock band formed in San Francisco, California … Read Full Bio ↴Santana is a Latin music and rock band formed in San Francisco, California in 1966 by Mexican-American guitarist Carlos Santana. The band came to public attention with their performance of "Soul Sacrifice" at Woodstock in 1969. This exposure helped propel their first album, also named Santana, into a hit, followed in the next two years by Abraxas and Santana III. Lineup changes were common. Carlos Santana's increasing involvement with guru Sri Chinmoy took the band into more esoteric music, though it never lost its Latin influence.

In 1998, the band Santana was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with Carlos Santana, José "Chepito" Areas, David Brown, Gregg Rolie, Mike Carabello, and Michael Shrieve The band has earned nine Grammy Awards and three Latin Grammy Awards, the latter all in 2000. Carlos Santana won a Grammy Award as a solo artist in 1988. The band has sold more than 100 million records worldwide, making them one of the world's best-selling groups of all time. In 2013, Santana announced a reunion of the classic line-up for a new album, Santana IV, which was released in April 2016. They are tied for having the most won Grammy Awards in one night.

Dealer / Spanish Rose
Santana Lyrics

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As the evening sun goes down
The dealer shuffles into town
Makes a note of what's a float
And spinning 'round, he'll cut your throat

In the time it takes to heal
The dealer's made another deal
When he plays, he plays for keeps

And sweeps the spinning roulette wheel

Dealer, Dealer

Like the mighty ocean's roar, he gets his share and more
Evil to the core and proud
If you cross him off for sure he'll get even with the score
Leave your wife a weeping widow on the shore

Between the desert and the dark
Money is his only love
Feeling nothing deep inside
His mind is governed by his pride

In a smoky little room
Shadows moving in the gloom
Someone turns a running flush
And breaks the deathly quiet hush

Dealer, Dealer

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Santana's song "Dealer/Spanish Rose" describe a ruthless dealer who comes into town and takes advantage of people's vices. The dealer is characterized as someone who will do whatever it takes to make a profit, even if it means cutting someone's throat. The song suggests that the dealer's actions have a ripple effect causing pain and suffering for those who are affected by his schemes. Despite the danger he poses, he appears to be quite proud of his ability to get wealthy at the expense of others. The imagery of the mighty ocean's roar is used to complement his vicious and relentless nature.

The song highlights the power and destructive nature of addiction through the dealer's actions. The flippant nature in which he makes deals is likened to the spinning roulette wheel, a symbol of luck and chance. The song suggests that when you play with addiction, you're playing with fire. The dealer is so consumed by his lust for money that he feels nothing else, and his pride governs his every move.

Line by Line Meaning

As the evening sun goes down
As the day turns into evening

The dealer shuffles into town
The shady dealer arrives in town

Makes a note of what's a float
He takes stock of what's available to sell

And spinning 'round, he'll cut your throat
He's violent and will do whatever it takes to get his way

In the time it takes to heal
Very quickly

The dealer's made another deal
He's already completed another transaction

When he plays, he plays for keeps
He's in it to win it, no matter the cost

And sweeps the spinning roulette wheel
He wins at games of chance

Dealer, Dealer
The chorus/ catchphrase of the song

Like the mighty ocean's roar, he gets his share and more
He takes what he wants and then some

Evil to the core and proud
He knows he's bad and doesn't care