Put Your Lights On

1999 single by Santana

"Put Your Lights On"

Single by Santana featuring Everlast

from the album Supernatural

B-side

"Maria Maria"
"El farol"

Written

February 1998

Released

August 24, 1999 (1999-08-24)^[1]

Length

4:45 (album version)
4:05 (radio edit)

Label

Arista

Songwriter(s)

Erik Schrody

Producer(s)

Dante Ross
John Gamble

Santana singles chronology

"Smooth"
(1999)

"Put Your Lights On"
(1999)

"Maria Maria"
(1999)

Everlast singles chronology

"So Long"
(1999)

"Put Your Lights On"
(1999)

"Black Jesus"
(2000)

"Put Your Lights On" is a song by American rock band Santana and American musician Everlast from Santana's 18th studio album, Supernatural (1999). Serviced to US rock radio in August 1999, the song peaked at number 18 on the Billboard Bubbling Under Hot 100 and number eight on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Put Your Lights On" won a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 42nd Annual Grammy Awards.^[2]

Background

Everlast wrote the song while recovering from a major heart attack that he had suffered in February 1998 (directly after he completed recording his second solo album, Whitey Ford Sings the Blues). He has referred to it as "one of the most personal songs I ever wrote", stating that the song was "kind of all about hope, but it's coming from a really dark place you know, so... and really questioning a lot of your beliefs, and affirming, you know, stuff in your soul."^[3] Everlast converted to Islam in 1996, and the end of the song contains the words "La ilaha illa Allah", ("There is no God but God" in Arabic), the first part of the Shahada, the Islamic profession of faith.

Santana called Everlast in 1998, asking him if he could contribute a song for Supernatural, and Everlast suggested "Put Your Lights On". According to Everlast, Santana loved the song, and "from then on everything went very fast." Everlast has stated that he was unsure whether to include the Arabic-language portion in the recorded song, because "I did not want to sell Allah's words", but that Santana insisted that they be included.^[4]

Track listings

Australian CD single^[5]

"Put Your Lights On" (featuring Everlast) – 4:10
"Smooth" (remix featuring Rob Thomas) – 3:53
"Maria Maria" (radio mix featuring the Product G&B) – 4:25

UK CD single^[6]

"Put Your Lights On" (radio edit featuring Everlast) – 4:03
"Maria Maria" (Spanish-English version featuring the Product G&B) – 4:15
"El farol" (album version) – 4:59

European CD single^[7]

"Put Your Lights On" (radio edit featuring Everlast) – 4:03
"Maria Maria" (Spanish-English version featuring the Product G&B) – 4:15

German maxi-CD single^[8]

"Put Your Lights On" (radio edit featuring Everlast) – 4:03
"Put Your Lights On" (album version featuring Everlast) – 4:47
"Maria Maria" (Spanish-English version featuring the Product G&B) – 4:15
"El farol" (album version) – 4:59

Credits and personnel

Credits are taken from the German maxi-CD single liner notes and the Supernatural album booklet.^[8]^[9]

Studios

Engineered at Fantasy Studios (Berkeley, California) and South Beach Studios (Miami Beach, Florida)
Mixed at South Beach Studios (Miami Beach, Florida)
Mastered at Sterling Sound (New York City)

Personnel

Everlast – writing (as Erik Schrody), lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Carlos Santana – lead guitar, congas, percussion
Benny Rietveld – bass
Chester Thompson – keyboards
Dante Ross – production, programming
John Gamble – production, programming, engineering
Tom Lord-Alge – mixing
Femio Hernandez – mixing assistance
Steve Fontano – engineering
Steve Farrone – engineering
Mike Anderson – engineering assistance

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (1999–2000)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[10]	32
Belgium (Ultratip Bubbling Under Wallonia)^[11]	11
Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[12]	35
Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)^[13]	59
Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)^[14]	5
Germany (Official German Charts)^[15]	92
Hungary (Mahasz)^[16]	5
Poland (Music & Media)^[17]	12
Poland (Polish Airplay Charts)^[18]	7
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[19]	87
UK Singles (OCC)^[20]	88
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)^[21]	18
US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)^[22]	4
US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)^[23]	17
US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)^[24]	8

Year-end charts

Chart (1999)	Position
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[25]	75
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[26]	97

Chart (2000)	Position
US Mainstream Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[27]	32
US Modern Rock Tracks (Billboard)^[28]	92
US Triple-A (Billboard)^[29]	16

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label	Ref.
United States	August 24, 1999	Active rock alternative radio	Arista	^[1]
United States	May 23, 2000	Contemporary hit radio		^[30]
Sweden	October 30, 2000	CD		^[31]
United Kingdom	November 6, 2000			^[32]
Germany	November 27, 2000			^[15]

References

^ ^a ^b "Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1313. August 20, 1999. pp. 100, 169.
^ "Winners: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal". Grammy.com. Retrieved November 21, 2018.
^ "Everlast Talks About 'Put Your Lights On'". July 12, 2008. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021 – via YouTube.
^ 2001 Everlast interview with the Association for New German Muslims
^ Put Your Lights On (Australian CD single liner notes). Santana. Arista Records. 2000. 74321743812.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Put Your Lights On (UK CD single liner notes). Santana. Arista Records. 2000. 74321 808582.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Put Your Lights On (European CD single liner notes). Santana. Arista Records. 2000. 74321 76925 2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ ^a ^b Put Your Lights On (German maxi-CD single liner notes). Santana. Arista Records. 2000. 74321-76924-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ Supernatural (US CD album booklet). Santana. Arista Records. 1999. 07822-19080-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^ "Santana feat. Everlast – Put Your Lights On". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Santana feat. Everlast – Put Your Lights On" (in French). Ultratip. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 10000." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 9705." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 9689." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ ^a ^b "Santana feat. Everlast – Put Your Lights On" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Top National Sellers" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 48. November 25, 2000. p. 17. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
^ "Major Market Airplay – Week 46/2000" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 17, no. 46. November 11, 2000. p. 33. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "Polish Airplay Charts – Lista krajowa 44/2000" (in Polish). PiF PaF Production. Archived from the original on March 5, 2001. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
^ "Santana feat. Everlast – Put Your Lights On". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Santana Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Santana Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Santana Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Santana Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
^ "Most Played Mainstream Rock Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 35.
^ "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 1999". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 7, no. 52. December 24, 1999. p. 36.
^ "The Year in Music 2000: Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks". Billboard. Vol. 112, no. 53. December 30, 2000. p. YE-87.
^ "Most Played Modern Rock Songs of 2000". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 38.
^ "The Best of 2000: Most Played Triple-A Songs". Airplay Monitor. Vol. 8, no. 51. December 22, 2000. p. 44.
^ "CHR/Pop: Going for Adds". Radio & Records. No. 1351. May 18, 2000. p. 48.
^ "Santana: Put Your Lights On". click2music.se (in Swedish). Archived from the original on January 11, 2001. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
^ "New Releases – For Week Starting November 6, 2000: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. November 4, 2000. p. 29. Retrieved August 7, 2021.

External links

Santana fan site with info about the song at www.UltimateSantana.com

Santana

Carlos Santana
Andy Vargas
Benny Rietveld
David K Mathews
Karl Perazzo
Paoli Mejías
Ray Greene
Tommy Anthony
Cindy Blackman Santana

Studio albums

Santana (1969)
Abraxas (1970)
Santana III (1971)
Caravanserai (1972)
Welcome (1973)
Borboletta (1974)
Amigos (1976)
Festival (1977)
Moonflower (1977)
Inner Secrets (1978)
Marathon (1979)
Zebop! (1981)
Shangó (1982)
Beyond Appearances (1985)
Freedom (1987)
Spirits Dancing in the Flesh (1990)
Milagro (1992)
Supernatural (1999)
Shaman (2002)
All That I Am (2005)
Guitar Heaven (2010)
Shape Shifter (2012)
Corazón (2014)
Santana IV (2016)
Power of Peace (2017)
Africa Speaks (2019)
Blessings and Miracles (2021)

Live albums

Lotus (1974)
Moonflower (1977)
Sacred Fire: Live in South America (1993)
Live at the Fillmore 1968 (1997)
The Very Best of Santana – Live in 1968 (2007)
The Woodstock Experience (2009)

Compilations

Santana's Greatest Hits (1974)
The Very Best of Santana (1981)
Viva Santana! (1988)
The Best of Santana (1991)
The Definitive Collection (1992)
Dance of the Rainbow Serpent (1995)
The Ultimate Collection (1997)
Best Instrumentals Vol. 2 (1999)
The Best of Santana Vol. 2 (2000)
The Essential Santana (2002)
Ceremony: Remixes & Rarities (2003)
Love Songs (2004)
Ultimate Santana (2007)
Multi-Dimensional Warrior (2008)

Extended plays

In Search of Mona Lisa (2019)

Singles

"Jin-go-lo-ba" (1969)
"Evil Ways" (1969)
"Black Magic Woman" (1970)
"Oye Como Va" (1971)
"No One to Depend On" (1972)
"Samba Pa Ti" (1973)
"Europa (Earth's Cry Heaven's Smile)" (1976)
"She's Not There" (1977)
"You Know That I Love You" (1979)
"Winning" (1981)
"I Love You Much Too Much" (1981)
"Hold On" (1982)
"Gypsy Woman" (1990)
"Smooth" (1999)
"Put Your Lights On" (1999)
"Maria Maria" (1999)
"Corazón Espinado" (2000)
"The Game of Love" (2002)
"Nothing at All" (2003)
"Feels Like Fire" (2003)
"Sideways" (2003)
"Why Don't You & I" (2003)
"I'm Feeling You" (2005)
"Just Feel Better" (2005)
"Cry Baby Cry" (2005)
"No Llores"
"Into the Night" (2005)
"This Boy's Fire" (2008)
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (2010)
"Photograph" (2010)
"Fortunate Son" (2010)
"Under the Bridge" (2010)
"Dance the Night Away" (2010)
"Sunshine of Your Love" (2011)

Other songs

"Soul Sacrifice" (1969)

Live
performances

Carlos Santana
solo albums

Studio	Love Devotion Surrender Illuminations Oneness: Silver Dreams Golden Realities The Swing of Delight Havana Moon Blues for Salvador Santana Brothers
Live	Carlos Santana & Buddy Miles! Live! Carlos Santana Live Live at the Montreux Jazz Festival 1988

Category

v t e Everlast
Discography
Studio albums	Forever Everlasting (1990) Whitey Ford Sings the Blues (1998) Eat at Whitey's (2000) White Trash Beautiful (2004) Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford (2008) Songs of the Ungrateful Living (2011) Whitey Ford's House of Pain (2018)
EPs	Today (1999)
Compilation albums	Shamrocks & Shenanigans (2004) The Life Acoustic (2013)
Singles	"What It's Like" "Ends" "So Long" "Put Your Lights On" "Black Jesus"
Related articles	House of Pain La Coka Nostra

v t e Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal
1970s	"Heartache Tonight" – Eagles (1979)
1980s	Against the Wind – Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (1980) "Don't Stand So Close to Me" – The Police (1981) "Eye of the Tiger" – Survivor (1982) Synchronicity – The Police (1983) "Purple Rain" – Prince and the Revolution (1984) "Money for Nothing" – Dire Straits (1985) "Missionary Man" – Eurythmics (1986) The Joshua Tree – U2 (1987) "Desire" – U2 (1988) "Traveling Wilburys Vol. 1" – Traveling Wilburys (1989)
1990s	"Janie's Got a Gun" – Aerosmith (1990) "Good Man, Good Woman" – Bonnie Raitt and Delbert McClinton (1991) "Achtung Baby" – U2 (1992) "Livin' on the Edge" – Aerosmith (1993) "Crazy" – Aerosmith (1994) "Run-Around" – Blues Traveler (1995) "So Much to Say" – Dave Matthews Band (1996) "One Headlight" – The Wallflowers (1997) "Pink" – Aerosmith (1998) "Put Your Lights On" – Everlast and Santana (1999)
2000s	"Beautiful Day" – U2 (2000) "Elevation" – U2 (2001) "In My Place" – Coldplay (2002) "Disorder in the House" – Bruce Springsteen and Warren Zevon (2003) "Vertigo" – U2 (2004) "Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own" – U2 (2005) "Dani California" – Red Hot Chili Peppers (2006) "Icky Thump" – The White Stripes (2007) "Sex on Fire" – Kings of Leon (2008) "Use Somebody" – Kings of Leon (2009)
2010s	"Tighten Up" – The Black Keys (2010)