Santeria (song)
Encyclopedia
"Santeria" is a song by Sublime
on the album Sublime
. The song includes the bassline and guitar riff from Sublime's
earlier song "Lincoln Highway Dub" off the album Robbin' the Hood
. The word Santería
refers to the religion practiced originally in Cuba in which Yoruba deities are identified with Roman Catholic saints.
, Bradley Nowell
, refers to the man as "sancho" and his ex-girlfriend as "heina." In Mexico, a man who steals another man's girlfriend is often referred to as "el Sancho" and a man's woman or girlfriend is referred to as "heina."
, who makes a cameo via stock footage. The video was a visualization of the story told in the song in the form of a Western
, and featured Donald Faison
and Tom Lister, Jr.
as Sancho. During the video, you see his beloved Lou Dog along with the other members of Sublime
remembering him. "Santeria" was a moderate U.S. crossover hit in the spring of 1997, cracking the Top 5 on Billboard
s Modern Rock Tracks
chart as well as reaching #43 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. It is also a playable track on the 2008 video game Guitar Hero World Tour
.
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
on the album Sublime
Sublime (album)
Sublime is the third and final album released by ska-punk band Sublime. Originally intended to be titled Killin' It, the band and record label agreed to substitute an eponymous title due to lead singer Bradley Nowell's death prior to the album's release...
. The song includes the bassline and guitar riff from Sublime's
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
earlier song "Lincoln Highway Dub" off the album Robbin' the Hood
Robbin' the Hood
Robbin' the Hood is the second album by the Southern California ska punk band Sublime, which was released in 1994.- Context and production values :...
. The word Santería
Santería
Santería is a syncretic religion of West African and Caribbean origin influenced by Roman Catholic Christianity, also known as Regla de Ocha, La Regla Lucumi, or Lukumi. Its liturgical language, a dialect of Yoruba, is also known as Lucumi....
refers to the religion practiced originally in Cuba in which Yoruba deities are identified with Roman Catholic saints.
Context
This song tells the story of a jealous ex-boyfriend who is planning to take revenge on the man who stole his girlfriend. The man mentions using violent force as he speaks of "pop a cap in Sancho" and "put that barrel straight down Sancho's throat". The lead singer of SublimeSublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
, Bradley Nowell
Bradley Nowell
Bradley James Nowell was an American musician who served as lead singer and guitarist of the Californian band Sublime. He died at the age of 28 from a heroin overdose shortly before the release of Sublime's self-titled major label debut.Raised in Long Beach, California, Nowell developed an...
, refers to the man as "sancho" and his ex-girlfriend as "heina." In Mexico, a man who steals another man's girlfriend is often referred to as "el Sancho" and a man's woman or girlfriend is referred to as "heina."
Media
A music video was filmed in 1997 after the death of lead singer Bradley NowellBradley Nowell
Bradley James Nowell was an American musician who served as lead singer and guitarist of the Californian band Sublime. He died at the age of 28 from a heroin overdose shortly before the release of Sublime's self-titled major label debut.Raised in Long Beach, California, Nowell developed an...
, who makes a cameo via stock footage. The video was a visualization of the story told in the song in the form of a Western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
, and featured Donald Faison
Donald Faison
Donald Adeosun Faison is an American actor, comedian, and voice actor best known for his role as Dr. Chris Turk in the ABC comedy-drama Scrubs and as Murray in the film Clueless and the subsequent television series of the same name.Faison has also co-starred in the films Remember the Titans ,...
and Tom Lister, Jr.
Tom Lister, Jr.
-World Wrestling Federation :Lister appeared in the 1989 wrestling movie No Holds Barred, which was financed by the World Wrestling Federation and starred Hulk Hogan. Lister's role was Zeus, a brutal monster heel....
as Sancho. During the video, you see his beloved Lou Dog along with the other members of Sublime
Sublime (band)
Sublime was an American ska punk band from Long Beach, California, formed in 1988. The band's line-up, unchanged until their breakup, consisted of Bradley Nowell , Eric Wilson and Bud Gaugh . Michael "Miguel" Happoldt also contributed on a few Sublime songs, such as "New Thrash." Lou Dog, Nowell's...
remembering him. "Santeria" was a moderate U.S. crossover hit in the spring of 1997, cracking the Top 5 on Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
s Modern Rock Tracks
Modern Rock Tracks
Alternative Songs is a music chart in the United States that has appeared in Billboard magazine since September 10, 1988. It lists the 40 most-played songs on modern rock radio stations, most of which are alternative rock songs...
chart as well as reaching #43 on the Hot 100 Airplay chart. It is also a playable track on the 2008 video game Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero World Tour is a music video game developed by Neversoft and published by RedOctane and Activision. It is the fourth main entry in the Guitar Hero series...
.
Covers
Santeria was covered by:- Aimee AllenAimee AllenAimee Allen is an American pop/rock singer/songwriter based in Los Angeles, California. She is known for her work on the dance song "Cooties" made for the soundtrack of the 2007 version of the movie Hairspray...
(pop-rock artist) on her 2009 album A Little HappinessA Little HappinessA Little Happiness is the second studio album and the first album to be released from American pop/rock singer-songwriter Aimee Allen, released on July 21, 2009 by Side Tracked Records. The album generated one hit single, "On Vacation" . "Calling the Maker" is featured on Tap Tap Revenge 3.-Track... - SpungeSpungeSpunge are a ska punk band from Tewkesbury, England...
(ska-punk band) on their second album, Room for AbuseRoom for AbuseRoom for Abuse is the second full-length album by the Tewkesbury ska punk band Spunge. It was released on 9 October 2000 on Sucka-Punch Records, and recorded at DEP International Studios, Birmingham ....