Santa Esmeralda

Santa Esmeralda's debut dropped on Phillips Records in 1977, then on Casablanca Records for worldwide distribution; Hot Records reissued it on CD in 1994. Although the disc had originally been titled Santa Esmeralda Featuring Leroy Gomez, Casablanca renamed it to capitalize on the hit single "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." The old Animals classic covered an entire side of the original vinyl album; "Esmeralda Suite" was simply a reworking of the hit. Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood contains three other tracks: the dull ballad "You're My Everything"; an elongated remake of "Gloria" that's borderline disco; and the refreshing "Black Pot," a soulful number that uses Spanish guitars, flamenco percussion, and lead guitars to good effect. [Unidisc's 2006 reissue features alternate cover art and four bonus tracks.] ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide