Shambala (song)
Encyclopedia
"Shambala" is a song
written by Daniel Moore
and made famous by Three Dog Night
whose cover reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100
.
band Three Dog Night
appeared in 1973 on the Hot 100, reaching #3 in both the pop singles
and adult contemporary categories. The song appeared on Cyan, Three Dog Night's ninth album
, and it subsequently appeared on numerous anthologies
and compilation albums.
Although the lyrics of "Shambala" draw on a theme
from Eastern mysticism
, Allmusic notes the "very strong gospel
feeling" of the album Cyan is most evident on this song. This comment may be based on both the instrumentation, including the characteristic gospel keyboard
organ
sounds that accompany the chorus, and the bluesy vocals of Cory Wells
. Allmusic calls this hit single "one of the group's finest later period records."
singer-songwriter
B. W. Stevenson had also reached the charts, peaking at #66 on the Hot 100 during its eight-week run. This lesser-known version is often regarded as country pop
or country rock
and appears on collections of such. The twang
of Stevenson's steel-string acoustic guitar
, his Southern accent
and an American folk music
sound all distinguish it from the better-known version soon to follow. In South Africa, Stevenson's version actually charted higher, peaking at #8, compared with Three Dog Night's #13.
ical kingdom
of Shambala
, said to be hidden somewhere within or beyond the peaks of the Himalayas
and mentioned in various ancient texts including the Kalachakra Tantra
and ancient texts of Tibetan Buddhism
.
The lyrics refer to a situation where kindness
and cooperation
are universal, joy
and good fortune
abound, and psychological burdens are lifted:
While the lyrics include the refrain "in the halls of Shambala", much of the song actually refers to "the road to Shambala", perhaps alluding to the idea of Shambala not as a physical place but as a metaphor
for the spiritual path one might follow.
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
written by Daniel Moore
Daniel Moore (Musician)
Daniel Moore is an American musician, singer and songwriter.He co-wrote the song "My Maria" with B. W. Stevenson. Recorded by the latter, the song was a pop hit in 1973. Moore also wrote the song "Shambala", a song which was a hit for both B. W. Stevenson and Three Dog Night that same year...
and made famous by Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
whose cover reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
.
Three Dog Night
The well-known cover of this song by the rockRock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
appeared in 1973 on the Hot 100, reaching #3 in both the pop singles
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
and adult contemporary categories. The song appeared on Cyan, Three Dog Night's ninth album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, and it subsequently appeared on numerous anthologies
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
and compilation albums.
Although the lyrics of "Shambala" draw on a theme
Theme (music)
In music, a theme is the material, usually a recognizable melody, upon which part or all of a composition is based.-Characteristics:A theme may be perceivable as a complete musical expression in itself, separate from the work in which it is found . In contrast to an idea or motif, a theme is...
from Eastern mysticism
Eastern mysticism
Eastern mysticism or Eastern spirituality is a broad and largely Western concept summarizing and sometimes amalgamating mystic traditions of the Middle East, the Indian Subcontinent and the Far East, a separate realm from Western mysticism...
, Allmusic notes the "very strong gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
feeling" of the album Cyan is most evident on this song. This comment may be based on both the instrumentation, including the characteristic gospel keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
sounds that accompany the chorus, and the bluesy vocals of Cory Wells
Cory Wells
Cory Wells is an American singer, best known as one of the three lead vocalists in the band Three Dog Night.-Life and career:...
. Allmusic calls this hit single "one of the group's finest later period records."
B.W. Stevenson
Two versions of this song were released almost simultaneously in 1973. One week before Three Dog Night's version appeared on the charts, another cover recorded by TexanTexas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
B. W. Stevenson had also reached the charts, peaking at #66 on the Hot 100 during its eight-week run. This lesser-known version is often regarded as country pop
Country pop
Country pop, with roots in both the countrypolitan sound and in soft rock, is a subgenre of country music that first emerged in the 1970s. Although the term first referred to country music songs and artists that crossed over to Top 40 radio, country pop acts are now more likely to cross over to...
or country rock
Country rock
Country rock is sub-genre of popular music, formed from the fusion of rock with country. The term is generally used to refer to the wave of rock musicians who began to record country-flavored records in the late 1960s and early 1970s, beginning with Bob Dylan and The Byrds; reaching its greatest...
and appears on collections of such. The twang
Twang
An old onomatopoeia for the sound of a vibrating string - for instance of a bow or a musical instrument, or the sound of a vibrating spring of an air gun....
of Stevenson's steel-string acoustic guitar
Steel-string acoustic guitar
A steel-string acoustic guitar is a modern form of guitar descended from the classical guitar, but strung with steel strings for a brighter, louder sound...
, his Southern accent
Southern American English
Southern American English is a group of dialects of the English language spoken throughout the Southern region of the United States, from Southern and Eastern Maryland, West Virginia and Kentucky to the Gulf Coast, and from the Atlantic coast to most of Texas and Oklahoma.The Southern dialects make...
and an American folk music
American folk music
American folk music is a musical term that encompasses numerous genres, many of which are known as traditional music or roots music. Roots music is a broad category of music including bluegrass, country music, gospel, old time music, jug bands, Appalachian folk, blues, Cajun and Native American...
sound all distinguish it from the better-known version soon to follow. In South Africa, Stevenson's version actually charted higher, peaking at #8, compared with Three Dog Night's #13.
Lyrics
The song is about the mythMythology
The term mythology can refer either to the study of myths, or to a body or collection of myths. As examples, comparative mythology is the study of connections between myths from different cultures, whereas Greek mythology is the body of myths from ancient Greece...
ical kingdom
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
of Shambala
Shambhala
In Tibetan Buddhist tradition, Shambhala or Shangri-la is a mythical kingdom hidden somewhere in Inner Asia...
, said to be hidden somewhere within or beyond the peaks of the Himalayas
Himalayas
The Himalaya Range or Himalaya Mountains Sanskrit: Devanagari: हिमालय, literally "abode of snow"), usually called the Himalayas or Himalaya for short, is a mountain range in Asia, separating the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau...
and mentioned in various ancient texts including the Kalachakra Tantra
Kalachakra
Kalachakra is a Sanskrit term used in Tantric Buddhism that literally means "time-wheel" or "time-cycles".The spelling Kalacakra is also correct....
and ancient texts of Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism
Tibetan Buddhism is the body of Buddhist religious doctrine and institutions characteristic of Tibet and certain regions of the Himalayas, including northern Nepal, Bhutan, and India . It is the state religion of Bhutan...
.
The lyrics refer to a situation where kindness
Kindness
Kindness is the act or the state of being kind, being marked by good and charitable behaviour, pleasant disposition, and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions ....
and cooperation
Cooperation
Cooperation or co-operation is the process of working or acting together. In its simplest form it involves things working in harmony, side by side, while in its more complicated forms, it can involve something as complex as the inner workings of a human being or even the social patterns of a...
are universal, joy
Happiness
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. A variety of biological, psychological, religious, and philosophical approaches have striven to define happiness and identify its sources....
and good fortune
Luck
Luck or fortuity is good fortune which occurs beyond one's control, without regard to one's will, intention, or desired result. There are at least two senses people usually mean when they use the term, the prescriptive sense and the descriptive sense...
abound, and psychological burdens are lifted:
Wash away my troubles, wash away my pain
With the rain in Shambala
Wash away my sorrow, wash away my shame
With the rain in Shambala [...]
Everyone is lucky, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is happy, everyone is so kind
On the road to Shambala [...]
How does your light shine, in the halls of Shambala?
While the lyrics include the refrain "in the halls of Shambala", much of the song actually refers to "the road to Shambala", perhaps alluding to the idea of Shambala not as a physical place but as a metaphor
Metaphor
A metaphor is a literary figure of speech that uses an image, story or tangible thing to represent a less tangible thing or some intangible quality or idea; e.g., "Her eyes were glistening jewels." Metaphor may also be used for any rhetorical figures of speech that achieve their effects via...
for the spiritual path one might follow.
Film and television use
This song has proven a popular accompaniment to film and television and has appeared in the following:- Buck Rogers in the 25th CenturyBuck Rogers in the 25th Century (TV series)Buck Rogers in the 25th Century is an American science fiction adventure television series produced by Universal Studios. The series ran for two seasons between 1979–1981, and the feature-length pilot episode for the series was released as a theatrical film several months before the series aired....
(1979) - Gotti (1996)
- Slums of Beverly HillsSlums of Beverly HillsThe Slums of Beverly Hills is a 1998 motion picture, written and directed by Tamara Jenkins. Its hero is a teenage girl struggling to grow up in a lower-middle-class family that moves every few months in the late 1970s....
(1998) - Drowning MonaDrowning MonaDrowning Mona is a 2000 comedy-mystery film starring Danny DeVito as Wyatt Rash, a local police chief from Verplanck, New York, who investigates the mysterious death of Mona Dearly, a spiteful, loud-mouthed, cruel and highly unpopular woman, who drove her son's car off a cliff and drowned in a...
(2000) - Joe DirtJoe DirtJoe Dirt is a 2001 American comedy film starring David Spade, Dennis Miller, Christopher Walken, Brian Thompson, Brittany Daniel, Jaime Pressly, Erik Per Sullivan, Adam Beach and Kid Rock. The film was written by Spade and Fred Wolf.-Plot:...
(2001) - MadisonMadison (film)Madison is a semi-fictional 2001 film about APBA hydroplane racing in the 1970s. It stars James Caviezel as a driver who comes out of retirement to lead the Madison, Indiana community-owned racing team.-Background:...
(2001) - Witchblade (TV series)Witchblade (TV series)Following a pilot film in August 2000, the cable network TNT premiered a Witchblade television series based on the Witchblade Top Cow Productions comic book series in 2001. Some of the episodes were written by Ralph Hemecker, Marc Silvestri and J.D...
(2001, 2002) - The TripThe Trip (2002 film)The Trip is a 2002 epic gay romance that traces the relationship between two men from their initial meeting in 1973 until 1984.-Plot synopsis:...
(2002) - Lords Of DogtownLords of DogtownLords of Dogtown is a 2005 biographical film directed by Catherine Hardwicke, written by Stacy Peralta. The film is based on the story of "The Z-Boys", an influential group of skateboarders who revolutionized the sport...
(2005) - The Devil's RejectsThe Devil's RejectsThe Devil's Rejects is a 2005 American horror film written and directed by Rob Zombie, and the sequel to his 2003 film House of 1000 Corpses. The film is about the family of psychopathic killers from the previous film now on the run...
(2005) - LostLost (TV series)Lost is an American television series that originally aired on ABC from September 22, 2004 to May 23, 2010, consisting of six seasons. Lost is a drama series that follows the survivors of the crash of a commercial passenger jet flying between Sydney and Los Angeles, on a mysterious tropical island...
(2007) Several episodes such as Tricia Tanaka Is DeadTricia Tanaka Is Dead"Tricia Tanaka Is Dead" is an episode of ABC's Lost, the tenth of the show's third season and 59th episode overall. The episode was written by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz and directed by Eric Laneuville...
and The Man Behind the CurtainThe Man Behind the Curtain"The Man Behind the Curtain" is the 20th episode of the 3rd season of Lost, and the 69th episode overall. It was first aired on May 9, 2007 on ABC. The episode was directed by Bobby Roth and written by Elizabeth Sarnoff and Drew Goddard.... - SupernaturalSupernatural (TV series)Supernatural is an American supernatural and horror television series created by Eric Kripke, which debuted on September 13, 2005 on The WB, and is now part of The CW's lineup. Starring Jared Padalecki as Sam Winchester and Jensen Ackles as Dean Winchester, the series follows the brothers as they...
(2007) - JourneymanJourneyman (TV series)Journeyman is a 2007 American science fiction television drama created by Kevin Falls for 20th Century Fox Television which aired on the NBC television network. It starred Kevin McKidd as Dan Vasser, a San Francisco reporter who involuntarily travels through time...
(2007) - Criminal MindsCriminal MindsCriminal Minds is an American police procedural drama that premiered September 22, 2005, on CBS. The series follows a team of profilers from the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit based in Quantico, Virginia. The BAU is part of the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime...
(2008) - Patrik, Age 1.5 (2008)
Other versions
- Despite having two successful incarnations in the same year (one of which has remained a classic rockClassic rockClassic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
standard), few other artists have covered "Shambala". The cover recorded by RockapellaRockapellaRockapella is an American a cappella musical group formed in 1986 in New York City. Their name is derived from the words "rock" and "a cappella". They sing original vocal music and a cappella covers of pop and rock songs; over time, their sound has evolved from high-energy pop and world music...
may be the most notable post-1973 version. South African musician Dr VictorDr VictorVictor Khojane, better known as Dr Victor or Dr Vic, is a South African reggae and rhythm'n'blues musician. Together with his band Dr Victor and the Rasta Rebels, Dr Victor is extremely popular in South Africa and has also occasionally achieved popularity abroad.-Biography:Khojane began playing...
recorded a dance version of "Shambala" that was a worldwide hit in 1994.. The Skeptics also recorded a power pop version of the song on their 1994 CD, Be Satisfied. Country superstar Toby KeithToby KeithToby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...
issued a live recording of "Shambala" as a bonus track on the deluxe version of his 2011 album Clancy's TavernClancy's Tavern-Critical Response:The album received a positive critical reception. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of allmusic.com took note that when compared to Keith's previous album, Bullets in the Gun , Clancy's Tavern "pushes humor to the forefront and generally isn’t so insistent on driving the beat into arena...
. - There are several other songs with "Shambala" or "Shambhala" as or in the title that have no direct connection to the Daniel Moore composition described here. An example is the 1969 Alan HovhanessAlan HovhanessAlan Hovhaness was an Armenian-American composer.His music is accessible to the lay listener and often evokes a mood of mystery or contemplation...
concertoConcertoA concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
for violinViolinThe violin is a string instrument, usually with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is the smallest, highest-pitched member of the violin family of string instruments, which includes the viola and cello....
, sitarSitarThe 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
and orchestraOrchestraAn orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
named "Shambala".