Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CXI--Three Dog Night: Shambala

For those not familiar (and God knows I wasn't before I did my weekly half-assed research), Shambala--actually Shambhala--is a mythical kingdom supposedly located in or around the Himalayas which, when all is lost, will rise and destroy the Dark Forces after which we will all live in harmony.  And with the darkness that is Donald Trump and republican majorities in the House and Senate, one supposes the armies of Shambhala will be on their way any day now....

Three Dog Night had a hell of a run from 1969 to 1975--they had 21 top forty singles on the Billboard charts, three of which went to #1.   And yet when I was reading about their history I can't say I was the slightest bit surprised they weren't Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees.  Not that they were a bad band--I know every song of theirs that made the top 40 (and thoroughly love many of them) but they were another in a long line of great singles bands from the 70's (Bachman Turner Overdrive, Electric Light Orchestra, The Spinners) who lit up the radio with their hits and then faded into obscurity.  Nothing wrong with that--the rock and roll pantheon is filled with great songs by one hit wonders and bands that have been all but forgotten.

Three Dog Night is still performing to this day, but have only released one studio album since 1975 (in 1983).  They are also known for introducing America to a number of previously unknown songwriters (many of whom went on to great success themselves) including Hoyt Axton, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman, Harry Nilsson, and Leo Sayer.

Fun fact:  Three Dog Night is named for an Australian aborigine custom.  When it was cold, they would wrap themselves in one dog while they slept.  When it got colder, it would be two dogs.  On the most freezing of night, it would be three (a three dog night).  Fun!

"Shambala" was released as a single in 1973 and later appeared on their Cyan album (as was often done back in the day).  It would reach #3 (with a bullet!)--had it hit #1 it would have brought a rarity for the charts:  they would have had a #1 single in four consecutive years.  Alas, it wasn't to be, though the song is considered one of Three Dog Night's better ones, and certainly one of the best of their latter years.  In a nutshell, it's gospel pop--regular readers (all three of you) will recall I have a bit of penchant for such (Al Green's "Take Me to the River," Rod Stewart's version of "Amazing Grace") and let me tell you, if there is a heaven and they play this one in regular rotation, I might stick around a while.  It's got a little guitar, a little piano, some wonderful gravelly and righteous vocals from the late Corey Wells, lots of "oo-oohs" and "yeah, yeah, yeahs" in the bitchin' backing vocals, and to be perfectly honest, in this time of utter existential dread, it's just got a feel good vibe of better places and better times for these days, when even the slightest sliver of hope is most welcome.  How does the light shine, indeed.

Liner note:  "Everyone is lucky, everyone is so kind/On the road to Shambala..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee