Date: 4/7/2011
Post: 2,041
"Shambala" is a song written by songwriter Daniel Moore. In 1973, versions by two different artists appeared in the Billboard Hot 100.
The first version of "Shambala" was recorded by Texan singer-songwriter B. W. Stevenson. The single of this version hit the Billboard charts on May 12, 1973 and peaked at number 66 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.
One week after Stevenson's version debuted on the Hot 100, rock band Three Dog Night's version also debuted on the Hot 100, reaching the number 3 position in both the pop singles and adult contemporary categories.
That same year, it also appeared on Cyan, Three Dog Night's tenth album. This and other Three Dog Night versions have subsequently appeared on numerous anthologies, both those solely of that band's work and those featuring the work of other artists as well.
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."
The song is about the mythical 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:
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 helpful, everyone is kind
On the road to Shambala
Everyone is lucky, 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 for the spiritual path one might follow.
Here is a YouTube video of Three Dog Night performing their hit song, "Shambala".....
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