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Production Credits:
Shadrach
Click for Lyrics
First Appearance: Paul's Boutique LP, July 1989
Written by: Beastie Boys & Dust Brothers
Performed by: Beastie Boys
Production Notes: Produced by Beastie Boys & Dust Brothers. Recorded at Mario G's, mixed at Record Plant. Engineered by Mario Caldato, assisted by Allen Abrahamson. Originally released on Capitol Records.
Behind the Beats and Lyrics...
Samples:
- "Do Your Dance" by Rose Royce - Car Wash soundtrack by Rose Royce
- "Loose Booty" by Sly & the Family Stone - Small Talk by Sly & the Family Stone
- "Hot and Nasty" by Black Oak Arkansas - Black Oak Arkansas by Black Oak Arkansas
- "Never Let 'Em Say" by Ballin' Jack - Ballin' Jack by Ballin' Jack
- "King Tim III" by Fatback Band - Fattest of Fatback by the Fatback Band
- "It's the Joint" by Funky 4+1 - Tommy Boy's Greatest Hits Vol. 2 by Various Artists
- "Good to Go" by Trouble Funk - Droppin' Bombs: the Difinitive Trouble Funk by Trouble Funk
- "The Funky Drummer" by James Brown - 70's Funk Classics by James Brown
- "Sugarhill Groove" by The Sugarhill Gang - Sugarhill Gang by the Sugarhill Gang
References:
- Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - biblical characters
- AC/DC song - For Those About to Rock We Salute You
- Amazing Grace - hymn
- Putney Swope - 60's film
- Adidas - one of the leading manufacturers of sports apparel
- Jacoby & Myers - law firm
- Goodyear tires - namebrand automobile tires
- Atlantic Antic - Brooklyn's oldest street fair
- Rambo - Sylvester Stallone action film and character
- Robin Hood - a legendary midieval outlaw of England who lived in Sherwood Forest
- JD Salinger [1919-] - American novelist and short story writer, author of "Catcher in the Rye"
- Charles Dickens [1812-1870] - English novelist, author of "A Christmas Carol"
- Colonel Sanders - businessman and founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken
- Harry S. Truman [1884-1972] - 33rd president of the United States
- Alfred E. Newman - gap-toothed Mad magazine character
- Jimmy Swaggert - televangelist, cousin of Jerry Lee Lewis
- Jerry Falwell [1933-] - Fundametalist preacher
- Jerry Lee Lewis [1935-] - Rock musician known for his flamboyant, slamming piano playing and controversial personal life
- Jerry Lee Swaggert & Jerry Lee Falwell - nameplay of Jerry Lee Louis & Jimmy Swaggert, who are cousins
- Mario Andretti [1940-] - auto racer and 4-time USAC-CART national champion
Sample & Reference Breakdown:
- Intro sample with the bass drum & clapping sample: "Do Your Dance" by Rose Royce
- Main sample: "Loose Booty" by Sly & the Family Stone
- Drums & bass samples: "Hot and Nasty" by Black Oak Arkansas
- "For those about to rock, we salute you" references an AC/DC song
- "I was once was lost but now I'm found" references the lyrics to the popular hymn "Amazing Grace"
- "Well who shall inherit the earth? The meek shall!" references the verse "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth" from Matthew 5:5 of the Bible
- "Stealin' from the rich and I'm out robbing banks/Givin' to the poor and I always give thanks" reference: Robin Hood robbed from the rich to relieve the poor
- "Got the girlies in the coop like the Colonel's got the chicken" is a reference to Colonel Sanders, founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken
- "Never gonna let 'em say that I don't love you" sample: "Never Let 'Em Say" by Ballin' Jack
- "We love the hot butter (say what?) the popcorn" sample: "King Tim III" the Fatback Band
- "Being very proud to be an emcee" sample: "It's the Joint" by Funky 4+1
- "Say what?" sample: "Good to Go" by Trouble Funk
- Ending drum beat sample: "Funky Drummer" by James Brown
Commentary:
Beastie Boys:
"One has to admit they (Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego) lived a somewhat hectic life" - Adam Horovitz in 1989, speaking of the trio who refused to worship a golden image and got thrown into a pit of fire, which they seemed to thrive in
"What happened was they didn't get paid by their former record company so they went to Capitol. The story has a good ending" - Adam Yauch, 1989
"Shadrach was one of the songs we did with them [the Dust Brothers]" - Adam Horovitz, 1999
Press & Print Media:
"In the catchy, Sly Stone-based Shadrach, this would-be terrible trio compares itself to biblical heroes Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego." - Rolling Stone, 1989
"...a tale derived from the Biblical story of Shadach, Meshach and Abednego, the group makes an attempt at a mythologized autobiography" - excerpted from Rhyming & Stealing: A History of the Beastie Boys by Angus Batey, 1998
"...based on the biblical tale of Shadrach, Meshach and Adebnego, who were orderd by King Nebuchanezzar to renounce their faith or be thrown into a fiery pit. When the three were tossed into the flames and continued walking, the King forgave them -- a story that the Beasties were keen to compare to their own situation with Def Jam" - Record Collector, December 1998
"The Beasties have never sounded as slick, sexy and dynamic as on the Bible-quoting blaxplotation funkerama 'Shadrach'" - New Musical Express, 1999
Live:
Performed in 29 known Concerts.
First known Performance:
27-Jan-1990 : , Hollywood, United States
Last known Performance:
05-May-1999 : National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham, England
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