The original lineup included three lead vocalists — Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells — along with Michael Allsup on guitar, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards Floyd Sneed on drums and Joe Schermie (from the Cory Wells Blues Band) on bass.
Three Dog Night recorded some tracks with Beach Boys producer, composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist Brian Wilson before signing with Dunhill Records and at the time went under the name Redwood. The band changed their name based on an article describing how Australian Aborigines slept with their dogs for warmth on cold nights, the coldest being a "three-dog night."
Intro
Three Dog Night Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They'll keep their sadly abused containers,
Are walking through with nothing.
Life in disguise is worthy of limbo and not to be shared.
No answers, no help are accepted in their funnel of fools.
I cannot give empathy when it's without a cause.
Help us find a cause on your behalf,
For all and peace of mind.
All we need but it's so hard to find
Is some peace, peace of mind
All we need but it's so hard to find
Is some peace, peace of mind
When the fathers and the mothers fight all the time
Leave the sisters and the brothers no time to rhyme
To the left, to the right
So far apart
With so much to consider, no time for the heart
Time for the heart
All we need but it's so hard to find
All we need is Peace of mind
All we need but it's so hard to find
All we need is peace of mind.
The song “Intro" by Three Dog Night seems to be addressing the human condition of lost souls and the desire for peace of mind. The first few lines convey the idea that those who have lost their souls remain in their physically abused bodies and are walking through life with nothing to guide them. The next few lines express a pity for those who live a life in disguise and do not share their true selves with the world, for it does not give them the necessary peace of mind. The artist seems unable to give empathy without a reason or cause and asks for help in finding a cause for all people to feel at peace with themselves and the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
People who lose their souls
Those who lose their sense of self or inner being
They'll keep their sadly abused containers,
They will hold onto their bodies or physical vessels, even if they are damaged or mistreated
Are walking through with nothing.
They go through life feeling empty or unfulfilled
Life in disguise is worthy of limbo and not to be shared.
A life lived in pretense or falsehood is not worth living and should not be shared with others
No answers, no help are accepted in their funnel of fools.
Those who refuse to seek help or answers will remain stuck in their cycle of foolishness
I cannot give empathy when it's without a cause.
Empathy must be given with a purpose or reason, otherwise it loses its meaning
Help us find a cause on your behalf,
Assist us in finding a purpose or reason for your suffering or struggles
For all and peace of mind.
For the benefit of everyone and their state of peace or calmness
When the fathers and the mothers fight all the time
When parents are constantly in conflict
Leave the sisters and the brothers no time to rhyme
Leaves siblings with no time to bond or connect with each other
To the left, to the right
Pulling in opposite directions
So far apart
Greatly distant from each other
With so much to consider, no time for the heart
Too preoccupied with practical matters to focus on emotional or compassionate ones
Time for the heart
It's time to prioritize emotional or compassionate matters
All we need but it's so hard to find
Peace of mind is what we lack but it's difficult to attain
Is some peace, peace of mind
The tranquility and calmness of mind we long for
All we need is Peace of mind
All that is required is the state of calmness and tranquility in our minds
All we need but it's so hard to find
Peace of mind remains elusive despite being so important
All we need is peace of mind.
The only thing we require is the tranquility and calmness of mind
Contributed by Sebastian E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Christine Shire
on My Impersonal Life
Who sang vocals for this