← more from
MAD ABOUT RECORDS
We’ve updated our Terms of Use to reflect our new entity name and address. You can review the changes here.
We’ve updated our Terms of Use. You can review the changes here.

Shangri La

from Gods in Brasil by Gary Corben

supported by
SoulandJazz
SoulandJazz thumbnail
DIGITAL FUNK
DIGITAL FUNK thumbnail
kanab
kanab thumbnail
Trópico 208
Trópico 208 thumbnail
TAKASHI KOBAYASHI
TAKASHI KOBAYASHI thumbnail
Cameron Dilley
Cameron Dilley thumbnail
/

  • Record/Vinyl + Digital Album

    UPDATE: A limited number of copies arriving from Spanish warehouse on Monday will be available for shipping within 5 working days or earlier.


    Deluxe Mad About Records pressing 180gram with heavy card sleeve and obi.

    "Sounds delicious. Makes everyone happy." - João Donato

    Specially mastered for vinyl by Ricardo Garcia Magic Master Rio de Janeiro.

    Please NOTE - Features 12 Tracks For Best Audio Quality. Follow Your Heart is not on the vinyl but is included with all downloads and purchases. Thanks for understanding!

    Includes unlimited streaming of Gods in Brasil via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      €21 EUR or more 

     

  • Compact Disc (CD) + Digital Album

    We got enough interest from fans looking to buy Gods in Brasil on CD that we decided to make a limited run of mini LP style gatefold sleeve CDs.
    These are super quality and a direct facsimile of the LP cover, with the inside featuring what was supposed to be the insert for vinyl but the factory forgot to print it with all the pandemic issues.

    13 tracks including Follow Your Heart that is not on the vinyl edition.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Gods in Brasil via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
    ships out within 3 days
    Purchasable with gift card

      €10 EUR or more 

     

  • Limited Edition 30 MiniDisc Professional Deluxe Only 20 Left

    Professionally manufactured with

    - on body graphics
    - full printed J card
    - custom clear case (original MiniDisc cases are no longer made!)
    - made in micro batches by specialist Japanese boffins (well English boffins, actually)

    This is the one you've all been waiting for, the Japanese format that Sony messed up by keeping proprietary just as MP3 was born to destroy the music industry.

    So dig out those Sony / Sharp DiscMan MD players and give them some digital love.


    Mastered especially for MiniDisc by Ricardo Garcia at Magic Master Rio de Janeiro. Ricardo was around the first time for MiniDisc!

    Free digital download of course comes with this physical product.

    Warning. This disc needs a MiniDisc player but it will also look cool on your living room shelf.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Gods in Brasil via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more

    Sold Out

  • Limited Edition Deluxe Cassette K7 Ltd 50 Only
    Cassette + Digital Album

    Limited Edition Deluxe Cassette / K7 Album of Gods in Brasil.

    First ever cassette release by Mad About Records!

    Featuring vintage gold case, old school sticker labels on cream body cassette. Nice and 70s fake luxe. Box corner cellophane wrapped like vintage cigarettes.

    Second image shows gold case mock up.

    **Mastered especially for tape by Ricardo Garcia at Magic Master, Rio.**

    The cassette album features the same running order as the 180g vinyl version, 12 tracks with 'Follow Your Heart' available as a free bonus download.

    Please note this was previously advertised as having an obi strip, unfortunately the factory is unable to supply these. Thanks for your understanding.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Gods in Brasil via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more

    Sold Out

  • Streaming + Download

    Includes high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Paying supporters also get unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app.
    Purchasable with gift card

      name your price

     

  • Buy the Full Digital Album

about

This track was originally used as the theme for my 2004–6 podcast series Avolta Radio Brazilian Grooves (you can find these ‘reissued’ on Mixcloud). I wrote some lyrics for it at the time but it joined all the other songs in a drawer for years.

The lyrics came to me in one go, and I have no idea where the phrase ‘and this hospital food’ came from but years later I feel the song could be about someone who’s coping with deep depression and looking for reasons to be in a better place—Shangri La.

The crazy break in the middle was based on one in my demo but made all the better by Kassin and percussionist Milosz Pekala outdoing each other to make more insane tropical noises, a la Krishnanda.

We topped it off in Rio with pedal steel guitar and Leticia’s coloratura vocal.
When we recorded the horns for this in Rio trumpeter Diogo Gomes came up to me afterwards and said ‘What’s the name of this song?’
‘Shangri La’ I replied.
‘I thought so.’ he said.
‘It’s a kind of a mythical city in the mountains from the book Lost Horizon, where everything is paradise and perfect.’
‘Oh,’ he said, ‘I thought it was near Porto Alegre. We played a gig in Shangri La’

Sure enough there is a city in the south of Brazil called Xangri-lá. Wonderful.

Whilst we were mixing this song in Rio producer DJ MeMe said it sounded like Disney and enthusiastically described an imaginary cartoon film in Brazil—something like ‘Salud Amigos’ from the 1940s with the Zé Carioca character. This gave me the idea that the promo video should be a mashup of tropical and 40s images. You can find the video on my Youtube channel probably by the time you read this.

lyrics

There’s a place that I know
If you like we can go
Where the sun always shines
It’s like something divine

And you’ll never feel cold
And you’ll never grow old
There are rivers and streams
Filled with diamonds and gold

And the girls are so fine
And their beauty sublime
Looks of coffee and cream
Tastes of guava and wine

Close your eyes and you’re there
Wonders beyond compare
Are just waiting for you
What are you gonna do?


So forget your black mood
And this hospital food
Take a trip in your mind
Cos you know what you’ll find


Chorus

Shangri La - O
A - oh
A - oh

Shangri La - O
A - oh
A - oh

[break]

Mhm ah mhm mhmm
Mhm ah mhm mhmm

There’s a place that I know
If you like we can go
Where the sun always shines
It’s like something divine

And you’ll never feel cold
And you’ll never grow old
There are rivers and streams
Filled with diamonds and gold

And the girls are so fine
And their beauty sublime
Looks of coffee and cream
Tastes of guava and wine

Close your eyes and you’re there
Wonders beyond compare
Are just waiting for you
What are you gonna do?

So forget your black mood
And this hospital food
Take a trip in your mind
Now you know what you’ll find

Chorus

Shangri La - O
A - oh
A - oh


Words & Music Gary Corben

credits

from Gods in Brasil, released November 21, 2019
Vocals - Gary Corben
Electric Guitar, Lap Steel, Acoustic Guitar - Kassin
Hammond Organ - Piotr 'Pedrinho' Zabrodzki
Fender Electric Bass - Alberto Continentino
Drums - Macio Moretti
Vibes - Milosz Pekala
Trombone - Marlon Sette
Trumpet - Diogo Gomes
Flute -Jorge Continentino
Horn Arrangements - Alberto Continentino
Backing vocals - Leticia & Suzane

Composer - Gary Corben
Producer - Kassin & Macio Moretti
Engineer - Adam Askew
Vocals, Horns and Overdubs Engineer - Mauro Araujo

Recorded Polish Radio Studio 4/6, Warsaw
All Vocals & Horns recorded Studio Marini, Rio de Janeiro

license

all rights reserved

tags

about

Gary Corben image

Gary Corben Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

"Sounds delicious. Makes everyone happy" João Donato

For 25 years legendary Brazilian producer Kassin was trying to get Gary Corben to make an album of his songs. They finally made it. in Poland!

Founder of cult reissue label Whatmusic and early pioneer of online music in mid 90s, Gary was secretly writing songs for nearly 30 years. So better late than never. ... more

contact / help

Contact Gary Corben

Streaming and
Download help

Redeem code

Report this track or account

Gary Corben recommends:

If you like Gary Corben, you may also like:

Bandcamp Daily  your guide to the world of Bandcamp

On Bandcamp Radio

Featuring Riley Pinkerton (aka The Rat Queen) from the theatrical NYC rockers, Castle Rat.
listen now