"Shadrach" is a song by rap trio Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys are an American hip hop trio from New York City. The group consists of Mike D who plays the drums, MCA who plays the bass, and Ad-Rock who plays the guitar....

 from their album Paul's Boutique

Paul's Boutique

Paul's Boutique is the second studio album by American hip hop group Beastie Boys, released on July 25, 1989, on Capitol Records. Featuring production by the Dust Brothers, the recording sessions for the album took place in Matt Dike's Apartment and the Record Plant in Los Angeles from 1988 to...

. Released on October 30, 1989, it was the third and final single released from the album.

The song refers to the Biblical

Bible

The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...

 story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are characters in the biblical Hebrew book of Daniel Chapters 1 – 3, known for their exclusive devotion to God. In particular, they are known for being saved by divine intervention from the Babylonian execution of being burned alive in a fiery furnace...

 and the fiery furnace

Fiery furnace

Fiery furnace may refer to:* The fiery furnace in which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were thrown into in Daniel 3* Fiery Furnace , a region of Utah's Arches National Park* The Fiery Furnaces, a rock band...

 in the Book of Daniel

Book of Daniel

The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...

. However, the lyrics "Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego" in the track are used and sampled from Sly Stone

Sly Stone

Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of...

's "Loose Booty", where they are repeated and spoken rhythmically throughout the track in an almost rap-like form. In verse two, the lyric, So I'm out pickin' pockets at the Atlantic Antic

Atlantic Antic

The Atlantic Antic is a street fair held yearly on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, New York. It is run by the Atlantic Avenue Local Development Corporation . Estimated to be the second-largest annual gathering in Brooklyn after the Labor Day Carnival, the Antic features food stands, live music, belly...

, refers to an annual Brooklyn street festival of that name.

Also in the song is a reference to the AC/DC

AC/DC

AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

 album For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)

"For Those About to Rock " is a song by the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. The song was first released on AC/DC's eighth studio album For Those About to Rock We Salute You in 1981, and later as a single in 1982. The single's B-side contains an edited live version of "Let There Be Rock", recorded...

, in the lyrics "For those about to rock we salute you".

The video released to promote the Beastie Boys' song is particularly acclaimed for its style and artistic beauty, as each frame was painted by hand.

The 12" record and CD versions of the single were released as an EP entitled An Exciting Evening at Home with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The video can be seen on the Beastie Boys Criterion Collection DVD set.

Track listings

7" single

1. "Shadrach" (4:07)
2. "And What You Give Is What You Get" (3:42)

An Exciting Evening with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego EP

1. "Shadrach" (4:07)
2. "Caught in the Middle of a 3-Way Mix" (2:32)
3. "And What You Give Is What You Get" (3:42)
4. "Car Thief" (3:39)
5. "Some Dumb Cop Gave Me 2 Tickets Already" (3:33)
6. "Your Sister's Def" (4:58)

Samples

• "Say What?" by Trouble Funk
  Trouble Funk
  Trouble Funk is an American R&B and funk band from Washington, DC. It helped to popularize that area's local funk subgenre known as go-go. Among the band's well-known songs are the go-go anthem "Hey, Fellas." They released several studio albums including Drop the Bomb, In Times of Trouble, Live,...
  
  
• "That's the Joint" by Funky 4+1
• "Do Your Dance" by Rose Royce
  Rose Royce
  Rose Royce is an American soul and R&B band. The group is best known for several hit singles including "Car Wash," "I Wanna Get Next to You," "Wishing on a Star", "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" and "I'm Going Down".-Career:...
  
  
• "Never Let 'Em Say" by Ballin' Jack
  Ballin' Jack
  Ballin' Jack was an American horn rock group formed in Seattle, Washington in 1969 by Luther Rabb and Ronnie Hammon . They had a minor hit in 1970 with "Super Highway", which hit #90 on the Billboard Top 100.-Career:...
  
  
• "Funky Drummer
  Funky drummer
  "Funky Drummer" is a funk song recorded by James Brown and his band. The recording's drum break, performed by drummer Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled rhythmic breaks in hip hop and popular music; indeed, it lays a strong claim to being the most sampled recording ever,...
  
  " by James Brown
  James Brown
  James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
  
  
• "Hot and Nasty" by Black Oak Arkansas
  Black Oak Arkansas
  Black Oak Arkansas is an American Southern rock band named after the band's hometown of Black Oak, Arkansas. The band reached the height of its fame in the 1970s with ten charting albums released in that decade...
  
  
• "Sugarhill Groove" by the Sugarhill Gang
• "Loose Booty" by Sly Stone
  Sly Stone
  Sly Stone is an American musician, songwriter, and record producer, most famous for his role as frontman for Sly & the Family Stone, a band which played a critical role in the development of soul, funk and psychedelia in the 1960s and 1970s. In 1993, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of...