The 24 Best Three Dog Night Songs, from Joy to the World to Black and White

What is Three Dog Night's most famous song?

"Joy to the World" is Three Dog Night's most famous song, a Hoyt Axton tune with one of the most recognizable opening lines in pop. It spent six weeks at number one in 1971 and was the biggest single of that year. "One" and "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" are their other signature hits.

Three Dog Night's early hits

1. "Nobody", 1968: their first single.
2. "Try a Little Tenderness", 1969: a soulful cover of the classic.
3. "One", 1969: the Harry Nilsson song that made them stars.
4. "Easy to Be Hard", 1969: a ballad from the musical Hair.
5. "Eli's Coming", 1969: a driving Laura Nyro song.
6. "Celebrate", 1970: an upbeat song with a big brass section.

Three Dog Night's number ones and biggest hits

7. "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)", 1970: a Randy Newman song and their first number one.
8. "Out in the Country", 1970: a gentle song about escaping the city.
9. "One Man Band", 1970: a funky, upbeat hit.
10. "Joy to the World", 1971: their biggest hit and second number one.
11. "Liar", 1971: a hard-rocking cover of an Argent song.
12. "An Old Fashioned Love Song", 1971: a Paul Williams ballad.
13. "Never Been to Spain", 1971: another Hoyt Axton song, sung with swagger.
14. "The Family of Man", 1972: a song about unity.
15. "Black and White", 1972: their third number one, a song about racial harmony.
16. "Pieces of April", 1972: a soft, nostalgic ballad.

Later Three Dog Night songs

17. "Shambala", 1973: a joyful song about a peaceful paradise.
18. "Let Me Serenade You", 1973: an upbeat love song.
19. "The Show Must Go On", 1974: a Leo Sayer song with a circus-style intro.
20. "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here", 1974: an early John Hiatt song.
21. "Play Something Sweet (Brickyard Blues)", 1974: an Allen Toussaint song.
22. "Til the World Ends", 1975: one of their final singles.
23. "Heaven Is in Your Mind", 1968: a psychedelic Traffic cover from their debut album.
24. "Chest Fever", 1968: an organ-driven cover of The Band, also from the debut.

Who are Three Dog Night?

Three Dog Night formed in Los Angeles in 1967 around three lead singers, Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron and Cory Wells, backed by a rock band. Between 1969 and 1975 they scored 21 top 40 hits in America, including three number ones, and sold millions of albums. Rather than write most of their own songs, they had a gift for spotting great material by up-and-coming writers.

Three voices, one band

The three singers took turns in the spotlight and backed each other with rich harmonies. Chuck Negron sang lead on "One" and "Joy to the World", while Cory Wells sang lead on "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)" and "Never Been to Spain". Danny Hutton, whose idea the band was, sang lead on other songs and anchored the blend. Behind them, a tight rock band with organ and guitar gave the songs their punch on stage.

Three Dog Night's best albums

• Three Dog Night (1968): their debut, later reissued as One.
• Suitable for Framing (1969): with "Eli's Coming", "Easy to Be Hard" and "Celebrate".
• It Ain't Easy (1970): home of "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)".
• Naturally (1970): featuring "Joy to the World".
• Harmony (1971): with "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and "Never Been to Spain".
• Seven Separate Fools (1972): featuring "Black and White".

The songwriters behind their hits

Three Dog Night introduced many listeners to songwriters who would become legends. Harry Nilsson wrote "One", Randy Newman wrote "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)", Laura Nyro wrote "Eli's Coming", Hoyt Axton wrote "Joy to the World" and "Never Been to Spain", Paul Williams wrote "An Old Fashioned Love Song" and co-wrote "Out in the Country", and a young John Hiatt wrote "Sure As I'm Sittin' Here". Their versions brought these writers to a huge audience and helped launch several careers. Years later, Tom Jones and Stereophonics had a hit with their own take on the Randy Newman song; see our Tom Jones songs.

The story behind One

Harry Nilsson wrote "One" after calling someone and hearing a busy signal, which became the song's repeating opening notes. Three Dog Night's 1969 version became their first top ten hit, and its theme of loneliness has made it one of the most covered songs of the era. See our songs about loneliness for more.

Where does the name Three Dog Night come from?

The name was suggested by actress June Fairchild, Danny Hutton's girlfriend at the time, after she read a magazine story about life in the Australian outback, where on very cold nights people would sleep with their dogs for warmth, and the coldest night was a "three dog night". The unusual name helped them stand out at a time of colorful band names.

Three Dog Night songs for a party

For a classic rock party, start with "Joy to the World" and "Celebrate", add "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)", "Shambala" and "Never Been to Spain" and save "An Old Fashioned Love Song" for a slow moment. For more classic love songs, see our old love songs.

A classic rock song about your story

For a Three Dog Night fan, a personalized song can capture that big, harmony-filled 70s sound with their own name and story. It makes a fun gift for a 60th or 70th birthday.

How to create a personalized song

1. Choose a style from 14 genres: rock, pop, folk and more.
2. Add their name.
3. Share three memories or details about them.
4. Review the lyrics and edit or regenerate them for free before any music is made.
5. Listen to 4 free 45-second previews and choose your favorite.

The full 3 to 4 minute song costs $35.99, or $40.99 for Premium with four full versions and editable lyrics. You get the MP3, a gift page and the lyrics as a PDF.

Give them a hit of their own: create a song and hear four previews for free.