I enjoy the show, and I like to rip it apart too. Fair game.

Personally, I am impressed that the writers are using music to portray emotions and continuity.

This is by no means the first time they've used the same song in the same episode, but from different "periods in time".

Remember one of the very first episodes where they picked up the song on the shortwave, but there was speculation on whether it was the same song being played simultaneously in different time periods, or the same song being heard simultaneously in different time periods.

Shambala was obviously a very important song in Hurley's overall psyche, whether he realized it or not. And the joy he felt when the van started transformed the heartache he relived whenever he last heard the song. And he exhibited this transformation when he divulged specifics about the curse and indicated that he may be somehow responsible for everyone's predicament, but not necessarily believe that he is actually to blame? He always seemed to accept blame for things that were absolutely beyond his control.

A victim of coincidence and happenstance.

Although Hurley may have a friendly and outgoing demeanor, he has always seemed (thanks to the flashbacks) to be a personally introverted, overly sensitive, confused, and self-doubting person. Very tragic.

Or does the number sequence really mean something?