As I begin to research the number three and the songs that have been inspired by it, I must admit that I have no idea where my searching may lead because I very few songs come readily to mind. So, I am prepared to be surprised as I so often am by this blog.
“Three Coins in the Fountain” is a popular song which received the Academy Award for Best Original Song in 1955. The melody was written by Jule Styne with lyrics by Sammy Cahn. It was written for the movie of the same name and refers to the act of throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain in Rome while making a wish. Each of the film’s three stars performs this act. Cahn and Styne were asked to write the song to fit the movie, but were unable to either see the film or read the script. They completed the song in an hour and had produced a demonstration record with Frank Sinatra by the following day. The Sinatra recording was number on in the UK for three weeks in September and October that year.
“Three Steps to Heaven” is a song co-written and recorded by Eddie Cochran, released in 1960 and featured Buddy Holly’s Crickets on instruments.. The record became a posthumous UK number-one hit for Cochran following his death in a car accident in April 1960. Showaddywaddy’s 1975 cover version of this song was also a hit, reaching No. 1 in Ireland and No. 2 in the UK.
“Three Is a Magic Number” is a song from the pilot episode of Schoolhouse Rock! which was an American series of short films (and later, videos) that aired during the Saturday morning children’s programming block on the U.S. television network ABC. The themes covered included grammar, science, history and mathematics. The series’ original run lasted from 1973 to 1984; it was later revived with both old and new episodes airing from 1993 to 1996. Additional episodes were produced in 2009 for direct to video release.
“Three Little Birds” is a song by Bob Marley and the Wailers. It is the fourth track on side two of their 1977 album Exodus and was released as a single in 1980. The song reached the Top 20 in the UK, peaking at number 17. It is one of Marley’s most popular songs and has been covered by numerous other artists. The song is often thought to be named “Don’t Worry About a Thing” or “Every Little Thing is Gonna Be All Right”, because of the prominent and repeated use of these phrases in the chorus.
“Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad” is a ballad performed by the Meat Loaf. It is a track off his 1977 album Bat Out of Hell, written by Jim Steinman. It reached number 11 on the Billboard and earned a million-selling Gold single from the RIAA, eventually being certified platinum. It remains his second highest-charting hit in the US, and stands as one of his career signature tunes, still enjoying recurrent airplay.
“Three Times a Lady” is a 1978 song by the Commodores for their album Natural High, written by lead singer Lionel Richie. It was the Commodores’ first number-one hit on the Billboard, topping the chart for two weeks in August 1978, and also reached number one on the soul chart for two weeks. It was the only Motown song to reach the top 10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 that year. The song was one of only a few Motown singles to reach the top spot in the UK, staying there for five weeks.
