Three hours from sundown
Jeremy flies
Hoping to keep
The sun from his eyes
East from the city
And down to the cave
In search of a master
In search of a slave

Three hours from London
Jacomo's free
Taking his woes
Down to the sea
In search of a lifetime
To tell when he's home
In search of a story
That's never been known

Three hours from speaking
Everyone's flown
Not wanting to be
Seen on their own
Three hours is needed
To leave from them all
Three hours to wonder
And three hours to fall

Three hours from sundown
Jeremy flies
Hoping to keep the sun from his eyes
East from the city
And down to the cave
In search of a master
In search of a slave


Lyrics submitted by punchyk

Three Hours Lyrics as written by Nick Drake

Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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Three Hours song meanings
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11 Comments

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  • +3
    General Comment

    I think this song is about the existential search for meaning in life. The lyrics are redolent with searching - for a purpose ("a master"), control ("a slave"), stories to tell.

    Three hours from sundown is close to the end of a day. Returning home ("to the cave") from whatever meaningless existence the characters have - they reflect on what their lives are for. It is a rather dark, uncomforting song, but then so is the quest for the meaning of your life.

    When the sun goes down and they "fall" (into darkness?) eveything takes on a hopeless inevitability. And the fleeting possibility of being in control of our fates disappears... until the next day's end.

    groundcontrol1on May 15, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    'Three Hours' was written for a friend of Nick (Jeremy). The lyrics are ever so slightly mysterious in their poetry. So much so, that same friend didn't have the faintest idea what the song was actually about.

    Simmeron January 26, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Obviously, none of you are Italian. "Jacomo" is really spelled "Giacomo."

    bluechair07on February 17, 2006   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    My theory is that Nick was describing traveling to The Cavern (the cave) where groups like the Beatles played "And down to the cave In search of a master In search of a slave" True artists are looking to learn from masters and become slaves to the art, and Masters are actually slaves to the art enshrining the new blood to enrich the art and themselves with new techniques and values. the 3 hours is the travel, the anxiety, the quest.

    beatnickon March 29, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    That first verse reminds me of Batman for some reason. If Batman's name were Jeremy it would make perfect sense. So maybe Drake was saying his friend was like Batman?

    burntfireon April 16, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I have no clue what this song is about. Like so many of drake's song's the lyrics are so mysterious. The impression that I get from the song is that he's trying to show how people relate to each other in a funny ways. One guy seems to have just gotten out of jail, he's saying Jacomo's free, he's been in the dark and he's going to the beach and the sun, the other guy is trying to get away from the sun he's going to a cave. That's what I get from it. People relate to this world in different ways but in the end they are still looking for some form of comfort or resolution to their problems.

    bakismakion May 02, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Anyone else thinking Jeremy and Giacomo just might have a kinky relationship going on here??

    krimuron March 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    You all should read "Darker than the Deepset Sea, In search of Nick Drake" Really great book.

    bradeatsfishon July 17, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i love nick drake. he's one of my idols.

    Kashmir330on August 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Jesus Christ. His music and lyrics are so haunting, evocative and brilliant.

    chendri887on January 10, 2015   Link

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