In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
She said, "It's cold outside," and she hands me my raincoat
She's always worried about things like that
Well, she said, "It's all gonna end and it might as well be my fault"
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams, and her voice is straining
She says, "Baby, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely"
And she says, "Baby, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away, I believe it"
Well, she's got a little bit of something, God, it's better than nothing
And in her color portrait world, she believes that she's got it all
She swears the moon don't hang quite as high as it used to
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams (screams) and her voice is straining
She says, "Baby, well, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely"
Well, heaven she says, "Baby, yeah, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away, I believe this"
Well, she believes that life isn't made up of all that you're used to
And the clock on the wall has been stuck at 3 for days and days
She thinks that happiness is a mat that sits on her doorway
But outside, it's stopped raining
She says, "Baby, well, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely"
Heaven, she says, "Baby, yeah, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away, I believe this"
Well, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely (I must be lonely)
Well, heaven, she says, "Baby, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes"
She's always worried about things like that
Well, she said, "It's all gonna end and it might as well be my fault"
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams, and her voice is straining
She says, "Baby, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely"
And she says, "Baby, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away, I believe it"
Well, she's got a little bit of something, God, it's better than nothing
And in her color portrait world, she believes that she's got it all
She swears the moon don't hang quite as high as it used to
And she only sleeps when it's raining
And she screams (screams) and her voice is straining
She says, "Baby, well, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely"
Well, heaven she says, "Baby, yeah, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away, I believe this"
Well, she believes that life isn't made up of all that you're used to
And the clock on the wall has been stuck at 3 for days and days
She thinks that happiness is a mat that sits on her doorway
But outside, it's stopped raining
She says, "Baby, well, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely"
Heaven, she says, "Baby, yeah, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes
And the rain's gonna wash away, I believe this"
Well, it's 3 AM, I must be lonely (I must be lonely)
Well, heaven, she says, "Baby, well, I can't help
But be scared of it all sometimes"
Lyrics submitted by punkmebabygal
3 A.M. Lyrics as written by Brian Yale Robert Thomas
Lyrics © TECKLAH MUSIC, TABITHA'S SECRET MUSIC INC., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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So I heard today on tv that he wrote it when his mom had cancer and then once that was over it was just his mom's theme song and wow that just meant so much to me. My mom has breast cancer right now, I wish I had the talent to write such a meaningful beautiful song. I love them!
Yes to ajkdanceq92 I agree if the songwriter wrote about a personal experience-3 a.m. it's very lonely while in the hospital it's when morning shift comes on at 4 a.m.-so there is quiet bustling around to inform the next staff of the patients status. I hope she recovered.
I could never quite understand this song, now I have read what people have said about it, makes sense that it is about someone (his mum) who has seen pain and death and gone beyond that and so is a bit mixed up, and his having to deal with her erratic behaviour. It is about how life is so quick to leave us, how a future can suddenly seem impermenant, she seems to have reacted to its impermenance by becoming erratic and almost irresponsible, like nothing matters because it is all going to be taken away again so soon, and even though she has survived it doesnt mean that they wont still all die some time in the future, so nothing really makes sense or matters any more, there is no permenance but in our ultimate isolation and loss, we have nothing and we have everything, because it is irrelavent what we have or what we lose, it all ends anyway. but before i read these explanations it made me think about myself and my boyfriend. I'm pretty mixed up and erratic in my behaviour, getting depressed and flippant about life in that way, anxiety or whatever. This song sounds like it is written from my boyfriends point of view observing me. there is a lonliness even when you are with those that you love, when something isnt right with your mental health - it makes us both alone in our love.
This song is AMAZING. Yes, it is about his mom when she was battling cancer. It's means something else to me though. I went through a phase in my life where I was going absolutely INSANE. I had post pardom depression, never left the house and lost all my friends. I began to have cabin fever but I didn't even want to leave the house because I was afraid of the world. This lasted almost a year and thank GOD I'm outta that phase in my life! Everything is wonderful now but this song reminds me of myself back then. "The clock on the wall has been stuck at 3 for days and days/She thinks that happiness is a mat that sits on her dooryway" Genius.
When I was younger I hated every single Matchbox 20 song but now that I'm older & understand the meanings..I love almost every one of their songs! So deep...
This song always has, and always will make me bawl.
As a child, my mother was an alcoholic and I only lived with her until I was nine. She always played this song when she was drinking. And the sentimental value of it is endless.
I remember watching MTV when I was young, and Rob said this song was about his mom coming home drunk. So as a child, I could really relate.
My mom used to get drunk in the summer, stuff me in the car, and drive around the river at night listening to this. When I hear this song, I can still smell dirt and rust.
'She says it's cold outside and she hands me my raincoat; she's always worried about things like that.' My mom was always worried and focused on the small things, never her addiction.
'She says it's all gonna end and it might as well be my fault.' My mom often blamed me for her addiction.
'It's 3 A.M., I must be lonely' It was around 3 A.M. that she made me go on these drives. I was in second grade, and it was often on school nights. But God, would I try so hard to stay up for her...
@s4v4nn4h1 Man, this got tears welled in my eyes because my parents struggled with addiction too and I was like, "Shit, I wasn't the only one." Way to stay strong though.
@s4v4nn4h1 @s4v4nn4h1 I stumbled across this today and just wanted to say, "WOW." Loss for words after reading your perfectly detailed short letter. I just wanted to say thank you for sharing and I hope/pray your relationship with your mother is amazing and wonderful today. You are strong.
@s4v4nn4h1 I wonder whether the line is:<br /> <br /> 'She says "It's all gonna end and it might as well be my fault." ' (meaning she's blaming herself) or;<br /> <br /> 'She says "It's all gonna end" and it might as well be my fault' (meaning Rob is blaming himself) or<br /> <br /> 'She says it's all gonna end and it might as well be my fault' (meaning she's blaming Rob)<br /> <br /> Any of those interpretations could work.
this song is written and dedicated to the songwriter's mom, who had cancer.
I had no idea. Thank you.
The acoustic version is so moving. It made me cry when I first heard it. You can concentrate on the lyrics without worrying about anything else. It's absolutely beautiful, and so sad at the same time.
I know this is about his mum, but I like imagining that this song is about being in a relationship with someone who suffers for anxiety or depression... It would be a very original and well written song for the argument.
@rlix O trust me, I've been in relationships like that.
@rlix O trust me, I've been in relationships like that.
Great song...Meaning eludes me. Could someone help me out please?
I saw Rob do this as a piano acoustic on Storytellers and told the story of his mother fighting cancer when he was like 14 years old and this is the story of it
I always liked this song, I dunno why, it's my favourite of theirs. I never knew wut it was about though... Now I know :) My favourite line is: she thinks that happiness is a mat that sits on her doorway. Poor Rob though, I'm 14 & I'd hate for my mom to have cancer. That's about all I have to say.