The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
Three thats the magic number
yes it is, its a magic number
Two times three is six
and three times six is eighteen
and the eighteenth letter in the alphabet is R
There's three Rs we're going to be talking about today
You gotta learn to Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
If you're going to the market to buy some juice
bring your own bags and you'll learn to reduce your waste
Gotta reduce your waste
And if your brother or your sisters got some cool clothes
try them on before you buy some of those
reuse
you gotta learn to reuse
And if the first two Rs dont work out
and you gotta make some trash, dont throw it out
Recycle
You gotta learn to recycle
You gotta learn to Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
'cause three, thats the magic number
yes it is, its a magic number
yes it is, its a magic number
Two times three is six
and three times six is eighteen
and the eighteenth letter in the alphabet is R
There's three Rs we're going to be talking about today
You gotta learn to Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
If you're going to the market to buy some juice
bring your own bags and you'll learn to reduce your waste
Gotta reduce your waste
And if your brother or your sisters got some cool clothes
try them on before you buy some of those
reuse
you gotta learn to reuse
And if the first two Rs dont work out
and you gotta make some trash, dont throw it out
Recycle
You gotta learn to recycle
You gotta learn to Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
Reduce Reuse Recycle
'cause three, thats the magic number
yes it is, its a magic number
Lyrics submitted by JustAStupidKid
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JJ played this song at the 1st Kokua Festival and it was cute and catchy. He originally played it for kids at school assemblies. The profits from the 1st festival went to start recycling programs at Oahu schools. I wish I was goin to da 2nd Kokua Festival but all sold out. Somethin interesting: 1% of the profits from his CD, In b/w Dreams, are going to enviro organizations. I wonder how JJ got so enviro conscience?
when you live in hawaii and you see it getting polluted, you wanna try and do anything you can to keep this world clean. why can't someone take a few more steps to a trash can?
he sang this at the second kokua festival too, btw. i went to it. he was guuuu!
i got the curious george album today - this song is one of my faves off there
Nobody else notices the De La Soul reference? He says:
"Three, that's the magic number Yes it is, it's the magic number"
...exactly like De La Soul did (in Magic Number), which is kind of funny.
Whoops, I didn't realize it came from something completely different. :P
This is a reall cool take on Bob Dorough's "Three is a Magic Number," from Multiplication Rock (later called Schoolhouse Rock, when they started adding more than just numbers and multiplication songs).
Although I prefer the Multiplication Rock original, Jack's version has a special groove to it, and a good environmental message. I also like the way The Sharing Song shifts right into this 3 R's song after Jack says, "Share a beat, now."
Economimus is right, part of the beat and the lyrics are taken off or inspired by De La Souls song. I think this songs is very educative for children as they learn so much from a catchy song. You go teach them about polution, Jack!
Waaaay before De La Soul, there was Bob Dorough, and Multiplication Rock (later lumped into Schoolhouse Rock). De La Soul simply took a snippet from Dorough's classic song about the number 3. So the original inspiration was Dorough, not De La Soul.
oh my god worst song ever please tell me this song is supposed to be a joke. i knew jack fartface was lame but i didn't know he was THIS lame.
words cannot express how much i hate this song. and as an anti-environmentalist, the subject matter is also highly offensive to me.