Book of Song

Three is a Magic Number

by Bob Dorough

Three is a magic number,
Yes it is, it's a magic number.
Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity
You get three as a magic number.

The past and the present and the future.
Faith and Hope and Charity, The heart and the brain and the body
Give you three as a magic number.

It takes three legs to make a tri-pod, Or to make a table stand.
It takes three wheels to make a ve-hicle Called a tricycle.
Every triangle has three corners, Every triangle has three sides,
No more, no less. You don't have to guess.
When it's three you can see, It's a magic number.

A man and a woman had a little baby, Yes, they did.
They had three in the family, And that's a magic number.
(ride cymbal)
3-6-9, 12-15-18, 21-24-27, 30. x2 quick (barre) then

Multiply backwards from three times ten!
Three times ten is (30), three times nine is (27), Three times eight is (24),
three times seven is (21), Three times six is (18), three times five is (15),
Three times four is twelve, And three times three is nine,
and three times two is six,
And three times one is three of course.

Now take the pattern once more!
Three! . . .3-6-9, Twelve! . . .12-15-18, Twenty-one!. . .21-24-27. . .30
Now multiply from 10 backwards!
Three time ten is (30), three times nine is (27), Three times eight is (24),
three times seven is (21), Three times six is (18), three times five is (15),
Three times four is twelve, And three times three is nine,
and three times two is six, And three times one...
What is it?! Three! Yeah, That's a magic number.

A man and a woman had a little baby. Yes, they did.
They had three in the family. That's a magic number.