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3WW
alt-J Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

There was a wayward lad
Stepped out one morning
The ground to be his bed
The sky his awning

Neon, neon, neon
A blue neon lamp in a midnight country field
Can't surround so you lean on, lean on
So much your heart's become fond of this

Oh, these three worn words
Oh, let me whisper like the rubbing hands
Of tourists in Verona
I just want to love you in my own language

Well, that smell of sex
Good like burning wood
The wayward lad laid claim
To two thirsty girls from Hornsea
Who left a note when morning came

Girls from the pool say "Hi" (hi)
The road erodes at five feet per year
Along England's east coastline
Was this your first time?
Love is just a button we pressed
Last night by the campfire

Oh, these three worn words
Oh, that we whisper like the rubbing hands
Of tourists in Verona
I just want to love you in my own language

Overall Meaning

The song tells the story of a wayward lad who chooses to live an unconventional life, sleeping out in the open with the sky as his canopy. The neon lamp in the midnight country field represents an artificial light source in the midst of nature, highlighting the tension between human-made and natural surroundings. The singer refers to “these three worn words,” likely alluding to the phrase “I love you.” However, instead of simply stating his love, he desires to express it in his own unique way, using his own language. This idea is reiterated in the chorus, where he imagines whispering sweet nothings to his beloved like tourists whisper in Verona.


The song takes a turn towards a sexual encounter between the wayward lad and two girls from Hornsea. The smell of sex is compared to the burning of wood, suggesting that it is seen as a natural and primal act. The fleeting nature of the encounter is emphasized by the girls leaving a note and the road eroding at five feet per year, indicating that the memories of the experience will soon disappear. Despite this, the singer still desires to express his love in his own way, using his own language.


Line by Line Meaning

There was a wayward lad
A young man who lacked direction or purpose


Stepped out one morning
Set out on a journey or adventure


The ground to be his bed
He slept outdoors, without a proper bed or shelter


The sky his awning
He used the sky as a makeshift canopy or shelter


Neon, neon, neon
A bright, eye-catching element in a dark and lonely place


A blue neon lamp in a midnight country field
A single, flickering light in a desolate landscape


Can't surround so you lean on, lean on
In the absence of true companionship, one must rely on fleeting sources of comfort


So much your heart's become fond of this
Over time, one becomes attached to even the smallest sources of happiness


Oh, these three worn words
Deep, meaningful expressions of love that are often overused and clichéd


Oh, let me whisper like the rubbing hands
The gentle, intimate sound of hands being rubbed together in a tender gesture


Of tourists in Verona
The image of two lovers in a romantic and historic city, whispering sweet nothings to each other


I just want to love you in my own language
Expressing a desire for a unique and personal way of expressing love


Well, that smell of sex
A pungent, unforgettable scent that lingers after physical intimacy


Good like burning wood
A sense of satisfaction and warmth, like a cozy fire


The wayward lad laid claim
The young man took ownership or control of a situation


To two thirsty girls from Hornsea
He became involved with two young women who had a strong desire for him


Who left a note when morning came
The women quickly left after their encounter, leaving a written message behind


Girls from the pool say 'Hi' (hi)
A greeting or acknowledgement from a group of women, possibly with whom the young man had a casual relationship or acquaintance


The road erodes at five feet per year
A reference to the gradual, inevitable wear and tear of time and nature


Along England's east coastline
The specific location or setting for the story


Was this your first time?
A question or inquiry about someone's sexual experience


Love is just a button we pressed
A metaphor for the way love and physical intimacy can sometimes feel transactional or mechanical


Last night by the campfire
An idyllic or romantic setting for a sexual encounter or intimate moment




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Thomas Stuart Green, Augustus Figaro Niso Unger-Hamilton, Joe Jerome Newman

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@volstrekt

"3WW"
(feat. Ellie Rowsell)

[Gus Unger-Hamilton:]
There was a wayward lad
Stepped out one morning
The ground to be his bed
The sky his awning

[Joe Newman:]
Neon, neon, neon
A blue neon lamp in a midnight country field
Can't surround so you lean on, lean on
So much your heart's become fond of this

[Joe Newman + Gus Unger-Hamilton:]
Oh, these three worn words
Oh, that we whisper
Like the rubbing hands
Of tourists in Verona
I just want to love you in my own language

[Joe Newman:]
Well, that smell of sex
Good like burning wood
The wayward lad laid claim
To two thirsty girls from Hornsea
Who left a note when morning came

[Ellie Rowsell:]
Girls from the pool say "Hi" (hi)
The road erodes at five feet per year
Along England's east coastline
Was this your first time?
Love is just a button we pressed
Last night by the campfire

[Joe Newman + Ellie Rowsell:]
Oh, these three worn words
Oh, that we whisper
Like the rubbing hands
Of tourists in Verona
I just want to love you in my own language
.........



@michaelforever

There was a wayward lad
Stepped out one morning
The ground to be his bed
The sky his awning

Neon, neon, neon
A blue neon lamp in a midnight country field
Can't surround so you lean on, lean on
So much your heart's become fond of this

Oh, these three worn words
Oh, that we whisper
Like the rubbing hands
Of tourists in Verona
I just want to love you in my own language


Well, that smell of sex
Good like burning wood
The wayward lad laid claim
To two thirsty girls from Hornsea
Who left a note when morning came


Girls from the pool say "Hi" (hi)
The road erodes at five feet per year
Along England's east coastline
Was this your first time?
Love is just a button we pressed
Last night by campfire

Oh, these three worn words
Oh, that we whisper
Like the rubbing hands
Of tourists in Verona
I just want to love you in my own language



All comments from YouTube:

@jamesprigioni

I often am just drawn back to this song

@missblack9488

And once again we call to you.

@tyronesmithers8967

Truly magical!

@Ari-el3xl

"I just want to love you in my own language" is one of the most beautiful lines I've ever heard

@fanfoua

Make so much sense to me. Be understood and understand the one you love. Find someone you know how to talk to and who knows what words to use to talk to you too.

@bobdoubter2977

A secret of life has been revealed. Speak and find the one that listens to You.

@sibkhan2364

Can you please explain to me what is this line means at the context of the song? I’m not an English speaking person and I’m afraid that I can’t get it not because of metaphor but because of bad language knowing and bad understanding of the whole lyrics of the song

@JB-pi9mf

@@sibkhan2364 So the lines before are "oh these three worn words, that we whisper, like the rubbing hands of tourists in Verona". In Verona there is a statue of Juliet, and an old legend states that rubbing the statue brings your relationship good luck. Sadly, the rubbing hands of so many tourists desperate to bless their relationship have eroded the statue, and now access is restricted. So the message is those three worn words (3ww) of "I love you" are said so often and potentially insincerely in order to force a relationship to work, maybe out of pressure, like the desperation to rub the statue, and have ruined the meaning like this erosion. Thus the lead singer wants to "love him/her in his own language", free from the outside pressure, clichéd ways and desperation to make the relationship work. Something meaningful to him and them.

@jakartaishell3073

@@JB-pi9mf Thanks for the explanation. Not the OP, but it is gold dust to find meaningful responses in YouTube comments.

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@imaginewagons7169

When I lost my friend in a car accident I lost interest in all of my music, a few years later now I played along to this song with my cello for the first time in 5 years. A tear fell down my eyes, I was never one for showing emotions but this touched me deeply, I truly miss him.

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