The Three W's
The Matthew Herbert Big Band Lyrics

The song The Three W's by The Matthew Herbert Big Band can be interpreted in different ways, but one common interpretation is that it is about the cyclical nature of history and the importance of learning from it. The singer's heart is falling, which could represent a feeling of despair or sadness, but also a sense of urgency to act upon something. The words that are calling are likely words of warning or advice that the singer feels compelled to share. The simplicity of the message is emphasized, suggesting that the solution to whatever problem is being faced might be straightforward if only people acted on principle.

The next few lines are more cryptic, but they seem to refer to the consequences of either not heeding the warning or failing to act on principle. The question "what has befallen" suggests that something bad has already happened, but it is not clear what that is. The next line, "what love can shorten this," could be interpreted in different ways, but one possibility is that love could be the solution to the problem, even if it is not obvious how.

The song then shifts to a more general commentary on history and human nature. Each name is a warning, implying that there are lessons to be learned from the past. The handout holding and the click foreboding could represent the tools that people now have to access information and stay informed about current events, but also the potential for those tools to be misused or manipulated. The repetition of "ears should be burning" and "we should be learning this" reinforces the idea that people need to pay attention and learn from what is happening around them. The final lines of the song suggest that the cycle of people and their stories is endless, but that does not mean that people should be resigned to a predetermined fate.