AFI has released eleven studio albums, ten EPs, one live album and one DVD. The band first reached substantial commercial success with their fifth album, The Art of Drowning (2000), which peaked at number 174 on the Billboard 200. They then broke into the mainstream with their sixth, Sing the Sorrow (2003), which peaked at number five on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 51 weeks. The album was supported by popular singles "Girl's Not Grey" and "Silver and Cold", both of which peaked at number seven on America's Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart in 2003. "The Leaving Song Pt. II" was also released as a single, reaching number 16 on the chart. Sing the Sorrow was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2006 and is AFI's best-selling release, having sold over 1.26 million copies as of September 2009.
AFI's seventh album, Decemberunderground (2006), debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and featured the hit single "Miss Murder", which topped the Hot Modern Rock Tracks chart and reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another single, "Love Like Winter", reached number four on the Modern Rock Tracks chart. The album was certified Platinum by the RIAA in 2013.[6] Decemberunderground was followed three years later by Crash Love (2009), and then four years later by Burials (2013); both albums were also successful, peaking at number twelve and number nine, respectively, on the Billboard 200. The band's tenth and latest album, AFI (The Blood Album), was released in 2017, and peaked at number five on the Billboard 200, making it their second-highest chart position.
A Story At Three
AFI Lyrics
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My father the morning pushes through my moonlight love
So what's sleep, sleep, sleep?
I'm tired, so tired, so tired
But it seems that there's someone here with me
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting
Deathless ones
A story at three with the shrillest of cries
My mind fights with the sparkles in the corner of my eyes
So what's sleep, sleep, sleep?
I'm tired, so tired, so tired
But it seems that there's someone here with me
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting
Deathless ones
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting
Deathless ones
I hear the morning choir
Sing to me their elegy
I hear the morning choir
Sing to me their elegy
I hear the morning choir, so beautiful
Sing to me their elegy
I hear the morning choir, they sing to me
Sing to me their elegy, requiem
I hear the morning choir
Sing to me their elegy
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting
Deathless ones
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting
Deathless ones
“A Story At Three” by AFI is a mysterious and eerie song that talks about waking up at three in the morning and feeling as if someone or something else is there. The lyrics start by blending the father's morning push into the love and confusion of the singer’s moonlit dreams. The singer struggles to fall back asleep, despite feeling exhausted. They mention that they feel like someone is with them, watching them. The song then transitions to the idea of the “wakeful, wry, and watchful” awaiting the “deathless ones,” referring to the idea of death and how some people can sense it coming.
Throughout the song, there is a dark and unsettling feeling, that is portrayed by the lyrics and the slow and somber tune. The singer feels unsettled and haunted, with references to sparkles and morning choirs singing elegies. One can interpret this song as a reflection of fears, anxieties, or perhaps an acceptance of inevitable death. It's up to individual interpretation what the lyrics mean, but they all share the same haunting feel.
Overall, “A Story At Three” is a beautifully crafted and thought-provoking song that stays with you long after you listen. It shows how the band is not just about lyrics and tunes; they are storytellers that can evoke emotions and thoughts.
Line by Line Meaning
Again and again they blend into one
The singer's memories and experiences blend together into one confusing, overwhelming mess.
My father the morning pushes through my moonlight love
The singer's father, possibly representing reality or responsibility, is disrupting and overshadowing their peaceful thoughts and emotions.
So what's sleep, sleep, sleep?
The singer questions the point of sleep, possibly struggling with insomnia or the desire to avoid reality through unconsciousness.
I'm tired, so tired, so tired
The artist is experiencing exhaustion, possibly from mental or emotional strain.
But it seems that there's someone here with me
Despite feeling alone or disconnected, the artist senses a presence with them.
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting Deathless ones
The singer and the mysterious presence with them are waiting for something eternal or immortal, and are constantly alert and cautious.
A story at three with the shrillest of cries
The singer recalls a distressing moment from their past, possibly as a child, that still haunts them.
My mind fights with the sparkles in the corner of my eyes
The artist's mind is conflicting with what they perceive to be hallucinations, possibly a result of exhaustion or emotional turmoil.
I hear the morning choir Sing to me their elegy
The artist hears a choir singing a mournful song, which could represent the passing of time or the inevitability of mortality.
We are the wakeful, wry, and watchful, we're awaiting Deathless ones
Reinforcing the previous stanza's meaning, the artist is waiting for something eternal or immortal alongside the mysterious presence with them.
Contributed by Alexander T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.