As with all of the Mer de Noms album, "3 Libras'" music was written by guitarist Billy Howerdel, while the lyrics were written by vocalist Maynard James Keenan and Christopher Washington. The two originally envisioned the track to be the first single of their debut album prior to being talked into going with the hard rock track "Judith" by record label executives, who felt the track was a better lead off single due to it being less of a departure from Keenan's other band, Tool.
Two official remixed versions of the song have been made; the "Feel My Ice Dub Mix" by band member Danny Lohner, and the "All Main Courses Mix" by Robert "3D" Del Naja of Massive Attack. They were compiled in 2004 on the band's remix album aMOTION.
While much of Mer de Noms sound is identified with a conventional hard rock aesthetic, "3 Libras" sound is primarily driven by acoustic guitar and violin. The majority of the song consists of melodic, clean guitar tones, and a violin melody played over them, composed by band bassist and violinist Paz Lenchantin. Drummer Josh Freese plays the rim of the drumkit on every eighth note, with the song being performed in 6/8. The song finishes with a full-band performance and distorted electric guitars in the song's outro, ending on a dark guitar chord.
Several alternate versions the song have very different compositions. The "Feel My Ice Dub Mix" featured a greatly slowed down tempo and added electronic beats and effects, giving it a more trance-like sound, where the "All Main Courses Mix" made extensive use of radio static and noise sound effects. When performed live, in absence of a dedicated violinist, the band would commonly play an alternate version of the song, with Howerdel playing clean electric guitar tones through the song, with the full band backing him with their respective instruments.
The song was generally well received, commercially and critically. The song received significant radio airplay, charting at number 12 on both the Billboard US Modern Rock and Mainstream Rock charts. Critics praised the song. Sputnik Music referred to the song as "one of the most beautiful songs APC ever released" and "one of the most emotional releases of the album". Artist Direct editor in chief Rick Florino named the track one of the "Top 20 Maynard James Keenan Songs", calling it "...a tender moment of longing encased in a beautiful, blissful melody...'3 Libras' illuminates the singer's massive vocal range and ability." Florino separately praised the band's live composition of the song as well, stating that he felt it reached "heavenly heights" when performed by the band in their reunion tours in 2010.
3 Libras
A Perfect Circle Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And you flew with it on your back
A name in your recollection
Down among a million same
Difficult not to feel a little bit
Disappointed and passed over
When I look right through
And you don't see me
But I threw you the obvious
Just to see if there's more behind
The eyes of a fallen angel
Eyes of a tragedy
Here I am expecting
Just a little bit too much from the wounded
but I see, see through it all
See through, see you
'Cause I threw you the obvious
to see what occurs behind
the Eyes of a fallen angel
Eyes of a tragedy
Oh well, oh well
Apparently nothing
Apparently nothing at all
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't see me
You don't, you don't
You don't see me at all
The lyrics to A Perfect Circle's song "3 Libras" explore themes of disappointment, invisibility, and searching for deeper meaning. The song starts with the line "Threw you the obvious" which implies that the singer has given something to the subject that was easy to understand or see. The subject then "flew with it on [their] back" which suggests that they took it and ran with it, without fully grasping its significance. The subject is also described as having a name in their recollection, but being down among a million of the same, which implies that they are forgettable and unremarkable.
The singer expresses their disappointment at feeling passed over and overlooked by the subject who is "naked but oblivious" to their presence. They threw the obvious to see if there was more behind the eyes of a fallen angel, which suggests that the subject may have a deeper, more complex nature that they are not showing. However, despite this attempt at connection, the singer remains unseen and overlooked by the subject.
The chorus repeats the idea of the singer throwing the obvious to see what occurs behind the eyes of a fallen angel, but they ultimately find that there is apparently nothing there. The repetition of the line "You don't see me" emphasizes the singer's feelings of invisibility and the disconnect between them and the subject.
Overall, "3 Libras" explores the complexities of human connection, disappointment, and the search for deeper meaning.
Line by Line Meaning
Threw you the obvious
I gave you a clear sign or indication of my feelings
And you flew with it on your back
You effortlessly assimilated the sign I gave you and acted upon it.
A name in your recollection
You remember me as just a name, among countless others you've met and forgotten.
Down among a million same
I am ordinary and unremarkable in your eyes.
Difficult not to feel a little bit
It's hard not to be disappointed
Disappointed and passed over
I feel ignored and disregarded
When I look right through
When I gaze through your exterior
To see you naked but oblivious
I perceive your vulnerability and transparency, but you're blissfully unaware of it.
And you don't see me
You don't pay attention to me or acknowledge my affection.
But I threw you the obvious
I gave you a clear sign or indication of my feelings
Just to see if there's more behind
I wanted to test if there's a deeper connection between us.
The eyes of a fallen angel
Your gaze, though captivating, is indicative of pain and sorrow.
Eyes of a tragedy
Your eyes allude to a tragic story or past.
Here I am expecting
I am hoping for something more
Just a little bit too much from the wounded
I am expecting too much from someone who is equally damaged
but I see, see through it all
But I see through the facade and you can't hide your true self from me.
See through, see you
I see your true self.
'Cause I threw you the obvious
I gave you a clear sign or indication of my feelings
to see what occurs behind
To discover what's hidden beneath
The Eyes of a fallen angel
Your gaze, though captivating, is indicative of pain and sorrow.
Eyes of a tragedy
Your eyes allude to a tragic story or past.
Oh well, oh well
This is how it is and there's nothing more to do or say.
Apparently nothing
There's no significant meaning or connection between us.
Apparently nothing at all
There's no hope or potential for a deeper connection.
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You are unaware of me and my emotions.
You don't see me
You are unaware of me and my emotions.
You don't, you don't
You are completely oblivious to my existence and feelings.
You don't see me at all
You never noticed me, and there's likely to never be a connection between us.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Billy Howerdel, Maynard Keenan
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@goldnutter412
That's the one
We expect others to see the world as we do.. we see something SO EASY but.. everyone is doing the best they can with THEIR SUBJECTIVE REALITY
We cannot see their circumstances nor how they pattern match the data of this reality. We SHOULD NOT JUDGE
The key point about life is.. make choices.. shit happens. BE REAL ! you will get quality feedback.. generally you get out of life what you put in.. if you are good natured you will win in the end.. but randomness is there to obfuscate the obvious... and to ensure that you MUST CHOOSE FOR YOURSELF !! change only comes from within. Sometimes you are just shit out of luck but you will always be best off if you are genuine and dont kid yourself about your EGO.. ego is not good.. it can drive us, but feed it too much and you are heading towards the dark side.. eg corporate scum (but not all corporates are anywhere near pure evil lol.. there is a reason corporations run the world, most ppl are pretty oblivious to lifes lessons!)
Noone can MAKE you choose to be mad for example.. there is always a better choice just often we can't see it or are afraid of being "not good enough / a failure".. which is actually illogical.. besides if you could be MADE to choose a certain way.. prohibition anyone ? yeah it doesn't work.
Bill & Ted said it best.. whoever wrote the song !
You are right...
You are right where you belong.
@TheRodiscumbag
Lyrics:
Threw you the obvious
And you flew with it on your back
A name in your recollection
Down among a million same
Difficult not to feel a little bit
Disappointed and passed over
When I look right through
To see you naked but oblivious
And you don't see me
But I threw you the obvious
Just to see if there's more behind
The eyes of a fallen angel
Eyes of a tragedy
Here I am expecting
Just a little bit too much from the wounded
but I see, see through it all
See through, see you
'Cause I threw you the obvious
to see what occurs behind
the Eyes of a fallen angel
Eyes of a tragedy
Oh well, oh well
Apparently nothing
Apparently nothing at all
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't, you don't, you don't see me
You don't see me
You don't, you don't
You don't see me at all
@FranjoTusekDuPengfei
Threw you the obvious and you flew with it on your back
A name in your recollection, down among a million same
Difficult not to feel a little bit disappointed, and passed over
When I've looked right through, see you naked but oblivious
And you don't see me
But I threw you the obvious, just to see if there's more behind the
Eyes of a fallen angel, eyes of a tragedy
Here I am expecting just a little bit too much from the wounded
But I see, see through it all, see through, see you
Cause I threw you the obvious, to see what occurs behind the
Eyes of a fallen angel, eyes of a tragedy, oh well
Oh well, apparently nothing
Apparently nothing, at all
You don't, you don't, you don't, see me
You don't, you don't, you don't, see me
You don't, you don't, you don't, see me
You don't see me
You don't, you don't, you don't see me at all
@vanykats8156
Threw you the obvious and you flew with it on your back a name
In your recollection down among a million same
Difficult not to feel
a little bit disappointed and passed over
when I've looked right through to see you
naked but oblivious
and you don't see me
But I threw you the obvious just to see
If there's more behind the eyes of a fallen angel
eyes of a tragedy
Here I am expecting just a little bit too much
From the wounded but I see through it all and see you
'Cause I threw you the obvious to see what occurs behind the
eyes of a fallen angel
Eyes of a tragedy
oh well, oh well apparently nothing
apparently nothing at all...
You don't, you don't, you don't, see me.
You don't, you don't, you don't, see me.
You don't, you don't, you don't, see me.
You don't see me.
You don't, you don't, you don't see me at all.
@tonyasiegler4217
The year this album was released my 3 child was born, a boy, my Cody. All three of my children born in the same week of October. Three libras. They keep me balanced. All grown now and living their lives. They carry my light. Praise God.
I used to sing this song to Cody as I rocked and nursed him. The perfect rocking chair rhythm. My milk flowing down his cheeks as my tears rained down on him. I knew his father did not love me and never would.
Is it coincidence Maynard ? how artists some how magically parallel and mirror the lives of the people who look to them, like ravenous dogs, for the emotional energy necessary to forge their way forward in life?
They are all so beautiful now, my children. Their lives, so pleasing to the Lord... I love them all so much.
Your music bookmarks my life Maynard.
Thank you.
@laurensorey345
My name is Lauren Linton, I was cast in this video when I was 12 years old! I'm the little girl that takes the sailboat from the boy!
@connorschrauben5593
Oh wow. How was it working with them and all? How'd you get cast btw?
@mywetcell4078
Connor Schrauben don’t tell me you thought your going to get a fucking response bro
@msmoe1006
Very cool
@crabbasket1270
Me too. I was the sexy asian in her underwear.
@BxSQUIRREL
Lauren Linton no one cares
@antonioroach7561
This song kept me from killing myself. 2001. I was in the Navy. Lost my mom the year before. My wife was diagnosed with schizophrenia and she was my only rock. And I was losing her too. Slowly before my eyes. This song this whole album was so beautiful and heartbreakingly sad. It made me realize I wasn't alone.
@bb9071
Antonio, wow, thank you for sharing your story. Amazing how music can be so powerful and life changing, isn't it. I am so glad you are still here. You are certainly not alone. I hope life has been kinder to you since that period of time and I wish you well.
@MoHaintz
This is an incredible story. Thank you for sharing. I hope you are thriving today!
@JTinAZ79
💜