Three Fingers
Buckethead & Friends Lyrics
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Beside a dented garbage can
A blind man staring
At something only he can see
I spotted him like night
Sky plotted and star struck
Sits at alone, eats at home
Rafted in a sea of blackness
He rattles his cup
Just enough to call your bluff
You can't pretend you didn't see him
Catch his smile in the rear view
Out of the blue his guitar entered hard
With three fingers he plays
Praise what he says might scare you
The lyrics of Buckethead & Friends' "Three Fingers" convey a sense of empathy towards the marginalized and neglected people in the society. The opening line "Three fingers on a swollen hand" paints a vivid picture of a handicapped man sitting beside a dented garbage can. The singer of the song, who is narrating the incident, describes the man as a blind person who is staring at something only he can see. The sense of isolation and loneliness is palpable when he says the man "sits alone, eats at home, rafted in a sea of blackness."
Despite his situation, the man is still trying to make a living by rattling his cup and catching the attention of the passersby. The line "just enough to call your bluff" indicates a certain defiance in the man; he's not begging but simply asking for what he rightfully deserves. The singer then notices the man's smile in the rear-view mirror while driving away. Suddenly, the man's guitar enters the song "out of the blue" with just three fingers, which is both impressive and inspiring. The man's playing carries an underlying message "praise what he says might scare you," indicating that sometimes the truths we ignore can be uncomfortable to confront.
In summary, "Three Fingers" is a song that invites us to see past the biases and prejudices that often blind us to the struggles of the marginalized. The song shows us that even in the darkest of situations, we can still find solace and inspiration in the unlikeliest places.
Line by Line Meaning
Three fingers on a swollen hand
The man the song refers to is physically disabled.
Beside a dented garbage can
The man is begging for money or food.
A blind man staring
The man is visually impaired.
At something only he can see
The man is lost in his own mind, perhaps daydreaming or remembering something.
I spotted him like night
The artist notices the man despite the darkness of the night.
Sky plotted and star struck
The sky is full of stars and the singer is captivated by their beauty.
Sits at alone, eats at home
The man is likely homeless or lives in extreme poverty.
Rafted in a sea of blackness
The man's life is bleak and filled with despair.
He rattles his cup
The man begs for money by shaking his cup.
Just enough to call your bluff
The man can tell if you are pretending to not see him or are ignoring him.
You can't pretend you didn't see him
The singer is implying that it's important to acknowledge this man's existence.
Catch his smile in the rear view
The artist sees the man smiling as they drive away from him.
Out of the blue his guitar entered hard
The man begins playing his guitar suddenly and with intensity.
With three fingers he plays
Despite his disability, the man is still able to play music.
Praise what he says might scare you
The lyrics of his song may be unconventional or controversial, but they are worth listening to nonetheless.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN PATRICK CARROLL, DAN MONTI, SAUL WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind