3's & 7's
Queens of the Stone Age Lyrics

The lyrics to Queens of the Stone Age's song "3's & 7's" can be interpreted as a commentary on human nature and our tendency to lie and deceive in order to avoid the uncomfortable truth. The song begins with the singer asking someone to lie to his face and tell him that a difficult situation "ain't no thing." He then suggests that taking this lie to the grave is what destroyed an old friend. This implies that avoiding reality can have damaging consequences, even if it may seem easier in the moment.

The chorus of the song offers a cynical take on honesty, questioning why anyone would bother telling the truth when it can be painful. The singer suggests that ignorance is bliss and that he is "in Heaven now" because he is choosing to live in denial. The second verse continues this exploration of the theme, with the singer telling someone that they will never escape a situation and that they will turn into "sweet no things." This suggests that by lying to oneself and others, we can become less substantial, less real.

The final lines of the song seem to suggest that the singer is grappling with his own tendency to deceive others. He says that he keeps going over and over again, trying to escape the "never ending places I've never been." He suggests that no one is catching on to his bluff and that he is becoming "holier than I've ever been" as he continues to lie. The repetition of the line "say it with a smile, boy/Making us all forget" at the end of the song underscores the idea that lying and deception can be contagious, causing us to forget the truth and become absorbed in our own fantasies.