Terry plays acoustic six and twelve guitar and dobro, mostly with open tunings. He made his recording debut on "Sub Pop 200" with his song "Dead is dead", a compilation featuring Seattle based musicians published by the world famous label Sub Pop who signed the likes of Nirvana and The Shins. After this Hale moved to Europe where, during the last 12 years, he recorded 10 CDs with European labels, most of them for Glitterhouse Records. Among his collaborations the most important is the band "Hardpan" together with Joseph Parsons, Todd Thibaud and Chris Burroughs.
Three Days
Terry Lee Hale Lyrics
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Been off all alone
Coming back around
But wound down slow
Aching in its heart
Whining overload
But she's just a train and
What's a train know?
Lonesome like the wind
That blows through the pines
Don't matter where it goes
Not even trying
Cold as ice
Cuts me to the bone
But she's just the wind and it's how she blows
Lonesome like the bird
That cries through the night
It's the midnight service
Sends shivers up my spine
I wish she could
I wish I might
But she's just a bird
And she likes to cry
I hear them calling
They speak my name
And now I'm falling
Three long days
Lonesome like the call
That goes down the line
Nobody's home
And she wasn't lying
Let it ring once
Let it ring twice
Don't matter
Let it ring all night
Lonesome like a train
Lonesome like the wind
Lonesome like a bird
Lonesome is what if
I hear them calling
They speak my name
And now I'm falling
Three long days
Three days yeah
Three long days
Three days yeah
Terry Lee Hale's song "Three Days" is a melancholic piece that captures the feeling of loneliness and isolation. The song describes several natural elements (a train, the wind, a bird) that evoke a sense of being alone and disconnected from the world. These elements are used as metaphors for the singer's own feelings of emptiness and longing.
In the verse about the train, the lyrics highlight the paradox of the train's loneliness. The train is a symbol of motion and travel, but it can also be a solitary experience. The train is unable to connect with anyone or anything outside of its rails. Similarly, the wind blows through the trees, but it is unaffected by anything it touches. The bird's cry is piercing and haunting, but its song goes unheard.
The chorus ("I hear them calling, they speak my name, and now I'm falling, three long days") emphasizes the singer's sense of desperation and longing. The repetition of the phrase "three long days" emphasizes the drawn-out nature of his isolation.
Overall, "Three Days" is a simple yet powerful song that captures the feeling of loneliness and disconnection.
Line by Line Meaning
Lonesome like a train
Feeling lonely and isolated like a train that has been traveling alone
Been off all alone
Traveling without any company
Coming back around
Returning to a familiar place
But wound down slow
Slowly losing momentum
Aching in its heart
Experiencing a deep emotional pain
Whining overload
Making a high-pitched sound due to an excessive load
But she's just a train and
However, it is just a train and
What's a train know?
It doesn't know anything beyond its purpose of transportation
Lonesome like the wind
Feeling lonely and isolated like the wind that blows through the trees
That blows through the pines
Blowing through the coniferous trees
Don't matter where it goes
It doesn't have a specific destination or purpose
Not even trying
Not making any effort to be anything else
Cold as ice
Having a heart that is emotionally unavailable
Cuts me to the bone
Harms me deeply, leaving a lasting impact
But she's just the wind and it's how she blows
But the wind is just the wind, and it follows its natural course
Lonesome like the bird
Feeling lonely and isolated like the bird that cries through the night
That cries through the night
Making a sound during the night
It's the midnight service
Acting as a messenger at night
Sends shivers up my spine
Causing a physical and emotional reaction within me
I wish she could
I wish it could happen
I wish I might
I wish I could have some control over it
But she's just a bird
But it's just a bird
And she likes to cry
And it enjoys making that noise
I hear them calling
Hearing someone calling out to me
They speak my name
Using my name to get my attention
And now I'm falling
Losing control and descending
Three long days
A period of three days that felt very long
Lonesome like the call
Feeling lonely and isolated like the telephone call that goes unanswered
That goes down the line
Traversing the phone line
Nobody's home
There is no answer from anyone
And she wasn't lying
It wasn't a false promise
Let it ring once
Only allowing the phone to ring one time
Let it ring twice
Allowing the phone to ring for two times
Don't matter
It doesn't make any difference
Let it ring all night
Letting the phone continue to ring throughout the night
Lonesome is what if
Feeling of loneliness is inevitable
Three days yeah
Three days that felt long and lonely
Three long days
Three days that felt long and lonely
Three days yeah
Three days that felt long and lonely
Writer(s): Terry Lee Hale
Contributed by Tyler M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.