Four
The Miles Davis Quartet Lyrics


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Of the wonderful things that you get out of life there are four.
And they may not be many but nobody needs any more.
Of the many facts making the list of life,
Truth takes the lead.
And to relax knowing the gist of life,
It's truth you need.

Then the second is honor and happiness makes number three.
When you put them together you know what the last one must be.
Baby so truth, honor and happiness
And one thing more,
Meaning only wonderful, wonderful love that'll make four.

Of the wonderful things that you get out of life there are four.
And they may not be many but nobody needs any more.
Of the many facts making the list of life,
Truth takes the lead.
And to relax knowing the gist of life,
It's truth you need.

Then the second is honor and happiness makes number three.
When you put them together you know what the last one must be.
Baby so truth, honor and happiness
And one thing more,
Meaning love and that's the real score and more than enough when times are tough and poor.
They may not comprise a lot




Still (you) only got those four.
And there ain't no more.

Overall Meaning

The Miles Davis Quartet's song Four is a simple yet powerful commentary about the essential ingredients of a happy life. The song highlights four things that are considered to be the most important in life - truth, honor, happiness, and love. The opening lines of the song emphasize that these four things are enough for anyone and nobody needs anything more. It suggests that these simple values are the key to a fulfilling life. Truth is identified as the topmost priority as the leader of all facts. Davis believed in the power of truth, and he sought it in his music, his relationships, and life in general. He encourages listeners to relax by knowing the gist of life, which is based on truth.


The second and third things are honor and happiness, respectively. Davis suggests that when combined, they lead to the ultimate thing in life, which is love. The real score is love that is more than enough when times are tough and poor. The song's overall message is that love is the most critical aspect of human existence. The song proposes that love is the glue that binds the other values together and makes them meaningful. Without love, the other things are merely mechanical, unfulfilling gestures. The lyrics are simple yet eloquent, delivering a timeless message that rings true decades after its release.


Line by Line Meaning

Of the wonderful things that you get out of life there are four.
Life has only four basic components that are truly wonderful and essential.


And they may not be many but nobody needs any more.
These four things are sufficient for one to lead a fulfilling life.


Of the many facts making the list of life, Truth takes the lead.
Truth is the most important fact that governs life.


And to relax knowing the gist of life, It's truth you need.
One must always seek the truth in order to acquire peace of mind.


Then the second is honor and happiness makes number three.
The second most important component of life is honor, followed by happiness.


When you put them together you know what the last one must be.
The last component is something that naturally follows from the first three.


Baby so truth, honor and happiness And one thing more, Meaning only wonderful, wonderful love that'll make four.
The fourth and final component is the all-encompassing power of love that completes the quartet.


Meaning love and that's the real score and more than enough when times are tough and poor.
Love is the true measure of one's success in life, especially during tough times.


They may not comprise a lot Still (you) only got those four.
Although there are only four components, they are enough to lead a truly fulfilling life.


And there ain't no more.
These four components are the only things that truly matter in life.




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Peermusic Publishing, THE BICYCLE MUSIC COMPANY
Written by: MILES JAYE DAVIS, JON HENDRICKS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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