The original lineup included three lead vocalists — Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells — along with Michael Allsup on guitar, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards Floyd Sneed on drums and Joe Schermie (from the Cory Wells Blues Band) on bass.
Three Dog Night recorded some tracks with Beach Boys producer, composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist Brian Wilson before signing with Dunhill Records and at the time went under the name Redwood. The band changed their name based on an article describing how Australian Aborigines slept with their dogs for warmth on cold nights, the coldest being a "three-dog night."
Chained
Three Dog Night Lyrics
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Free like an old man that dies,
Just like a stream or a rose growing wild,
Somewhere there's someone walkin' the road
Somewhere someone who carries a load,
Don't look too far to see somewhere there's a man.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there chained.
God, why don't you let them go?
Why? That's what I want to know.
Pray to the Lord, give thanks that you're free.
Somewhere there's a magical sun,
Somewhere and no evil is done,
Where there's a devil wind, therein a man
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there chained.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
The lyrics of Three Dog Night's song "Chained" juxtapose the concepts of freedom and captivity. The first verse sets up the idea of freedom, describing a bird and an old man who are free in different ways. The image of a stream or rose growing wild also suggests a free, untamed quality. However, this sense of freedom is contrasted with the idea of someone who is burdened and carrying a heavy load, reminding us that freedom is not universal or equal.
The chorus then repeats the word "chained" four times, emphasizing the theme of captivity. The repetition of "God bring the day" suggests a plea for release from this captivity by a higher power, while the questioning of why God doesn't let them go suggests frustration and confusion about their circumstances.
The second verse offers a glimpse of hope for a better future, where a "magical sun" exists and no evil is done. Yet even in this imagined world, there is still a devil wind and a man who is affected by it. This suggests that even in the most ideal circumstances, there will always be some form of hardship or struggle.
Overall, the lyrics of "Chained" capture the complexity of human existence, where freedom and captivity can coexist and a better future is always sought but never certain.
Line by Line Meaning
Free like a bird as it flies,
Feeling liberated and unrestricted, soaring like a bird in the sky.
Free like an old man that dies,
Passing on without any burdens or constraints, completely free.
Just like a stream or a rose growing wild,
Growing and thriving in a natural and uncontrolled manner, unrestricted by any societal rules or boundaries.
Somewhere there's someone walkin' the road
There is always someone else traveling their path through life, experiencing their own unique struggles and challenges.
Somewhere someone who carries a load,
Everyone carries their own weight, their own problems and worries, no matter how well-hidden they may be.
Don't look too far to see somewhere there's a man.
There will always be someone out there struggling, even if they are not immediately visible or obvious.
Chained, chained, chained, chained.
Feeling trapped and confined, unable to escape from the chains that tie them down.
God bring the day, God bring the day,
Asking for divine intervention, an end to their suffering and a release from their captive state.
God bring the day when we don't have to lay there chained.
Hopeful for a future where they are no longer restrained or imprisoned in their current circumstances.
God, why don't you let them go?
Questioning the reasons behind the suffering and bondage of those that are oppressed.
Why? That's what I want to know.
Expressing a deep desire to understand and make sense of the world's injustices and senseless violence.
Pray to the Lord, give thanks that you're free.
Grateful for the small freedoms that they do possess, even while longing for a more complete liberation.
Somewhere there's a magical sun,
Hopeful for the possibility of a brighter future, an existence filled with wonder and joy.
Somewhere and no evil is done,
Believing in a world where evil and wrongdoing do not exist, where everyone is free from harm and oppression.
Where there's a devil wind, therein a man
Acknowledging that some people are forced to live in circumstances that are so harsh and difficult that they may seem inhuman.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: R. BALLARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Christine Shire
on My Impersonal Life
Who sang vocals for this