Three Dog Night is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California best … Read Full Bio ↴Three Dog Night is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California best known for their music from 1968 to 1975, during which time they achieved twenty-one consecutive Billboard Top 40 Hits and 12 consecutive Gold Albums. Three Dog Night are still active in 2012, touring and recording 43 years after their first album was released. The first of the band's 7 million-selling singles was One in 1969. They scored three number one singles: Mama Told Me (Not to Come), Joy to the World and Black and White.

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."

Freedom For The Stallion
Three Dog Night Lyrics

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Freedom for the stallion, freedom for the mare and her colt,
Freedom for the baby child who has not grown old enough to vote.
Lord, have mercy, what you gonna do about the people who are prayin' to you?
They got men makin' laws that destroy other men, made money, God, it's a doggone
Sin,
Oh, Lord, you got to help us find the way.

Big ship's a-sailin', slaves all chained and bound,

Headin' for a brand new land that someone said he up and found.
Lord, have mercy, what you gonna do about the people who are prayin' to you?
They got men makin' laws that destroy other men, they made money, God, it's a
Doggone sin.
Oh, Lord, you got to help us find the way.

Freedom for the stallion, freedom for the mare and her colt,
Freedom for the baby child who has not grown old enough to vote.
Lord, have mercy, what you gonna do about the people who are prayin' to you?
You know when I look inside my mind searchin' for the truth I find,
Oh, Lord, you got to help us find the way.

Hey, Lord!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Three Dog Night's song "Freedom For The Stallion" seem to focus on the need for freedom and a call for mercy from God for the oppressed. The song opens with a call for freedom not only for animals like stallions and mares but also for children who have not yet grown old enough to vote. The singer acknowledges societal problems, pointing to lawmakers who pass destructive laws and the greed that drives much of human behavior. He recognizes the futility of searching for answers within his own mind and turns his attention to a higher power in a plea to help "find the way."

The lyrics of "Freedom For The Stallion" can be interpreted as a comment on the injustices present in society, particularly with regards to race and class. The references to slavery and the idea of a "brand new land" suggest a history of forced migration, and the idea of men making laws that destroy other men suggests that those in power are often responsible for the oppression of those without it. The call for divine mercy might indicate a sense of hopelessness on the part of those who are struggling.

Overall, the song uses compelling imagery and a passionate desire for justice to make a powerful statement about the need for freedom and the search for a higher power to help bring about change.

Line by Line Meaning

Freedom for the stallion, freedom for the mare and her colt,
Everyone and every living being deserves to be free.

Freedom for the baby child who has not grown old enough to vote.
Every human being deserves to be free, regardless of their age or voting status.

Lord, have mercy, what you gonna do about the people who are prayin' to you?
There are people who are desperate and in need, and they are looking to a higher power for help.

They got men makin' laws that destroy other men, made money, God, it's a doggone Sin,
The people in power are making laws that harm others, all for the sake of profit, and this is morally wrong.

Oh, Lord, you got to help us find the way.
We are lost and need guidance to find the path of righteousness and freedom.

Big ship's a-sailin', slaves all chained and bound,
The image of slaves being transported on a ship is used to represent the unjust and oppressive systems that people are trapped in.

Headin' for a brand new land that someone said he up and found.
The idea of a brand new land represents the hope for a better future, but it is founded on the exploitation of others.

You know when I look inside my mind searchin' for the truth I find,
When one reflects on the world around them, it becomes clear that there is injustice and that there needs to be change.

Hey, Lord!
At the end of the day, we are calling out to a higher power to provide us with the strength and guidance we need to fight for freedom and justice.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ALLEN TOUSSAINT

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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