Three (2001) – John Butler

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Tracklist & Lyrics

Original Australian track listing:
1. Betterman – 8:16
2. Attitude – 6:09
3. Media – 5:19
4. Believe – 3:59
5. Take – 8:01
6. Life Ain’t What It Seems – 7:04
7. Money – 11:33
8. Foundation – 14:47

U.S. track listing featuring 3 tracks from the JBT EP and without ‘Foundation’:
1. Betterman – 8:16
2. Attitude – 6:09
3. Media – 5:19
4. Believe – 3:59
5. Take – 8:01
6. Life Ain’t What It Seems – 7:04
7. Money – 11:33
8. Pickapart – 2:59
9. Earthbound Child – 3:50
10. Don’t Understand – 4:31

Credits

John Butler – vocals, guitars
Gavin Shoesmith – double bass; electric bass
Jason McGann – drums; vocals

Paul Boon – didgeridoo
George Rrurrambu – intro vocals on “Money”
Rosie Johnstone, David Broadfoot & Brenda Fost – backing vocals

Released: 18 April 2001
Recorded: Studio Couch – North Fremantle
Producer: John Butler Trio & Shaun O’Callaghan

Additional Info

Three is the second studio album by The John Butler Trio.
All the music and lyrics were written and arranged by John Butler. The album was recorded, engineered and mixed by Shaun O’Callaghan at Studio Couch, North Fremantle, Western Australia. It was mastered at Woodstock Studios by Robin Mai, Nicky Bomba and Joe Camilleri. The album was produced by the John Butler Trio and Shaun O’Callaghan. The cover concept was designed by John Butler with Matt and Iowana at Insomnia Design.

In April 2001, John Butler Trio released Three and relocated to Melbourne to promote the record on the east coast. The track, “Betterman”, was on high rotation by Triple J. Three peaked at No. 24 on the ARIA Charts. It also remained on the alternative charts for nine months reaching No. 3. At the ARIA Music Awards of 2001 the album won an award for ‘Best Independent Release’.
“Betterman” reached No. 5 on the Triple J Hottest 100, 2001.

Shoesmith left the trio to form his own band, The Groovesmiths, Butler replaced him with 19-year-old Rory Quirk, who was on their first tour of the United States in 2001. Quirk, in turn, left in 2002 to pursue a career with his band, Quirk. Andrew Fry joined as the next bass player.

The success of Three led to its release in the US in 2002 and two tours of the US followed. The band supported the Dave Matthews Band and John Mayer as well as playing at the Bonnaroo Music Festival and the South by Southwest Festival. The band also played at the Splendour in the Grass Festival in Australia. Butler, his manager Phil Stevens and fellow Western Australian folk artists, The Waifs, founded Jarrah Records in July 2002.

As a result of intensive touring, the band developed a great live reputation in Australia. The band released Living 2001-2002 in February 2003, a double live album which had a top ten debut in the ARIA album charts and went on to achieve platinum sales. Butler took a brief break after five years of solid work since 1997 for the birth of his daughter Banjo.

1. Betterman

Betterman I am since I
Come into contact with you
And you taught so many things about myself
and you know this is true
but now we are apart and its all my fault
cos you know I need to be alone
Don’t know myself
so how can I share me with you girl or anyon e

Don’t want to be a thorn in your side
good woman
Always be the one
to make you cry
Don’t wanna be that guy
Good woman
cos you deserve everything
and I got nothing so leave me
and I’ll go away better off I stay
Far from you,
because you are beautiful

BEAUTIFUL WOMAN

Now typical man
I am because you think
I want my cake and eat it too
Cos say I can’t be in a relationship
but I still feel for you
Cos you are the best woman
This old man has ever met
You taught me about my soul
you shared with me your magic

Betterman I am since I
Come into contact with you
And you taught
so many things about myself
and you know this is true
but now we are apart and its all my fault
cos you know I need to be alone
Don’t know myself
so how can I share me with you girl
or anyone
Cause you are

BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL WOMAN…
BETTER MAN I AM COS OF YOU…

2. Attitude

Hey man why you always give me Attitude?
What I, what I ever Done to you?
If you got a bone to Pick
Step outside step Outside talk about it

But I talk with words man
I don’t talk with my fists
I’m sick of all this aggression
Hell you know I’ve had enough of it
But I don’t mean to Offend you
So tell me if I have tell me if I have
Don’t give me attitude
Don’t you give me attitude

Hey man why you always laughing at me?
What’s so, what’s so funny?
Cos take a look in the mirror say now what do you see?
You are just, you are just like me

And I’m easy going
I listen to what you gotta say
And if I was wrong, if I was wrong
I’d say sorry.
Cause I don’t mean,
No I don’t mean to offend you
I got my own Demons
Don’t need bad karma too

Cos truth is the only way
So express what you’re feelin
Say what you’ve gotta say
Without blaming, without blaming

3. Media

What you watch, what you read
What you perceive is to be truth
It is all so subjective
So what you believe is up to you

But what are we to believe in
Between the lies and the truth? Youth
Media has vested interest
So what you believe is up to you.

But how are we to make sense of these turbulent times
When all they do is censor our minds
Only telling what they want us to know
Only half of the story told

So what is wrong? What is right?
No truth can there be seen
Well it’s all there in your new religion
Just turn on your TV screen

Watch the sex and drugs and all that violence
Look what they are feeding you
Propaganda yes indeed its,
its all there to confuse

But how are we to make sense of these turbulent times
When all they do is brainwash our minds
Only telling what they want us to know
Only half of the story told

And if the truth can’t be found
I’ll find my own underground
And if the truth is never to be seen
I’ll find my own in between

What you watch, what you read
What you perceive is to be truth
It is all so subjective
So what you believe is up to you

But what are we to believe in
Between the lies and the truth? Youth
Media has vested interest
So what you believe is up to you.
You know its up to you
Don’t believe the lies, read between the lines,
Don’t believe the lies, critically analyze

4. Believe

Theres no need to cry
Just hold your head up high
All you got to do is Believe…
In your self
Cos there will be no-one else
Who will ever leave…
You alone anymore
Cos in yourself you be sure
in who you’d be…
Exactly who you are
Cos you could go so far
All you got to do is believe…

Take sometime with yourself
Think about something else
If you cannot be thankful
for what you got
Cos take a look around
It is all so beautiful
So what the hell is there to worry about?
Worry about, worry about…

There’s no need to worry
Run around in your scurry
All you got to do is believe…
In the universe
Cos this man it always works
All you got to do is release…
All your expectations
In any situation
All you got to do is see…
That it’s all taking place
In it’s own grace
All you got to do is believe

5. Take

Take, take what you want,
Take it all, I know you want my soul
And feel, what you want me to feel
But I will only conceal just a little more
From you
You’re all alone, you’re all alone
And you draggin everyone in
All alone and you don’t even understand
Don’t even understand

So I’ll obey, listen to what you say
Cos you are in full control now
But you’re so scared, so scared of losing it all somehow
You’re all alone, you’re all alone
And you draggin everyone in
All alone and you don’t even understand
Don’t even understand

See if you don’t got the time to show just a little respect
You won’t get any in return
And if you don’t got time to have an open ear
You won’t have anything to learn

Don’t know why you don’t even understand
Don’t know why you don’t even understand
Don’t know why you don’t even understand

6. Life Ain’t What It Seems

Strange as it may be
Sometimes life you know it ain’t what it seems
Like going to war to make peace
Sometimes life you know it ain’t what it seems

Like the old man out there he lives on the streets
And now he is asking for a dollar off everybody he meets
Never knew he used to be a millionaire on wall street
Sometimes life you know it ain’t what it seems

Just like that plane you are late for leaving without you
And now it changes all you plans and puts you in a bad mood
And that plane ends up crashing but at the time man you would not have a clue
That being late could be so good and life is strange and this true

So sometimes life you know it ain’t what it seems
Sometimes good presents come in bad wrapping
Strange as it may be
Sometimes bad presents come in good wrapping

Just like our Prime Minister with his new policy
called the RFA he says he wants to save the old trees
You have a look at what he has come up with his business mates and you will see
That the man could not give a shit and some things ain’t what they seem

Just like that environmental day sponsored by Shell
So we can all endorse the killing and go straight to hell
It’s like Bunnings saying they’re supporting your community
While they’re chopping it right down and somethings ain’t what they seem

Oh I won’t forget
Everything you know it’s happening, happening for a reason
So there ain’t no need, no need in worrying…
Just get your job done.

Strange as it may be
Sometimes life you know it ain’t what it seems
Like going to war to make peace
Sometimes life you know it ain’t what it seems

7. Money

Well I hope you find your way
Through every heart wrenching day
With all those shitty decisions that you make
Hell I know the games, I know the games you play

So do you think you got enough time
To open all of your uranium mines
Before yes you go and you poison us all
You know your profit man it’s gonna take its toll

And I don’t know who you are
I don’t know where you come from
I just know it is to hell you’re going cos
You pollute everything with you big business
And I know it’s all for your money
Hell yeah, all for your money
All for your money
Tell me man it’s all for your money

So go now you go and you rape this Earth
You take her for what you think she’d worth
But you take and you take and you take til there’s nothing left
I don’t call that business, I call that theft

So who do the Hell do you think you are
Why do you got to take things so far
You know you screw the Earth and then you look towards the stars
Tell me man why do you got to take things so far

And I don’t know who you are
I don’t know where you come from
I just know it is to hell you’re going cos
You ruin everything with you big business
And I know it’s all for your money

All for your money
Sweeter than honey
All for your Money
Tell me man can you eat your money
Tell me man can you eat your money
Cos that’s what’s gonna be left, that’s what’s gonna be left
So tell me man can you eat your money

Business man with your uranium mine,
will you gain a conscience
Politician man, there in your Government,
will you gain a conscience
Media man with all your newspapers,
Who lies must gain a conscience
Prime Minister with all our apathy,
will you GAIN A CONSCIENCE!

8. Pickapart

So there ain’t no need to pickapart me
Cause what you get ain’t what you see
I said a little fucked up, a little crazy
But there ain’t no need to pickapart me

Going down the road nobody gonna go and get in my way
Nothing going to stop old me from finding myself a new day
And as long as I don’t hurt no one
I don’t be hurting no one I still say
Nothing going to stop old me from finding myself a new day
I said ain’t nothing going to stop me or you hell no…

So there ain’t no need to pickapart me
Cause what you get ain’t what you see
I said a little fucked up, a little crazy
But there ain’t no need to pickapart me

I got four Hail Marys flying over my head
Trying to make me sad every day
Gonna shoot those little motherfuckers down
With my positive artillery

Cause it doesn’t really matter who you listen to
Or who ya gonna go believe
I said nothing really stopping me
Or anybody else from going and being free

Nothing gonna stop you or me Hell no
No nothing gonna stop me or you Hell no

9. Earthbound Child

What goes up they say is coming down
I got my head in the sky and my roots in the ground I’m not a patriotic man for what it’s worth
I pledge my allegiance to this land
And my Mother Earth

What I am I said is what I be
I be damned if you cut down all the trees
Clear-felling all this good land I do see
We’ll all be damned if you cut down all the trees
What I am I said is what I am
I be damned if I stone cold killa man
In the name of a flag a patriotic game
You got blood on your hands it ain’t me you blame

Everybody crying but they don’t know why
Well don’t look up now there’s a hole in the sky
And if we don’t change soon everybody gonna die
You better jump ship now you better hope you can fly

Over population say we gotta face
You’re gonna send us all away out to outer space
Singing yippie hurray for the human race
I don’t wanna live my life in no outer space

Earthbound Child

Earthbound Child
Come up with the shit cause I’m the Earthbound Child
Lock onto the shit cause you’re the Earthbound Child

I got six white candles
You know they’re too hot to handle
You know I’m lighting them up
Cause you know I’m a vandal
Sticking them up all around my room
Cause ya know what I’m into
Oh ya the voodoo

Yes I go hard yes I go the full mile
Yes I go hard I’m going full with style
Yes I go hard you know I’m wick a wild
You know what they call me
I’m the Earthbound Child

Earthbound Child….

10. Don't Understand

Did you ever stop to think about whatcha gonna do with your responsibility
Or did you just take this job cause it would be good for the money
And did you ever stop to think about your duty to mankind
Or did you think ya take this job do favours for your friends
and waste all our time?

So tell me man
Do you realise what you’re doing to this good country?
Cause you’re selling it all away for your economic stability
And you justify everything you do
with the people that you say you’re gonna employ
But the unemployment line is getting bigger every year and you treat us all like toys

We’re just expendable to you
Along now with this land
And there ain’t no room left for empathy
And this is something I don’t understand

Don’t make no sense to me
Justifying everything we do on our economy
And there ain’t no room

No more room left for human decency
Justifying everything we do on our economy

And the only time you listen to the people

is when you think you won’t get their vote
Otherwise you really could not give a shit don’t mind rockin all our boats
And your greatest living friend
is a man who goes by the name of apathy
And we let you get away with everything you like so you make all your money

But I tell you something right now old man
and this is a fair old warning to you
That the people are waking up and gonna make you accountable too
Just like the Nazi trials in Nuremberg hell not so long ago
Gonna make you pay for what you done gonna make you responsible

Cause I don’t understand
Don’t understand
Don’t understand
What head space you’re in

So it must be lies you’re speaking
Must be lies you’re speaking

And the land that you love, he could not give a damn about

And the ocean that you love, he could not give a shit about
And the trees that you love, do you think he could give a fuck about?
And the family that you love, do you think he could give a damn about?