Schoolhouse Rock is an American educational animated series that aired during the 1970s and 1980s. The show aimed to teach various academic topics, including grammar, math, and history, through catchy songs and colorful animations. One of the popular songs from Schoolhouse Rock is "Three is a Magic Number," which explains the concept of multiplication and the importance of the number three. The song begins with the lyrics, "Three is a magic number, yes it is, it's a magic number." It then goes on to explain that three is a special number because it is the beginning of the multiplication table. The song quickly gets catchy and memorable, making it an effective tool for teaching children the basics of multiplication.
3 is a magic number
When it comes to presentation, visual display and narrative why do we prefer to see things in threes? A question that’s arisen a few times recently and prompted some thought.
Simple
We live in an age of complexity, with more information at our fingertips than ever before and it’s increasing, rapidly. To effectively convey or absorb an idea, a concept or a story, the overview, the summary, the synopsis, must be simple. It has to entice you to delve deeper.
This is perhaps best illustrated in web presentation, where design-conscious organisations consistently and purposely put their strongest messages in 3 panels, be it static images, product prompts, carousel or movie clips.
The result is the same, the messages they want to convey most are the focus point of the home page and are usually in 3s.
The same is true of media companies and many other organisations:
Perhaps the most successful, simple and minimal web presence of them all does it too:
Metaphysical
As a species the number 2 has a huge significance to us. We have 2 arms, 2 legs, 2 eyes, 2 ears, etc. A symmetry runs down our bodies, so physically ‘two’ matters a lot. The world around us is similar with lots of duality; night and day, light and dark, sea and land, earth and sky and possibly the biggest; life and death. So, the number 2, the polarisation between extremes, is really pronounced in the physical world but it’s when we consider things beyond the physical; in the metaphysical, that the number 3 occurs so often.
Consider the biggest thing to us; life and death. At a physical level it’s a duality, an opposite, you’re alive or dead, until Schrödinger posed a question. Religion changed that with the promise of life after death and the number 3 plays out in many religions. The Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit is the most obvious but even with the extremes of hell and heaven we were presented with the third option of purgatory long before Dante.
The number 3 appears in many religions. In Zoroastrianism there are three ethical principles: Humata (to think good); Hukhta (to speak good), Huveshta (to act good). Under Muslim law a man can divorce his wife by repeating the phrase “I divorce thee” three times and Islam has its own Trinity in the Father, the Son and Maryam, or Mary, as the only religion to include a feminine aspect in the deity. In the Tibetan Book of the Dead, the ‘Three Bodies of Buddhahood’ present triadic levels of existence.
In ancient Egypt the iris flower was a symbol of power and placed on sceptres of rulers and kings. The three large petals of the iris flower symbolise: Faith – Wisdom – Courage.
Aside from religion, mysticism and superstition also favour the number 3. We regularly use the phrase ‘third time lucky’. In fairy tales three is often a magical number. Chinese tradition considers three to be THE lucky number, possibly because the pronunciation is similar to the word for 'alive’. Bad luck is said to come in threes and in the 6th Century BC, the Greeks founded a system based on numerology. For them, 1 meant unity, and 2 meant disorder but 3 was special to them; it equalled harmony and was bound up in the origin of Pythagoras’ theorem.
Maybe it all came from the triangle and other things are coincidental but whichever way you look at it when we as human beings look for a higher purpose; a meaning beyond physical existence, the number 3 features consistently and perhaps that's why 3 is used so much to present, to emphasise a higher purpose.
Our physiology, beyond the usual duality, has influence too. We have two eyes which the brain stereoscopically converts into one vision. We have two cerebral hemispheres to the brain. Strangely, the left side of the brain is responsible for controlling the right side of the body. It also performs tasks requiring logic, such as science and mathematics. The right hemisphere coordinates the left side of the body and performs tasks that have do with creativity, but in the 1950s Neuroscientist Paul MacLean proposed the 'Triune Brain' model, referring to the limbic system of the thalmus, within the brain stem. It’s the limbic system, our third part of the brain, that makes judgements of whether we like something or someone, and it does it almost instantaneously, what we often refer to as gut instinct.
Stories
We gather knowledge in myriad ways now, but we’ve only been writing them down for a few thousand years; a comparatively short time in our evolution. In that time we’ve developed a knack for relaying information with maximum impact through stories, making the listener or reader ‘feel’ an experience through language and description, making them relate.
Many stories have the same structure; a beginning, a middle and an end. Referred to regularly as ‘three act play’, the story opens with a dilemma or a problem to be solved. The second act describes the struggle to resolve the problem and then gives closure in the third act by denouement or aftermath.
It was present in the poetry of Aristotle, the plays of Shakespeare, Aesop’s fables, the novels of Dickins and Conan Doyle. It’s present in Hitchcock movies and stories right up to present day Hollywood and gaming culture. It may date from Aristotle, but he may just have been the first person to write it down. Rise, fall, redemption is a classic formula – see Homer’s Odyssey up to George Lucas’ Star Wars Revenge of the Sith, itself the third part of a trilogy within three series trilogies.
Perhaps all of this makes us prefer ‘3’ when we look at any presentation, visual display and narrative. Our brains allow us to remember three aspects with clarity and meaning but maybe it’s because we simply prefer a story to be told this way.
Schoolhouse rock magic number
Three is a magic number.
Yes it is, it's a magic number.
Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity
You get three as a magic number.
The past and the present and the future,
Faith and hope and charity,
The heart and the brain and the body
Give you three.
That's a magic number.
It takes three legs to make a tri-pod or to make a table stand.
It takes three wheels to make a ve-hicle called a tricycle.
Every triangle has three corners,
Every triangle has three sides,
No more, no less.
You don't have to guess.
When it's three you can see it's a magic number.
A man and a woman had a little baby.
Yes, they did.
They had three in the family.
That's a magic number.
3, 6, 9. 12, 15, 18. 21, 24, 27. 30.
3, 6, 9. 12, 15, 18. 21, 24, 27. 30.
Three time ten is. >> 30
Three times nine is. >> 27
Three times eight is. >> 24
Three times seven is. >> 21
Three times six is 18, three times five is 15
Three times four is twelve
And three times three is nine and three times two is six.
And three times one is three of course.
3, 6, 9.
12, 15, 18.
21, 24, 27. 30.
Three times ten is. 30
Three times nine is 27
Three times eight is. 24
Three times seven is. 21
Three times six is 18, three times five is 15,
Three times four is twelve
And three times three is nine and three times two is six.
And three times one.
That's a magic number.
A man and a woman had a little baby.
Yes, they did.
They had three in the family.
That's a magic number.
Three is a magic number. Yes it is, it's a magic number. Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity You get three as a magic number. The past and the present and the future, Faith and hope and charity, The heart and the brain and the body Give you three. That's a magic number. It takes three legs to make a tri-pod or to make a table stand. It takes three wheels to make a ve-hicle called a tricycle. Every triangle has three corners, Every triangle has three sides, No more, no less. You don't have to guess. When it's three you can see it's a magic number. A man and a woman had a little baby. Yes, they did. They had three in the family. That's a magic number. 3, 6, 9. 12, 15, 18. 21, 24, 27. 30. 3, 6, 9. 12, 15, 18. 21, 24, 27. 30. Three time ten is. >> 30 Three times nine is. >> 27 Three times eight is. >> 24 Three times seven is. >> 21 Three times six is 18, three times five is 15 Three times four is twelve And three times three is nine and three times two is six. And three times one is three of course. 3, 6, 9. 12, 15, 18. 21, 24, 27. 30. Three times ten is. 30 Three times nine is 27 Three times eight is. 24 Three times seven is. 21 Three times six is 18, three times five is 15, Three times four is twelve And three times three is nine and three times two is six. And three times one. That's a magic number. A man and a woman had a little baby. Yes, they did. They had three in the family. That's a magic number.
Three is a Magic Number
"Three is a Magic Number" is a song in Schoolhouse Rock!, which can be seen in Multiplication Rock. In fact, this is the first Schoolhouse Rock! song. The song teaches us how to multiply by three. It first premiered on the pilot episode of Curiosity Shop on September 2, 1971, less than two years before Schoolhouse Rock! made its proper debut.
The song was covered by Stevie Brock, Greg Raposo, and Matt Ballinger to promote Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers. Their cover appears on the original release of the film's soundtrack, while a music video appears on the film's original DVD release.
"The Magic Number", a song by De La Soul sampling this song, was used in the closing credits of Spider-Man: No Way Home.
The song quickly gets catchy and memorable, making it an effective tool for teaching children the basics of multiplication. The song continues to provide examples of how three is a magic number in various situations. For instance, it mentions that three is the number of sides in a triangle, the number of blind mice, and the number of primary colors.
Lyrics [ ]
Three is a magic number
Yes it is, it's a magic number
Somewhere in the ancient mystic trinity
You get three
As a magic number
The past and the present and the future
Faith and hope and charity
The heart and the brain and the body
Give you three
As a magic number
It takes three legs to make a tripod or to make a table stand
It takes three wheels to make a vehicle called a tricycle
Every triangle has three corners
Every triangle has three sides
No more, no less
You don't have to guess
When it's three
You can see
It's a magic number
A man and a woman had a little baby
Yes they did
They had three in the family
That's a magic number
3, 6, 9,
12, 15, 18,
21, 24, 27,
30
3, 6, 9,
12, 15, 18,
21, 24, 27,
30
Now the multiples of three
They come up three times in each set of 10
In the first 10, you get 3, 6, 9
And in the "teens" 10, it's 12, 15, and 18
And in the 20s, you get, uh, 21, 24, 27
And it comes out even on 30, yeah!
Now multiply backwards from 3x10
3x10 is 30
3x9 is 27
3x8 is 24
3x7 is 21
3x6 is 18
3x5 is 15
3x4 is 12
And 3x3 is 9
And 3x2 is 6
And 3x1 is 3, of course
Now dig the pattern once more!
(3) 3, 6, 9,
(12) 12, 15, 18,
(21) 21, 24, 27,
30
Yeah, thirty
Now multiply from 10 backwards
3x10 is 30 (Keep going)
3x9 is 27
3x8 is 24
3x7 is 21
3x6 is 18
3x5 is 15
3x4 is 12
And 3x3 is 9
And 3x2 is 6
And 3x1
What is it?
3
Yeah!
That's a magic number
A man and a woman had a little baby
Yes they did
They had three in the family
That's a magic number
[Clearing throat] Is this on?
1, 2, 3, come on!
Yeah we're a magic number
Yeah yeah yeah
Hey hey hey hey hey
3 is a family baby
3 is a magic number
Yes it is, it's a magic number
Stand together till we're done
One for all and all for one
We are 3, it's a magic number
I'm with you, you're with me
Birds fly full of speed
Side to side we'll always be together
3 is a family
3 is a family
(We're a magic number)
3 is family
Yeahhh
When things are looking hopeless
(Uh huh)
And you don't know what to do
(Yeah)
You can turn to me my friend
And I'll always turn to you
Alright
1 and 1 and 1 is 3
I've got you and you've got me
There's nothing we can't do us 3 together
It's a magic number
(3 is a family, 3 is a family)
3 times 10 is 30
3 times 9 is 27
3 times 8 is 24
3 times 7 is 21
3 times 6 is 18
3 times 5 is 15
3 times 4 is 12
3 times 3 is 9 and
3 times 2 is 6
And 3 times 1
What is it?
Three
1, 2, 3, 3, 2, 1
If we're not 3
Then we're none
1, 2, 3 we never run
It's one for all and all for one
The number 1 stands alone
And 2 you can't divide
But when you're 3
You'll always be
With friends there at your side
(AHHHHH)
3 times 10 is 30
3 times 9 is 27
3 times 8 is 24
3 times 7 is 21
3 times 6 is 18
3 times 5 is 15
3 times 4 is 12
3 times 3 is 9 and
3 times 2 is 6
And 3 times 1
What is it?
Three
When we're united
Standing tall
All our backs against the wall
We can't be beat if we are all together
We're a magic number
When things look up
It's getting tough
And you don't know what to do
It just depends if you've got friends
To help you make it through
Of all the numbers that could be
The most important number 3
Stands for you and you and me together
We're a magic number
(3 is a family)
We're on our way and nothing's gonna stop us
We're a trio
We've got 3 in the family
3 is a family
3 is a family
3 is a family
Three is a magic number
Yes it is, it's a magic number
Somewhere in the ancient mystic trinity
You get three
As a magic number
The past and the present and the future
Faith and hope and charity
The heart and the brain and the body
Give you three
As a magic number
It takes three legs to make a tripod or to make a table stand
It takes three wheels to make a vehicle called a tricycle
Every triangle has three corners
Every triangle has three sides
No more, no less
You don't have to guess
When it's three
You can see
It's a magic number
A man and a woman had a little baby
Yes they did
They had three in the family
That's a magic number
3, 6, 9,
12, 15, 18,
21, 24, 27,
30
3, 6, 9,
12, 15, 18,
21, 24, 27,
30
Now multiply backwards from 3x10
3x10 is 30
3x9 is 27
3x8 is 24
3x7 is 21
3x6 is 18
3x5 is 15
3x4 is 12
And 3x3 is 9
And 3x2 is 6
And 3x1 is 3, of course
Now give it to me, 1, 2, 3!
(3) 3, 6, 9,
(12) 12, 15, 18,
(21) 21, 24, 27,
30
Pull up, pull up
Bring it back and rewind!
3x10 is 30
3x9 is 27
3x8 is 24
3x7 is 21
3x6 is 18
3x5 is 15
3x4 is 12
And 3x3 is 9
And 3x2 is 6
And 3x1
What is it?
3
Yeah!
And that's the magic number
A man and a woman had a little baby
Yes they did
They had three in the family
And that's a magic number
These examples help children understand the significance of the number three in different contexts. The song also emphasizes the importance of learning the multiplication table by heart. According to the lyrics, once children master the multiplication table, they will be able to solve all sorts of math problems quickly and easily. By associating the idea of multiplication with a magical number, the song makes it more engaging and enjoyable for young learners. Overall, "Three is a Magic Number" from Schoolhouse Rock serves as a fun and educational way to introduce children to the world of multiplication. The song's catchy tune and memorable lyrics make it an effective tool for teaching this fundamental math concept. By using music and animation, Schoolhouse Rock was able to transform learning into an entertaining experience for children across the United States..
Reviews for "The Lasting Influence of Schoolhouse Rock's "Magic Number" on Pop Culture"
1. John - 2 stars: I found "Schoolhouse Rock Magic Number" to be quite repetitive and unengaging. The constant repetition of the number "3" throughout the song became annoying after a while. Additionally, the lyrics lacked depth and failed to provide any educational value beyond basic addition. Overall, I was disappointed with this song and do not recommend it.
2. Sarah - 1 star: I really did not enjoy "Schoolhouse Rock Magic Number." The animation was outdated and unappealing, making it difficult to pay attention to the song. Furthermore, the lyrics were too simplistic and did not offer any substantial learning opportunities. There are much better educational songs out there, and I would not waste my time on this one.
3. Mark - 2 stars: While "Schoolhouse Rock Magic Number" may have been popular in its time, I found it to be quite dull and unmemorable. The melody lacked catchiness, and the lyrics did not provide any interesting or useful information. I believe there are more engaging and effective ways to teach children about numbers.
4. Emily - 3 stars: Although "Schoolhouse Rock Magic Number" is a classic piece of educational content, I personally did not find it very entertaining. The repetitive nature of the song and the simple animations did not hold my attention. However, I can see how it might have been effective in teaching basic math concepts to young children. It just didn't appeal to my taste.
5. Alex - 2 stars: "Schoolhouse Rock Magic Number" felt outdated and irrelevant to today's educational standards. While it may have been effective in its time, I believe there are more modern and engaging ways to teach children about numbers. The song lacked creativity and failed to capture my interest or provide any significant educational value.
Note: The ratings are subjective and may vary.