Three Is a Magic Number
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| - | '''''Schoolhouse Rock!''''' is a [[United States|U.S.]] [[Film series|series]] of fifty-two educational [[short films]] featuring [[song]]s about [[schoolhouse]] topics, including [[grammar]], [[science]], [[economics]], [[history]], [[mathematics]], and [[politics]]. Originally conceived by Thomas G. Yohe in 1972, the shorts were broadcast on the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] television network in the U.S. between 1973 and 1986. They were then broadcast infrequently during the [[1990s]] and [[2000s]] with new shows created between 1993 and 1996. | ||
| - | Often viewed with [[nostalgia]] by members of both late [[Baby Boomers]] and [[Generation X]], ''Schoolhouse Rock!'' has become part of [[United States|American]] [[popular culture]]. | + | "'''Three Is a Magic Number'''" is the [[television pilot|pilot episode]] of the ''[[Schoolhouse Rock!]]'' series and the first episode of the program's first season, "[[Schoolhouse Rock!#Multiplication Rock|Multiplication Rock]]." |
| - | The word "rock" is something of a [[misnomer]], as only a few of the songs are in [[rock music|rock]] format (e.g., "Elementary, My Dear" and the [[progressive rock]]-like "Little Twelvetoes"). The rest are either [[jazz]] (e.g., "I'm Just a Bill," "Figure Eight"), [[blues]] ("Naughty Number Nine"), or straight [[pop music|pop]] songs (e.g., "A Noun Is a Person, Place, or Thing," "Interjections!," "No More Kings"). | + | The title song, written by [[Bob Dorough]], and accompanying animated video were created after ad agency co-chairman David McCall observed that his son had learned every [[The Beatles|Beatles]] lyric but could not remember multiplication tables. |
| - | Portions of "[[Three Is A Magic Number]]" were also sampled and used in a song entitled "The Magic Number" by hip-hop group [[De La Soul]] on their album ''[[3 Feet High and Rising]]''. "Three Is A Magic Number" is notable for its musical sophistication and its use of the [[kalimba]].{{GFDL}} | + | Though the song is not as iconic to the Schoolhouse Rock series as later episodes such as "[[I'm Just a Bill]]" and "Conjunction Junction" (ranking as only the show's seventh most popular episode according to the 30th Anniversary VHS), it has proven, thanks to its more passive approach to teaching about the multiples of three than later episodes, to be more popular as a standalone album. The music video for this version features clips from the original show. |
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| + | == Cover versions == | ||
| + | Perhaps the most well known cover was done by the band [[Blind Melon]], which also features one of the last vocal recordings of the band's vocalist [[Shannon Hoon]]. This version also appeared in films such as ''[[Never Been Kissed]]'', ''[[Slackers]]'', and ''[[You, Me and Dupree]]''. | ||
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| + | [[Jeff Buckley]] also recorded a cover version of the song. | ||
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| + | The song is parodied by Jack Black in the movie ''[[School of Rock]]'', when Black accidentally refers to the number 9 as "a magic number". | ||
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| + | [[De La Soul]] interpolate both the original melody and snippets of lyric from this song into their track "[[The Magic Number]]", as featured on their debut album "[[Three Feet High and Rising]]". | ||
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| + | A version by [[Jon Carter]], modeled after the De La Soul version, was used in channel idents for [[BBC Three]] from its launch in February 2003 until January 2008. | ||
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| + | The Three Mobile Company in Australia has used the song as its theme song during advertisements since the brand broke in to the Australian market. The song has also been covered by Greek singer [[Elena Paparizou]] for the a Swedish Three Mobile advertising campaign in 2007. Three Mobile in Denmark use the Jack Johnson version of the song as waiting tone when calling Three customers. | ||
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| + | [[Jack Johnson (musician)|Jack Johnson]] also adapted the song to talk about the three R's (reduce, re-use, and recycle) for his soundtrack to the animated film ''[[Curious George (film)|Curious George]]''. | ||
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| + | == Notable appearances == | ||
| + | This song originally appeared on the final episode of ''[[Curiosity Shop]]''. | ||
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| + | The song is known to [[Ireland|Irish]] people for being the start-up music to the television station [[TV3 (Ireland)|TV3]], since its inception in 1998. | ||
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| + | The song was also featured in commercials for espn3.com. It was used for the [[Sony]] [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] DVD player. The song was parodied on the [[MADtv]] sketch "Public Schoolhouse Rock!" with a song about substitute teachers. | ||
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| + | {{GFDL}} | ||
Revision as of 11:09, 28 June 2012
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"Three Is a Magic Number" is the pilot episode of the Schoolhouse Rock! series and the first episode of the program's first season, "Multiplication Rock."
The title song, written by Bob Dorough, and accompanying animated video were created after ad agency co-chairman David McCall observed that his son had learned every Beatles lyric but could not remember multiplication tables.
Though the song is not as iconic to the Schoolhouse Rock series as later episodes such as "I'm Just a Bill" and "Conjunction Junction" (ranking as only the show's seventh most popular episode according to the 30th Anniversary VHS), it has proven, thanks to its more passive approach to teaching about the multiples of three than later episodes, to be more popular as a standalone album. The music video for this version features clips from the original show.
Cover versions
Perhaps the most well known cover was done by the band Blind Melon, which also features one of the last vocal recordings of the band's vocalist Shannon Hoon. This version also appeared in films such as Never Been Kissed, Slackers, and You, Me and Dupree.
Jeff Buckley also recorded a cover version of the song.
The song is parodied by Jack Black in the movie School of Rock, when Black accidentally refers to the number 9 as "a magic number".
De La Soul interpolate both the original melody and snippets of lyric from this song into their track "The Magic Number", as featured on their debut album "Three Feet High and Rising".
A version by Jon Carter, modeled after the De La Soul version, was used in channel idents for BBC Three from its launch in February 2003 until January 2008.
The Three Mobile Company in Australia has used the song as its theme song during advertisements since the brand broke in to the Australian market. The song has also been covered by Greek singer Elena Paparizou for the a Swedish Three Mobile advertising campaign in 2007. Three Mobile in Denmark use the Jack Johnson version of the song as waiting tone when calling Three customers.
Jack Johnson also adapted the song to talk about the three R's (reduce, re-use, and recycle) for his soundtrack to the animated film Curious George.
Notable appearances
This song originally appeared on the final episode of Curiosity Shop.
The song is known to Irish people for being the start-up music to the television station TV3, since its inception in 1998.
The song was also featured in commercials for espn3.com. It was used for the Sony Disney DVD player. The song was parodied on the MADtv sketch "Public Schoolhouse Rock!" with a song about substitute teachers.
