those three words - more from "Chasing Cars"

[Benjamin Barrett]

Whoops. And the reason for mentioning this is that "those three words" is not in the OED, AHD, Wiktionary or Wikipedia…. BB

On Oct 10, 2011, at 3:41 AM, Benjamin Barrett wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Benjamin Barrett <gogaku at IX.NETCOM.COM>
> Subject:      those three words - more from "Chasing Cars"
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I appreciate all the follow-ups on "lay" and "lie" the other day. I =
> thought I had spent enough time as an adult getting those right, but =
> obviously I still have a ways to go :)
>
> Anyway, listening again to "Chasing Cars" by Snow Patrol, I noticed the =
> phrase "those three words," clearing referring to "I love you" though =
> the word "love" does not appear in the song. =
> (http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/snowpatrol/chasingcars.html)
>
> The use of "those three words" is culturally widespread with the =
> alternative "those three little words." Three other citations where "I =
> love you" is explicitly stated are:
>
> 1. "Those Three Words" by Brad =
> (http://www.lyricstime.com/brad-those-three-words-lyrics.html)
>
> I Could Have Written a Story
> Out of Those Three Words
> But As It Stands
> My Organ's Pumping Notes
> To the Skill of Your Smile
> All the While I Ask For Flowers
> To Be Placed By Your Cheek
> So the Mornin' Is Sweet
> The Pleasure Is Close
> Tick Tick Tick Tick My Dear
> Can't You See?
> I Could Have Written a Story
> Out of I Love You
>
> 2. "Those Three Words" by Pooja =
> (http://thoughtfulrandomness.wordpress.com/2010/05/18/those-three-words/)
>
> =93Those three words, are said too much, they=92re not enough=85=94 =
> [citing "Chasing Cars"]
>
> Saying I Love You is considered the most difficult thing.=20
>
> 3. "1-2-3-4" by Plain White T's =
> (http://www.lyricsmania.com/1234_lyrics_plain_white_ts.html)
>
> There=92s only one thing
> To Do
> Three words
> For you
> (I love you) I love you
> There=92s only one way to say
> Those three words=20
> That=92s what I=92ll do
> (I love you) I love you

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