3AM (Matchbox Twenty song)

"3AM" (stylized as "3 am" on the album and "3 AM" on the single) is the third single and the third track from Matchbox 20's debut album, Yourself or Someone Like You. The song topped the Canadian RPM Top Singles chart for two weeks and the US Billboard Adult Pop Songs chart for ten weeks; it was not eligible to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 at the time due to not receiving a physical release in the United States. Outside North America, "3AM" reached number 31 in Australia and became a minor hit in Europe.

"3AM"
Single by Matchbox 20
from the album Yourself or Someone Like You
B-side	"Push" (acoustic)
Released	November 23, 1997[1]
Recorded	1996
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:46
Label	Atlantic Lava Melisma
Songwriter(s)	Rob Thomas Brian Yale John Leslie Goff John Joseph Stanley
Producer(s)	Matt Serletic
Matchbox 20 singles chronology
"Push" (1997) "3AM" (1997) "Real World" (1998)
Music video
"3AM" on YouTube

Background and content

"3AM" was written by Rob Thomas, Jay Stanley, John Leslie Goff and Brian Yale while performing together in the early 1990s band Tabitha's Secret. The song was first recorded by that band on its debut EP, Tabitha's Secret?. The lyrics are inspired by Thomas as an adolescent having to live with a mother fighting to survive cancer.[2] In 1997, after the other members of Tabitha's Secret left to form Matchbox 20, Goff and Stanley released other early recordings of the band (including 3 A.M.) on Don't Play with Matches.

Music video

The video (directed by Gavin Bowden) was shot at the 99 Cents Only Store at Lankershim Blvd & Whipple St. in North Hollywood, California in September 1997.[3] It features the band sitting on sides of a street next to some telephone booths. A supermarket is also shown. The video switches between color video clips and black-and-white still images. During the introduction and the third verse of the song, Thomas walks in the middle of the street with some construction signs and lights. During the third verse, a Pontiac Trans Am with a bare-chested man and a woman inside stops in front of Thomas. The man gets out, revealing a catheter in his chest, receives three cigarettes from Thomas and then gets back in the Trans Am. Finally, during the last two choruses, the band is shown playing their instruments (presumably in the lobby of a hotel or office building) as rain can be seen falling from a large window behind them. The video ends with an image of Thomas standing next to the telephone booths.

Track listings

US promo CD[4]

1. "3 AM" (album version) – 3:46

UK 7-inch single[5]

A. "3 AM" – 3:46

B. "Push" (acoustic) – 4:19

European and Australian CD single (released November 23, 1997)[1][6]

1. "3 AM" – 3:46
2. "Push" (acoustic) – 4:19
3. "Shame" – 3:35

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1997–1998) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[1] 31 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[7] 1 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[8] 20 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[9] 1 Germany (Official German Charts)[10] 96 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[11] 92 Scotland (OCC)[12] 57 UK Singles (OCC)[13] 64 US Radio Songs (Billboard)[14] 3 US Adult Alternative Songs (Billboard)[15] 1 US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[16] 3 US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[17] 1 US Alternative Airplay (Billboard)[18] 3 US Mainstream Rock (Billboard)[19] 2 US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[20] 2

Year-end charts Chart (1998) Position Canada Top Singles (RPM)[21] 5 Canada Adult Contemporary (RPM)[22] 57 Canada Rock/Alternative (RPM)[23] 11

See also

• List of RPM Rock/Alternative number-one singles (Canada)

References

1. "Australian-charts.com – Matchbox 20 – 3 AM". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
2. Video on YouTube
3. Billboard 4 Oct 1997
4. 3 AM (US promo CD liner notes). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records. 1997. PRCD 8267-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
5. 3 AM (UK 7-inch single sleeve). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records. 1998. AT 0034, 7567-87033-7.CS1 maint: others (link)
6. 3 AM (European CD single liner notes). Matchbox Twenty. Atlantic Records, Lava Records, Melisma Records. 1998. AT0034CD, 7567-95562-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
7. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 3437." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
8. "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 3460." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
9. "Top RPM Rock/Alternative Tracks: Issue 3423." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
10. "Offiziellecharts.de – Matchbox 20 – 3 AM". GfK Entertainment Charts.
11. "Dutchcharts.nl – Matchbox 20 – 3 AM" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
12. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
13. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
14. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Radio Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
15. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Alternative Songs)". Billboard.
16. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard.
17. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard.
18. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Alternative Airplay)". Billboard.
19. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Mainstream Rock)". Billboard.
20. "Matchbox Twenty Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard.
21. "RPM's Top 100 Hit Tracks of '98" (PDF). RPM. Vol. 63 no. 12. December 14, 1998. p. 20. Retrieved March 23, 2019.
22. "RPM's Top 100 Adult Contemporary Tracks of '98". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
23. "RPM's Top 50 Alternative Tracks of '98". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February 19, 2019.

External links

• Facts about Matchbox Twenty songs.