Three Wooden Crosses
Encyclopedia
"Three Wooden Crosses" the title of a song written by Kim Williams and Doug Johnson, and recorded by American
country music
singer-songwriter
Randy Travis
. The first single released in November 2002 from his 2002 album, Rise and Shine
, it became Travis' sixteenth Number One single, and his first since "Whisper My Name
" in 1994. In addition, it was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association
in 2003 and won a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association as Country Song of the Year in 2004.
s and to crosses that, in 1984, funded by Reverend Bernard Coffindaffer, began appearing on the sides of highways across the country. These crosses stand in the traditional Christian
formation of a tall cross in the middle and two slightly shorter crosses on each side representing the Crucifixion of Jesus
.
(on vacation) and a teacher
(seeking higher education), a hooker
and a preacher
(both of which were "searching for lost souls"), on a bus traveling from the United States
to Mexico
. The bus is involved in a fatal accident which kills three of the four passengers; because there are four people featured in the song (excluding the driver of the bus and the 18-wheeler which hit it, neither of whom presumably died in the wreck), the lyrics ask why there are only three crosses and not four.
The song mentions that the farmer and teacher were killed in the wreck, with the farmer leaving a harvest and a son who would follow in his footsteps, and the teacher leaving knowledge in the children she taught. It also mentions that the preacher lays his bloodstained Bible
in the hands of the hooker, asking her if she could "see the Promised Land
".
The end of the song reveals that the story was being told by a preacher during Sunday church services. However, in a twist, the preacher telling the story is not the sole survivor among the passengers, but is in fact the son of the hooker (holding up the bloodstained Bible as proof), who read the Bible that had been given to her by the dying preacher; in turn, her son eventually became a preacher himself.
magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "beautifully written tale of faith and redemption." She goes on to say that Travis has never sounded better, "and his warm baritone perfectly conveys every nuance in the lyric."
charts, peaking at #31 on that chart.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Randy Travis
Randy Travis
Randy Travis is an American country music singer and actor. Since 1985, he has recorded 20 studio albums and charted more than 30 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, 22 of which were number one hits...
. The first single released in November 2002 from his 2002 album, Rise and Shine
Rise and Shine (Randy Travis album)
Rise and Shine is the title of an album released in 2002 by American country music artist Randy Travis. His second gospel album, it produced the single "Three Wooden Crosses", which in 2003 became his first Number One single on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart since 1994's "Whisper My Name"...
, it became Travis' sixteenth Number One single, and his first since "Whisper My Name
Whisper My Name
"Whisper My Name" is the title of a country music song written by Trey Bruce. It was recorded by Randy Travis on his 1994 album This Is Me. It was released in June 1994 as the album's second single, it became a Number One country hit for him in both the United States and Canada.-Content:"Whisper My...
" in 1994. In addition, it was named Song of the Year by the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
in 2003 and won a Dove Award from the Gospel Music Association as Country Song of the Year in 2004.
Title Reference
Throughout the song there is mention of "three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway." This is a dual reference to roadside memorialRoadside memorial
A roadside memorial is a marker that usually commemorates a site where a person died suddenly and unexpectedly, away from home. Unlike a grave site headstone, which marks where a body is laid, the memorial marks the last place on earth where a person was alive - although in the past travelers were...
s and to crosses that, in 1984, funded by Reverend Bernard Coffindaffer, began appearing on the sides of highways across the country. These crosses stand in the traditional Christian
Christian theology
- Divisions of Christian theology :There are many methods of categorizing different approaches to Christian theology. For a historical analysis, see the main article on the History of Christian theology.- Sub-disciplines :...
formation of a tall cross in the middle and two slightly shorter crosses on each side representing the Crucifixion of Jesus
Crucifixion of Jesus
The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross...
.
Content
The song describes four passengers, a farmerFarmer
A farmer is a person engaged in agriculture, who raises living organisms for food or raw materials, generally including livestock husbandry and growing crops, such as produce and grain...
(on vacation) and a teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
(seeking higher education), a hooker
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
and a preacher
Preacher
Preacher is a term for someone who preaches sermons or gives homilies. A preacher is distinct from a theologian by focusing on the communication rather than the development of doctrine. Others see preaching and theology as being intertwined...
(both of which were "searching for lost souls"), on a bus traveling from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. The bus is involved in a fatal accident which kills three of the four passengers; because there are four people featured in the song (excluding the driver of the bus and the 18-wheeler which hit it, neither of whom presumably died in the wreck), the lyrics ask why there are only three crosses and not four.
The song mentions that the farmer and teacher were killed in the wreck, with the farmer leaving a harvest and a son who would follow in his footsteps, and the teacher leaving knowledge in the children she taught. It also mentions that the preacher lays his bloodstained Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in the hands of the hooker, asking her if she could "see the Promised Land
Promised land
The Promised Land is a term used to describe the land promised or given by God, according to the Hebrew Bible, to the Israelites, the descendants of Jacob. The promise is firstly made to Abraham and then renewed to his son Isaac, and to Isaac's son Jacob , Abraham's grandson...
".
The end of the song reveals that the story was being told by a preacher during Sunday church services. However, in a twist, the preacher telling the story is not the sole survivor among the passengers, but is in fact the son of the hooker (holding up the bloodstained Bible as proof), who read the Bible that had been given to her by the dying preacher; in turn, her son eventually became a preacher himself.
Critical reception
Deborah Evans Price, of BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
magazine reviewed the song favorably, calling it a "beautifully written tale of faith and redemption." She goes on to say that Travis has never sounded better, "and his warm baritone perfectly conveys every nuance in the lyric."
Chart performance
"Three Wooden Crosses" debuted at #52 on the Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart dated December 7, 2002. It charted for 34 weeks on that chart, and reached #1 on the chart dated May 24, 2003, giving Travis his sixteenth Number One single, his first Billboard Number One since "Whisper My Name" in 1994. In addition, it crossed over to the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
charts, peaking at #31 on that chart.
| Chart (2002-2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks | 1 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 31 |