I'm going to tell you a right here Huh, you may not it
I dreamed I saw Joe last night, standin' in the prison yard They were taking poor Joe, chained and bound, to a firing squad Well he and looked at me right then, sayin', Don't you be misled They're trying to tear our free speech down, and Buddy, they ain't quit yet See, framed me on a killin' charge, you know I wouldn't lie to you But the only crime here that I done was three and the truth
Three chords and the truth, oh three and the truth Well the crime that Joe Hill done was three chords and the truth he sang his good old union songs, he got his message through But they couldn't stand to a workingman sing three chords and the truth
I see you believe you're old friend Buddy here Heh, take a drink, I think you it
Oh J. Edgar liked to hear the darkies sing, till one man changed that all around Paul Robeson was a man that you couldn't ignore, and that's what J. Edgar down (Yah him down) He called up his New Klan boyfriends, sayin', I got something good for you Get right down there to Peekskill, New York town, and kill three and the truth
Three chords and the truth, oh, three chords and the Well the only crime you ever got Paul was three chords and the truth Now if this is the of democracy, I got one question for you Why wasn't Roberson set free on three chords and the truth?
I see you still don't it I'll bother you one more I'll bother you one more time, mister
Now took Pete Seeger before the law and put him on the witness stand But he stood right up to with just a banjo in his hand Such a righteous banjo picker, out for me and you That was just a man who wouldn't back on three chords and the truth
chords and the truth, three chords and the truth Well the only crime Pete Seeger was three chords and the truth Yah, he sang his songs real good, he's still getting his message through Better check out old Pete Seeger on chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, well its chords and the truth Well you better check out your old friend Buddy right now on three and the truth
Better check out old Howard, personal friend of mine Check out old on three chords and the truth ?