I'm going to tell you a story here Huh, you may not it
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, standin' in the prison were taking poor Joe, chained and bound, to a Utah firing squad Well he turned and at me right then, sayin', Don't you be misled They're to tear our free speech down, and Buddy, they ain't near 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 chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, oh chords and the truth Well the only crime Joe Hill done was three chords and the truth Well he sang his good old songs, he got his message through But they couldn't stand to hear a workingman sing chords and the truth
I see you don't believe you're old Buddy here Heh, take a drink, I you need it
Oh J. Edgar Hoover liked to hear the darkies sing, till one man changed that all Paul Robeson was a man that you couldn't ignore, and that's drove J. Edgar down (Yah him down) He called up his New York Klan boyfriends, sayin', I got something for you Get down there to Peekskill, New York town, and kill three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, oh, chords and the truth Well the only you ever got from Paul was three chords and the truth Now if is the land of democracy, I got one question for you Why wasn't Paul Roberson set free on three chords and the
I see you still believe it I'll bother you one time I'll bother you one more time, mister
Now they took Pete Seeger the law and put him on the witness stand But he stood up to tyranny 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 down on three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, chords and the truth the only crime Pete Seeger done was three chords and the truth Yah, he sang his freedom songs real good, still getting his message through Better check out old Pete Seeger on three chords and the
Three chords and the truth, well its chords and the truth you better check out your old friend Buddy right now on three chords and the truth
Better check out old Howard, personal friend of mine Check out old Harlan on chords and the truth ?