I'm going to tell you a story right Huh, you may not it
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, standin' in the prison They taking poor Joe, chained and bound, to a Utah firing squad Well he turned and looked at me then, sayin', Don't you be misled They're trying to tear our free speech down, and Buddy, they ain't quit yet See, they framed me on a 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 three and the truth Well the only crime that Joe Hill was three chords and the truth Well he 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 don't believe you're old friend here Heh, a drink, I think 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 what drove J. Edgar (Yah him down) He called up his New York Klan boyfriends, sayin', I got something for you Get right down to Peekskill, New York town, and kill three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, oh, three chords and the Well the only you ever got from Paul was three chords and the truth Now if this is the land of democracy, I got one for you Why wasn't Paul Roberson set free on three chords and the
I see you don't believe it I'll you one more time I'll you one more time, right mister
Now took Pete Seeger before the law and put him on the witness stand But he stood right up to tyranny just a banjo in his hand Such a righteous picker, watchin' out for me and you That was just a man who wouldn't back down on chords and the truth
Three and the truth, three chords and the truth Well the only crime Pete Seeger was three chords and the truth Yah, he sang his freedom songs good, he's still getting his message through Better check out old Seeger on three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, well its three 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 Harlan on chords and the truth ?