I'm going to tell you a story right 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 Utah squad Well he turned and 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, they me on a killin' charge, you know I wouldn't lie to you But the only crime here I done was three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, oh three and the truth Well the only crime that Joe Hill done was three and the truth Well he sang his good old union songs, he got his 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, a drink, I think you need it
Oh J. Edgar Hoover liked to the darkies sing, till one man changed that all around Paul Robeson was a man that you couldn't ignore, and that's what drove J. Edgar (Yah him down) He up his New York Klan boyfriends, sayin', I got something good for you Get right down there to Peekskill, New York town, and three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, oh, chords and the truth Well the crime 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 Paul Roberson set free on three chords and the truth?
I see you don't believe it bother you one more time I'll bother you one time, right mister
Now they took Pete Seeger the law and put him on the witness stand But he stood right up to tyranny with just a banjo in his a righteous banjo picker, watchin' out for me and you That was just a man who wouldn't back on three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, three chords and the Well the only crime Pete Seeger done was three and the truth Yah, he sang his freedom songs real good, he's still getting his through Better check out old Pete on three chords and the truth
Three chords and the truth, its three chords and the truth Well you better check out old friend Buddy right now on three chords and the truth
check out old Harlan Howard, personal friend of mine Check out old Harlan on three and the truth ?