Songs about telling the truth

28 Feb 18 - 09:19 PM (#3908661)
Subject: Songs about telling the truth
From: Phil Cooper

Hi, my wife and I are planning to do a UU service about telling the truth and I was looking for some traditional songs. There's quite a few where people lie and we are going to deal with that as well. We batted around The Cruel Mother for how lying can lead to feeling guilty, but probably a bit too violent for a Unitarian church service. I believe we are going to use Joel Mabus' song Naked Truth. Any ideas for any trad songs will be most welcome.

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01 Mar 18 - 12:21 AM (#3908667)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: Mick Lowe

Try the "Sick Note" can't remember who wrote it but performed by the Fureys. You can interpret it in anyway you like. But as for telling the truth, most traditional songs tell a story, most of the time made up so truth isn't necessarily an issue.

Certain songs are based on a historical fact, whether they are factual or not is another matter.

Having just listened to Springstein & the Seeger Session doing Jesse James. Was he shot in the back whilst hanging a picture?

I recall a story told to me many, many years ago by this chap I worked with who was into all sorts of stuff, including meditation and use to recount stuff to me as a 16 year old. It goes as follows...

A Buddist monk asks a disciple what truth is. The disciple in an attempt to gain time puts his right index finger in the air and says " truth is"... quick as a flash the monk draws out a knife and cuts the finger off and says "now what is truth?"

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01 Mar 18 - 03:24 AM (#3908681)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: GUEST,catanna

"You've told me more lies than the stars in the skies"
-- "Bonnie Blue Eyes"
-- The Carter Family

"You've been fooling me, baby
You've been telling me your lies"
--""You've Been Fooling me, Baby"
-- The Carter Family

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01 Mar 18 - 03:39 AM (#3908685)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: GUEST,catanna

"He'll tell you such a lie it'll surprise your mind.
He'll mix a little truth for to make it shine."
-- "You Better Let That Liar Alone"
-- The Carter Family

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01 Mar 18 - 04:15 AM (#3908694)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: Acorn4

Not trad but on topic:-

Keep that Whistle Blowing

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01 Mar 18 - 10:20 PM (#3908915)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: Phil Cooper

Thanks for the suggestions. Just went over to the soundcloud link, Acorn4, thanks.

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01 Mar 18 - 10:30 PM (#3908916)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: mg

it's a lie it's a lie i know it isn't true for i've been down to darby town and i have seen it too.

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02 Mar 18 - 12:33 AM (#3908918)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: lefthanded guitar

I think at least half of the Bob Dylan songbook has to do with truth
and confronting liars in one way or another. Positively 4th Street and Like A Rolling Stone may be considered too searing for a service, but others I can suggest are:
My Back Pages. (Dylan anniversary concert on YouTube.)

Dark Eyes (Judy Collins version on YouTube)

And in a sense the 'protest songs' unearth truth in a storyline or metaphor:
Blowing in the Wind
Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll
When the Ship Comes In
The Times They are a Changing

On the lighter side, not folk at all , but usually sung with a smile and a wink:
It's A Sin To Tell a Lie

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02 Mar 18 - 01:47 AM (#3908920)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: mg

stan rogers lies song

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02 Mar 18 - 10:15 PM (#3909149)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: Phil Cooper

We already have a lot of songs dealing with the consequences of lying. What we really want are a couple songs about How the truth prevailed in some way. I'm going to talk a bit about how Thomas the Rhymer was cursed with always having to tell the truth as well.

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05 Mar 18 - 06:31 PM (#3909666)
Subject: RE: Songs about telling the truth
From: Felipa

Oh, Babe it ain't no lie

I was Born about 10,000 years ago ...

Fannie Blair (oh the lies that she told them, I'm ashamed for to tell...)

Ram of Darby (If you don't believe my story,sir/If you think I lie/Speak to the people of Darby/They're bigger liars than I)

All the good times are past and gone (Wish to the lord, I'd never been born/or died when I was young/I'd never have seen your lying face /or heard your lying tongue.

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