Three Chords And The Truth Ry Cooder

[Intro]
I'm going to tell you a story right here
Huh, you may not believe it

[Verse 1]
I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night, standin' in the prison yard
They were taking poor Joe, chained and bound, to a Utah firing squad
Well he turned 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 near quit yet
See, they framed me on a killin' charge, you know I wouldn't lie to you
But the only crime here that I done was three chords and the truth

[Chorus]
Three chords and the truth, oh three chords and the truth
Well the only crime that Joe Hill done was three chords and the truth
Well he sang his good old union songs, he got his message through
But they couldn't stand to hear a workingman sing three chords and the truth

[Intro]
I see you don't believe you're old friend Buddy here
Heh, take a drink, I think you need it

[Verse 2]
Oh J. Edgar Hoover liked to hear the darkies sing, till one man changed that all around
Paul Robeson was a man that you couldn't ignore, and what drove J. Edgar down
(Yah drove him down)
He called up his New York Klan boyfriends, sayin', I got something good for you
Get right down there to Peekskill, New York town, and kill three chords and the truth