Lee grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA. He has been quoted as saying that he is fortunate to have seen different sides of life in America. Lee enrolled at the University of South Carolina in 1995. He began to play guitar and write songs seriously while he studied English. After graduating with an English degree, Lee moved back to Philadelphia to teach elementary school. He later made the tough decision to stop teaching in order to pursue a career in music. Shortly thereafter, he released a self-produced EP that featured five of his original songs, which did extremely well in Philadelphia and created a buzz. Norah Jones was the person who finally gave Lee his big breakthrough when she asked him to open for her 2004 tour. Lee then went on to produce his self-titled debut album. In March and April of 2005 Lee opened for the tour that Merle Haggard and Bob Dylan were both embarking on, all 3 performers were extremely well received by critics as the tour went by, with Dylan receiving some of his strongest reviews in years. On October 3, 2006, Lee released his second album, "Supply & Demand" to critical and commercial acclaim.
At the age of only 27, Amos Lee has enjoyed notable success with his debut album and looks to have a promising future in the music business. His favorite artists and sources of inspiration include Stevie Wonder, Neil Young, John Prine, Bill Withers, and James Taylor.
truth
Amos Lee Lyrics
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With your number on her hand
Well I thought that I might call you up
So we could deal with this man to man
[Chorus]
You better tell me the truth son, yeah
Walking slow and acting strong
Well I said my friend I'll give you one last chance
To admit that you done me wrong
[Chorus: x2]
Now they got me here in the county
With his blood still on my face
Well the boys in blue they don't play no game
All the sheriff said to me was this
[Chorus: x2]
Now they got me here in the lock-down
For a crime I did commit
Well for my one call
I called the number on my girl's hand
To remind you not to forget
You should'a told me the truth son, yeah
You should'a told me the truth, son
You should'a tole me the truth, son
Oh
Make me beat it outta you
Make me beat it outta you
Make me beat it
Make me beat it
Make me beat it
Make me beat it out of you
The lyrics of Amos Lee's song "Truth" tell a story of betrayal, violence, and regret. The singer's woman shows up with another man's number on her hand, suggesting she has been cheating. The singer decides to confront the man, hoping to deal with the situation "man to man." However, things quickly escalate, and the man ends up dead, resulting in the singer's arrest and imprisonment. Throughout the song, the singer expresses his frustration and disappointment that the man did not tell him the truth and admits that he himself may have gone too far.
The song delves into themes of honesty, trust, and loyalty. The singer feels that if the man had told him the truth, things could have been resolved more peacefully. However, the lack of honesty leads to violence, which ultimately lands the singer in jail. The chorus, which repeats the refrain "you better tell me the truth son," emphasizes the importance of honesty in relationships and life in general.
Overall, "Truth" is a cautionary tale that highlights the consequences of infidelity and the danger of allowing anger and aggression to overcome reason and honesty.
Line by Line Meaning
Well my woman, she showed up
The singer's partner came with the number of the addressee in her possession.
With your number on her hand
The singer's partner had the addressee's phone number in her possession.
Well I thought that I might call you up
The singer considered calling the addressee.
So we could deal with this man to man
The artist wanted to talk to the addressee face-to-face to resolve the situation.
[Chorus] You better tell me the truth son, yeah
The chorus emphasizes the artist's demand for the addressee to be truthful.
Well he showed up down at the ballroom
The addressee arrived at the ballroom.
Walking slow and acting strong
The addressee was moving deliberately and displaying confidence.
Well I said my friend I'll give you one last chance
The artist gave the addressee an opportunity to confess to wrongdoing.
To admit that you done me wrong
The artist wanted the addressee to acknowledge that they had harmed him.
[Chorus: x2]
The chorus is repeated to emphasize the importance of the addressee's honesty.
Now they got me here in the county
The singer was arrested and taken to jail.
With his blood still on my face
The artist had been in a physical altercation with someone and still bore evidence of it.
Well the boys in blue they don't play no game
The police officers took their duties seriously and didn't have tolerance for rule-breaking.
All the sheriff said to me was this
The sheriff spoke only briefly to the singer.
Now they got me here in the lock-down
The singer was contained in a secure area of the jail.
For a crime I did commit
The artist had been charged with a crime.
Well for my one call
The artist was making use of their allotted phone call.
I called the number on my girl's hand
The singer reached out to the addressee's phone number that his partner had provided.
To remind you not to forget
The singer wanted to make sure that the addressee didn't forget the demand for honesty.
You should'a told me the truth son, yeah
The chorus is repeated to reinforce the need for the addressee's honesty.
You should'a told me the truth, son
Again, the artist emphasizes that the addressee should have been truthful earlier.
You should'a tole me the truth, son
The artist repeats their demand for honesty.
Oh
An interjection expressing frustration or disappointment.
Make me beat it outta you
The artist threatens to use physical force to get the truth from the addressee.
Make me beat it outta you
Repetition of line 24, further emphasizing the threat of violence.
Make me beat it
An abbreviated version of the previous line, continuing the threat of violence.
Make me beat it
Repeats line 26.
Make me beat it
Repeats line 26.
Make me beat it out of you
Final repetition of the threat of violence to extract the truth from the addressee.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Yong Hwa Jung, Sang Ho Lee, Miwa, Seung Hoon Han
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind