It's A Sin To Tell A Lie
Billie Holiday W/ Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Be sure it's true when you say
"I love you"
It's a sin to tell a lie
Millions of hearts have been broken
Just because these words were spoken

I love you
Yes I do
I love you
If you break my heart I'll die
So be sure that it's true when you say




"I love you"
It's a sin to tell a lie

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Billie Holiday, Teddy Wilson & His Orchestra's song "It's A Sin To Tell A Lie" are quite straightforward. The song warns the listener not to say "I love you" unless they truly mean it, as the consequences can be devastating. The singer points out that millions of hearts have been broken because of insincere declarations of love. The lyrics emphasize the importance of being truthful in matters of the heart and the severity of the sin of lying to someone about your love for them.


In addition to the warning about dishonesty in love, the song also expresses the depth of the singer's own love for their partner. They state that their love is genuine and that it would break their heart if their partner did not reciprocate those feelings. The lyrics demonstrate the vulnerability that comes with being in love and the fear of rejection that can accompany it.


The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Fats Waller, Brenda Lee, and Elvis Presley. Despite its simple melody and straightforward message, the song has continued to resonate with listeners across generations, highlighting the timeless nature of the theme of love and honesty.


Line by Line Meaning

Be sure it's true when you say
Do not speak untruthfully when expressing romantic affection


"I love you"
The phrase indicating romantic feelings towards someone else


It's a sin to tell a lie
It is morally wrong to deceive another person deliberately


Millions of hearts have been broken
Deceiving someone by expressing insincere love has resulted in emotional pain for many people


Just because these words were spoken
When insincere feelings are expressed with dishonest and untrue intentions, emotional harm can result


I love you
An expression of true romantic affection


Yes I do
A confirmation of the previous declaration of love


If you break my heart I'll die
Expressing the profound and intense emotional pain that can result from a broken heart


So be sure that it's true when you say
Advice to take caution and ensure that one's romantic feelings are genuine before expressing them


"I love you"
A repetition of the earlier phrase emphasizing the importance of sincerity in love


It's a sin to tell a lie
A reinforcement of the earlier sentiment that it is morally wrong to express insincere romantic feelings




Lyrics ยฉ Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY MAYHEW

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@markherron1407

Myra Taylor brought me here and Merry Christmas ๐ŸŽ„๐ŸŽ๐ŸŽ…๐Ÿคถ๐Ÿ•Š๏ธโœ๏ธโ™พ๏ธโ˜ฎ๏ธโ›„ Blessings and Hugs ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ๐Ÿ’œ

@voodoomaestro4295

My grandmother sang this to me as a kid. She passed away tonight. It's helped me smile.

@nadyarossi5102

Condolences

@Nimsfoo

I hope you're fine now!

@sunshinelollipopunicorn8191

I lost my grandmother around that time as well. Billie holiday always reminds me of her. Especially the song you belong to me one of my favoritesโค๏ธ

@CharlieHoliday369

Simply the most exquisite ^_^

@JeffRebornNow

WeII, that was perfect.

@GizmoFromPizmo

Billie Holiday put her own spin on this one. I'm glad I know the original (which she did too, of course). Giving this classic her own flavor is good.

@AtlantisEsquire

"Be sure it's true when u say I Love u. It's a Sin to tell a lie. Millions of hearts have ben broken. cause these words were spoken" B.Holiday Talk about Truth.

@reneematte8426

Thanks RoundMidnightTV via Lady Day and friends musicians ๐Ÿ’–๐ŸŽผ ๐Ÿ’Ÿ๐ŸŽผ๐ŸŽน๐ŸŽน๐Ÿฅ๐ŸŽธ๐ŸŽต

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