Cook's West Virginia-born mother played guitar and mandolin and sang on local radio shows. Her father, a Georgia native, also performed country music and served jail time for running moonshine. Upon his release, he and Elizabeth's mother played in local bands together, eventually marrying. Elizabeth, born in 1972, moved to Nashville in her twenties and quickly got a publishing deal. Demos recorded between 1997 and 2000 comprised her independently released debut album, "The Blue Album", which showcased her formidable songwriting ability and featured such well-known Music City musicians as Tim Carroll, Kenny Vaughan, and Rick Schell.
She made her major label debut in 2002 with "Hey Y'All". But following a corporate re-structuring that left the album virtually abandoned and stagnant on sales, Elizabeth fought back with her 2005 independent release "This Side Of The Moon", which received positive reviews.
Her album "Balls" was released May 2007. It was been her most successful album to date, thanks to glowing press reviews and significant video play for the song "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman."
Her 2010 album Welder features appearances by an all-star roster of guests including Dwight Yoakam, Crowell and Buddy Miller, and continued her increasing popularity becoming her highest charting album in the U.S.
Her album "Gospel Plow" was released June 2012.
Cook hosts the morning radio show "Elizabeth Cook's Apron Strings" on the Sirius XM radio station Outlaw Country on Channel 60. The show airs weekdays from 10:00 AM until 2:00 PM (Eastern Time). The show format is a mix of Americana, Outlaw, and Alt Country.
In 2016, Cook released her sixth studio album Exodus of Venus.
Official Site
Two Chords and a Lie
Elizabeth Cook Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Is that so wrong
You wanna tell the same ol joke
Just put it in a song
Cause time is shy and life is long
And that's why it hurts so bad
When a lover moves on
They walk their man through a private hell
Some break hearts and they finally leave
But some dig in, and they're never free
Two chords and a lie
Is that so wrong
You wanna tell the same ol joke
Just put it in a song
Cause time is shy and life is long
And that's why it hurts so bad
When a lover moves on
She knows the words to Strawberry Wine
It's a friendly reminder of how love is blind
You might find her buried alive
With a hand reaching up at your local dive
Two chords and a lie
Is that so wrong
You wanna tell the same ol joke
Just put it in a song
Cause time is shy and life is long
And that's why it hurts so bad
When a lover moves on
That's why it hurts so bad
When a lover moves on
In Elizabeth Cook's song "Two Chords and a Lie", the lyrics express the idea that it's okay to simplify things and that telling jokes through music is not shameful. The line "time is shy and life is long" suggests that life is precious and fleeting, and we should make every moment count. The song also touches on the pain of lost love, especially when a lover moves on. The ode to women who don't marry well is a reminder that relationships are not always easy and can lead to a private hell.
The line "She knows the words to Strawberry Wine" is a reference to the 1996 Deana Carter song, Strawberry Wine, which is about a romantic summer fling. The singer says that the woman knows the words to the song, implying that she has experienced a similar situation. The line "buried alive" speaks to the feeling of being trapped in a relationship that has gone stale, while the image of a hand reaching up from a local dive suggests a desperate attempt to escape.
The song's title is a play on the phrase "two chords and the truth," which is often used to describe country music's simple, straightforward style. Cook's version puts a twist on the phrase, suggesting that sometimes we need to tell white lies to get by. The song was released in 2016 on Cook's album "Exodus of Venus", which received critical acclaim for its raw honesty and emotional depth.
Line by Line Meaning
Two chords and a lie
A simple song with a false story
Is that so wrong
Asking if it is a bad thing
You wanna tell the same ol joke
You want to repeat an old joke
Just put it in a song
Turn the joke into a song
Cause time is shy and life is long
Time goes by quickly, and life is full of moments
And that's why it hurts so bad
That is why it is so painful
When a lover moves on
When a partner ends the relationship
Ode to the girls who don't marry well
A tribute to women who don't have successful marriages
They walk their man through a private hell
They go through hell with their partners
Some break hearts and they finally leave
Some cause heartbreak and move on
But some dig in, and they're never free
Others remain stuck and can't move on
She knows the words to Strawberry Wine
She knows the lyrics to a popular country song
It's a friendly reminder of how love is blind
The song reminds us how love can make us blind
You might find her buried alive
You may see her stuck in an unhappy situation
With a hand reaching up at your local dive
She's trying to escape and reach out for help
That's why it hurts so bad
That's why it is so painful
When a lover moves on
When a partner ends the relationship
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Elizabeth Yvonne Cook
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
05645ci
Wow! Elizabeth is just getting better as she goes; that's a grown up classic country voice with songwriting that is graced with living......these kinds of songs should be the centerpiece of country music, and all the other great sounds in country and Americana should radiate from there. I love the way she reminds me of the queens of country music. Her finest days are in front of her, and I can't wait to hear more
SHANE KOSEN
Elizabeth has a song for every moment! She is so talented.
Pam
This is mesmerizing to listen to. Love her voice! And love her XM radio show, too!
Teri Peveto
Such a delightful refreshing new talent Mz Cook is. Love everything she’s put out & anxiously awaiting more!
Kpward23
Love this song! her voice is amazing
Troy Leong
Awesome song and sound. Wish you'd do a whole album like this. BRAVO MY DEAR FRIEND!!!!!!! <3 <3 <3
Craig Carringer
Love love this lady pure country voice and the lyrics are rocking ❤
Mean Old Bastard channel starring BIKER BOB
Just awesome. Added to my playlist 👍
Mike N
Love this song !hell i been a fan for a while your music just gets better and better
Troy Leong
P.S. Just played it for Mama Dottie and she approves too. She loved it so much and said country music is your calling. <3 <3 <3