Gene Vincent, real name Vincent Eugene Craddock, (February 11, 1935 – Octob… Read Full Bio ↴Gene Vincent, real name Vincent Eugene Craddock, (February 11, 1935 – October 12, 1971) was an American rockabilly pioneer musician, best known for his hit Be-Bop-A-Lula. He performed with his backing band, the Blue Caps.

After Be-Bop-A-Lula had become a huge hit in 1956 (peaking at #7 and spending 20 weeks in the Billboard Pop Chart), Gene Vincent & His Blue Caps (often mis-named as 'the' Blue Caps) were unable to follow it up with the same level of commercial success, but released critically acclaimed songs like Race With The Devil (#96 in Billboard) and Bluejean Bop (#49).

Following a visit to Europe in 1959, Vincent managed to attract a new huge and discerning audience there, especially in England and France. By that time his career had mostly ended in the US. In 1960, while on tour in Britain, Vincent and songwriter Sharon Sheeley were seriously injured in a high-speed traffic accident. Vincent broke his ribs, collarbone, and added further damage to his already weak leg which he had injured in a motorcycle accident in 1955 and refused to have amputated, and Sheeley suffered a broken pelvis. Both Vincent and Sheeley survived, but the accident killed Vincent's tourmate and Sheeley's fiancé, Eddie Cochran.

Vincent subsequently moved to England in 1963. His stage shows became "must see" events and his bands through those years were to spawn some of the most respected players in the world today. It was during his early tours of Britain that he adopted the trademark leather outfit, at the suggestion of British Rock 'n' Roll impressario, Jack Good.

You Told a Fib
Gene Vincent Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well look-a here baby
You've been playin' up to me
But, we both know that it just can't be
You told me that you loved me
But now I can see
That's a-where you told an f-I-be (Rock!)

Well now givin' me that sweet talk

A-changed my mind
'Cause I just found you out in the nick of time
You told me that you wanted me to be your turtle dove
But I can't make it offa promises of love
That's where you lied, that's a-where, that's a-where you lied
That's where you lied, that's a-where, that's a-where you lied
Livin' offa promises ain't for me
'Cause that's where you told an f-I-be
(Rock Cliff, go)

That's where you lied, that's a-where, that's a-where you lied
That's where you lied, that's a-where, that's a-where you lied
A-livin' offa promises ain't for me
That's where you told an f-I-be
(Rock it)

Well look-a here baby
You've been playin' up to me
But, we both know that it just can't be
You told me that you loved me
But now I can see
That's where you told an f-I-be

Well now givin' me that sweet talk
A-changed my mind
'Cause I just found you out in the nick of time
You told me that you wanted me to be your turtle dove
But I can't make it offa promises of love
That's where you lied, that's a-where, that's a-where you lied
That's where you lied, that's a-where, that's a-where you lied
A-livin' offa promises ain't for me
'Cause that's where you told an f-I-be
You told a fib, you told a fib, you told an f-I-be
You told a fib, you told a fib, you told an f-I-be

You told a fib, you told a fib, you told an f-I-be
You told a fib, you told a fib, you told an f-I-be

Overall Meaning

The song "You Told a Fib" by Gene Vincent is a rock and roll classic about a man who has been misled by a woman who claimed to love him. The opening lines of the song are directed towards the woman, where the singer acknowledges that she had been trying to manipulate him by playing up to him. The singer says that they both know that it just can't be since the woman had told him that she loved him, but now he knows that it was all a lie.

As the song progresses, the singer talks about how the woman's sweet talk had temporarily changed his mind, but he was quick to find out that the woman was not being truthful. He was told by the woman that she wanted him to be her turtle dove, but he realizes that he cannot make it off promises of love. Living off promises of love was not good for him, and that's where the woman had told a fib.

Through the song, the singer is very direct with the woman and is not afraid to call her out on her lies. He states explicitly that she had told an F-I-B, emphasizing that he had caught her in a lie. The song has a twangy guitar sound, with a fast-paced drumbeat that gives the song a sense of urgency.

In summary, "You Told a Fib" is a rock and roll classic about being misled by someone who claims to love you. The song is a commentary on how people can sometimes use sweet words without meaning them, and the consequences of living off promises of love can be dangerous.

Line by Line Meaning

Well look-a here baby
Addressing the person he's speaking to

You've been playin' up to me
You've been flirting with me

But, we both know that it just can't be
We both know that it wouldn't work out between us

You told me that you loved me
You said that you loved me

But now I can see
But now I know

That's a-where you told an f-I-be
That's where you told a lie (fib)

Well now givin' me that sweet talk
Your charming words

A-changed my mind
Made me change my opinion

'Cause I just found you out in the nick of time
Because I discovered the truth just in time

You told me that you wanted me to be your turtle dove
You said you wanted me to be your partner for life

But I can't make it offa promises of love
But I can't base a relationship solely on promises of love