The original members were James Donna on keyboard, Robert Folschow on guitar, Roy Hensley on bass and Dennis Craswell on drums. Folschow contributed the distinctive falsetto vocal on "Liar Liar." According to the Liar, Liar Songfacts, The Castaways were originally thrown together to play at a fraternity party. They got popular, and their popularity grew, based on just this song. Eventually they signed to Soma Records. Their popularity grew even more to the point where they appeared in the campy 1967 film 'It's a Bikini World'.
Drummer Dennis Craswell later joined notable blues rock band Crow. Guitarist Roy Hensley passed away on 8 June 2005 and was buried in Fairmont, Minnesota. The Castaways continued to perform in the mid-00s, although, according to their website, James Donna was the only founding member still in the lineup.
Liar Liar
The Castaways Lyrics
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Your nose is longer than a telephone wire
Ask me, baby, why I'm sad
You've been out all night, know you've been bad
Don't tell me different, know it's a lie
Come kill me, honey, see how I cry
Listen here, girl, can't you see I love you
Make a little effort, try to be true
I'll be happy, not so blue
Liar, liar, pants on fire
Your nose is longer than a telephone wire
If you keep on tellin' me those lies
Still goin' out with other guys
There'll come a day I'll be gone
Take my advice, won't be long
When that day comes, won't be mad
Be free of you, but I'll still be sad
In spite of your cheatin', still love you so
I'll be unhappy if I let you go
Liar, liar, pants on fire
Your nose is longer than a telephone wire
The Castaways’s “Liar Liar” is a classic rock song that is widely popular for its simple, yet timeless lyrics about love and deceit. The chorus, “Liar, liar, pants on fire, your nose is longer than a telephone wire,” is a playful taunt and an age-old adage used to call out someone who has been caught lying. The song is addressed to a lover who has been unfaithful, and the singer is calling her out on her lies. He has noticed her absence from home, and it is clear to him that she has been seeing someone else. He pleads with her to be truthful and make amends, but if she continues to lie, he will have no choice but to leave.
The verses reinforce the singer’s frustration with his girlfriend’s behavior. He has noticed her pattern of going out and sleeping with other guys, and he cannot understand why she would hurt him in such a way when he loves her so deeply. He urges her to make a little effort to be true to him, and he promises that it will make him happy and not so blue. The singer’s final warning suggests that he is at the end of his rope, and if she does not change her ways, he will leave. He acknowledges that he loves her, but he cannot continue living a life filled with lies.
Line by Line Meaning
Liar, liar, pants on fire
You are a liar and your actions will come back to haunt you.
Your nose is longer than a telephone wire
Your lies have consequences and will eventually catch up to you.
Ask me, baby, why I'm sad
I'm sad because you've been cheating on me and lying about it.
You've been out all night, know you've been bad
You've been out cheating on me and I know it.
Don't tell me different, know it's a lie
Don't try to deny it, I know you're lying.
Come kill me, honey, see how I cry
Your actions hurt me and I'm tired of pretending otherwise.
Why must you hurt me, do what you do
I don't understand why you continue to hurt me with your lies and cheating.
Listen here, girl, can't you see I love you
I love you despite your flaws, but I need you to be honest with me.
Make a little effort, try to be true
Put in the effort to be honest and faithful in our relationship.
I'll be happy, not so blue
If you can be honest with me, our relationship will be stronger and happier.
If you keep on tellin' me those lies
Continuing to lie to me will have consequences.
Still goin' out with other guys
I know you're still cheating on me.
There'll come a day I'll be gone
Eventually, I will leave because of your constant lying and cheating.
Take my advice, won't be long
Listen to me and change your ways before it's too late.
When that day comes, won't be mad
When I leave, I won't be angry, just disappointed.
Be free of you, but I'll still be sad
Leaving you will bring me freedom, but also sadness because I still love you.
In spite of your cheatin', still love you so
Despite your unfaithfulness, I still love you deeply.
I'll be unhappy if I let you go
Even though leaving you may be the right thing to do, it will still make me unhappy.
Lyrics © THE MUSIC GOES ROUND
Written by: DENNIS CRASWELL, JAMES DONNA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind