The original lineup included three lead vocalists — Danny Hutton, Chuck Negron, and Cory Wells — along with Michael Allsup on guitar, Jimmy Greenspoon on keyboards Floyd Sneed on drums and Joe Schermie (from the Cory Wells Blues Band) on bass.
Three Dog Night recorded some tracks with Beach Boys producer, composer, vocalist, and instrumentalist Brian Wilson before signing with Dunhill Records and at the time went under the name Redwood. The band changed their name based on an article describing how Australian Aborigines slept with their dogs for warmth on cold nights, the coldest being a "three-dog night."
liar
Three Dog Night Lyrics
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If you want me to stay
Nothing you could do
That could turn me away
Hanging on anyway
Believing the things you say
Being the fool
You've taken my life
So take my soul
That's what you said
And I believed it all
I wanna be with you
Long as you want me to
But don't move away
Ain't that what you said?
Ain't that what you said?
Ain't that what you said?
Liar
Liar, liar
We have seen no night
We have seen no day
If I ever leave
Would you want me to stay?
You can believe in me
I won't believe it
I won't let you go
Ain't that what you said?
Ain't that what you said?
Ain't that what you said?
Liar
Liar, liar
Liar
You've taken my life
So take my soul
That's what you said
But who are we to know?
I wanna be with you
Long as you want me to
But don't move away
Ain't that what you said?
Ain't that what you said?
Ain't that what you said?
Liar
Liar, liar
The lyrics of Three Dog Night’s “Liar” depict a person who is deeply in love with someone who is manipulative and dishonest. The singer confesses that they believe everything the other person says, even when they know that they are lying. The singer is willing to give everything to the other person, including their life and soul, but the other person continues to deceive them. Despite this, the singer is unable to leave the relationship because they are desperately in love with the other person. The chorus of the song, “liar, liar,” is a direct attack on the other person’s dishonesty and manipulation.
The song portrays the feeling of being trapped in a toxic relationship where the other person always seems to have control, but the lyrics also suggest the singer’s determination to keep the relationship going. Even though the other person has taken everything from them, including their life and soul, the singer is still willing to be with them as long as they want. The repetition of the phrase “Ain’t that what you said?” in the chorus suggests the singer’s disbelief and disappointment that the other person has not kept their promises.
Overall, “Liar” portrays the complicated and often painful nature of love, especially when it is mixed with deceit and manipulation. The singer is torn between their burning desire to be with the other person and their frustration at being lied to constantly.
Line by Line Meaning
I won't ever leave
I will stay with you no matter what
If you want me to stay
My loyalty to you is unwavering
Nothing you could do
There is no action that you could take to make me leave
That could turn me away
I'm committed to this relationship and nothing will change my mind
Hanging on anyway
I'm holding on to this relationship despite your behavior
Believing the things you say
I trust you and take your words to heart
Being the fool
I may be naive, but I still believe in us
You've taken my life
You have a significant influence on my life
So take my soul
You have my heart and soul
That's what you said
You made promises of love and commitment
And I believed it all
I put my trust in you and accepted your words as true
I wanna be with you
I desire to be with you
Long as you want me to
I will stay by your side as long as you want me to
But don't move away
Please don't leave me, I need you in my life
Ain't that what you said?
You promised to be with me forever, didn't you?
Liar
You lied to me and broke your promises
Liar, liar
You are a habitual liar and I can no longer trust you
We have seen no night
Our love is always in the light
We have seen no day
Our love is always in the darkness
You can believe in me
You can trust me
I won't believe it
I no longer trust you
I won't let you go
I'm holding on to this relationship despite my doubts
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION
Written by: Russ Ballard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RicoCosta
Love how they distorted Danny Hutton's vocals. Pure genius. And seriously it's easy to get lost in their amazing vocals but this was a 7 man band with phenomenal drums, keyboards and guitar. What a pleasure to have grown up with them.
Kohntarkosz
The vocal sound was produced by having Danny kneel in front of the toilet in the men's room across the hallway from the studio, and they put a mic in the toilet bowl, to get that vocal sound.
wayne hoffman
Still get chill bumps after all these years,,,outstanding song;amazingly talented band.
Rex Negron
The truly sad part about this song is so many of us have actually lived it😵
James Hutchison
Just got burned by a family member on Dead and Co final tour.
Rex Negron
@James Hutchison sorry to hear that friend
Marz
A fav intense rock song in 7th gr/
Buck54
Fifty years later and I still have nearly ever recorded song of theirs and still listen to them. My body has changed greatly but as soon as this music comes out of the speakers I'm the young man that's in my mind coming back through the gift of memories. There is nothing more precious than youth and it is lost so quickly. Thank God for memories and bands like Three Dog Night that left us so many.
Bob bsing
Agree 100% and the songs mean ever more to me now than they did when they first came out. Many songs flash me back 50 years or so ago with sweet memories that I had all but forgotten about. The power of music is magical.
recsec
R.I.P. Cory Wells. This song here is what taught me to listen to the whole album and not just the one(s) from the radio. I have this album called Naturally. Got it for Christmas 72 I think at age 11. At some point I decided to listen to the whole thing. Fell in love with Liar when I heard it. from then on I was an album guy. Thanks for all the great music TDN!