Three Chords and the Truth
Picking our souls and living authentically
The truth is simple to understand. It doesn’t need a press conference, a promotional tour, or a day in court. Real truth, that is, authenticity, is apparent. It’s not garish or boastful, it stands alone and attracts us. We are drawn to it because in an instant - a glance at a painting, the opening line of Farewell to Arms, or three chords from a country song.
Harlan Howard, who wrote the iconic "I Fall to Pieces" famously recorded by Patsy Cline, once said the best songs needed only “three chords and the truth” because the truth was simple and honest songs should be too.
When you listen to the truth in Dolly Parton's "Jolene" and Willie Nelson's “On the Road Again”, the emotion of those artists shines through. Both songs are built around simple chord progressions, yet they have become iconic and continue to resonate with new listeners while reverberating across genres.
Early rock and roll, celebrated teenage rebellion in simple riffs, and the punk rock movement of the 1970s was built around the idea that anyone could pick up a guitar and start playing three-chord songs, regardless of their ability. The DIY ethos of punk rock was all about simple honesty. The early west coast rap movement carried these same simple values to express frustration with the oppression and violence in 1980s Los Angeles.
The next time you listen to the progression of chords G, C, and D in Johnny Cash’s Ring of Fire (or Mike Ness’ brilliant cover), also hear the truth in his words - “The taste of love is sweet/When hearts like ours meet”, which were for his wife, June, and he reiterated in a letter to her nearly thirty years later - ‘Once in a while, like today, I meditate on it and realize how lucky I am to share my life with the greatest woman I ever met…You’re the object of my desire, the #1 Earthly reason for my existence.’
The truth is harder to find these days both in music and in life. Life has become scripted, curated, choreographed and over-produced, and so much of our art is too. In a world that has abandoned literal meaning, while embracing illiteracy, much emphasis is placed on speaking “your truth”, which often stands in stark contrast to “the truth”.
I wonder if those seeking their personal truths cause this global conflation of truth and opinion. There has been much written about the “post-truth” society, and the “age of misinformation”. We can blame technology, moral decay, or polarizing politics but increasingly, opinions, like this one, seem to win supremacy over fact.
Living authentically is a concept that has been explored by many philosophers throughout history. At its core, living authentically involves being true to oneself and living in accordance with one's deepest values and beliefs. This commitment to authenticity is essential for personal growth, meaningful relationships, and a sense of purpose in life.
One of the earliest philosophers to discuss the concept of living authentically was Socrates. He believed that the purpose of life was to seek wisdom and knowledge and that the key to achieving this was to live an examined life. By questioning one's beliefs and assumptions and seeking to understand the nature of reality, one could live a life that was true to one's deepest values and convictions.
Similarly, Aristotle believed that living authentically required developing one's virtues and living in alignment with them. He believed that a virtuous life was characterized by balance, moderation, and self-control and that this was essential for achieving a sense of personal fulfillment and happiness.
Simplicity and truth are intertwined like the two strands of the helix that form our DNA. In that simplicity, there is an elegance and beauty that belies the complexity of its structure.
Finding those simple truths requires authentic living. Embracing organic experiences and staying in those moments for as long as they hold. This requires approaching life with humility. Shedding ego and preconceptions is how we learn - how we grow. Even one of the world’s most famous physicists - Stephen Hawking - had to admit he was wrong about something as small as the universe's origins and changed course. If he can do that then you can come to terms with the fact that MJ may not be the GOAT and maybe the Stones really did peak on Exile.
As humanity has veered off its authentic course and crashed upon the rocky shoals of commercialization, much of songwriting has followed. When songwriters react to trends and audiences instead of “picking their souls” - the truth suffers. We are left with a homogenized view of the world, and no lodestar to find our way to new lands. When Nirvana kicked off the grunge movement, many bands followed to become “grunge-like”. Perhaps none mimicked Nirvana as successfully as Pearl Jam. Pearl Jam is hugely successful but I defy you to find redemption in the pretentious rambling of Eddie Vedder. Of course, that’s just my opinion.
But I also believe that there are real artists still out there. Down here with the rest of us. Living and toiling. And then, every once in a while, you hear something that just hits you. A song that resonates deeply. Some stripped-down poetry with three chords or a clean beat. And that song gives you hope. And it gives others hope too. Because simple truths are universal, they are also elegant. And they bring us closer to our authentic selves.
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
Willie Nelson To Pay Tribute To “Three Chords And The Truth” Country Songwriter Harlan Howard On Next Album [Listen]
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SUNDAY FICTION
In this captivating science fiction novel from an award-winning author, public gatherings are illegal making concerts impossible, except for those willing to break the law for the love of music, and for one chance at human connection.
I changed by not changing at all….small town predicts my fate….perhaps that’s what no one wants to see ❤️