Three Whiskeys And The Truth

Album: Mr. Sun (2022)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "Three Whiskeys And The Truth" is a play on the country music concept of "three chords and the truth." With lead vocals by Karen Fairchild, the song is a rumination of those heartbroken feelings that are kept at bay during the daytime. However, at night the whisky bottle comes out and the memories and pain come to the surface.
  • LBT's Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman wrote "Three Whiskeys and the Truth" with Lori McKenna, Hillary Lindsey, and Liz Rose, who are collectively known as The Love Junkies. "Lori had that title, and I just love how it tells the story of what we do to numb the pain we're going through," Fairchild said. "And the melody makes it feel like an old school country song like the ones we grew up with."
  • Fairchild, Schlapman and the Love Junkies penned another emotional song about the addictive nature of love for the Mr. Sun album. "Something Strong" compares the need for a night with their romantic partner to a whiskey. The love can't be watered down – it has to be 100 proof. (Pedantic whiskey drinkers will note that 100 proof whiskey is indeed watered down, as is anything less than cask strength, but you get our point.)
  • McKenna, Lindsey and Rose were also the trio behind Little Big Town's 2014 Quintuple Platinum single "Girl Crush." According to Fairchild, there's no pressure from past hits when writing new material with The Love Junkies. "You walk into warmth and love and safety and school," she told Apple Music. "It's like school, also. They're phenomenal, but we don't walk in with pressure because of who they are. We don't walk in with pressure of 'We have to write a song like 'Girl Crush' every time.'"

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat World

Jim Adkins of Jimmy Eat WorldSongwriter Interviews

Jim talks about the impact of "The Middle" and uses a tree metaphor to describe his songwriting philosophy.

Song Titles That Inspired Movies

Song Titles That Inspired MoviesSong Writing

Famous songs that lent their titles - and in some cases storylines - to movies.

Jim McCarty of The Yardbirds

Jim McCarty of The YardbirdsSongwriter Interviews

The Yardbirds drummer explains how they created their sound and talks about working with their famous guitarists.

Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Ian Gillan of Deep PurpleSongwriter Interviews

Deep Purple frontman Ian Gillan explains the "few red lights" in "Smoke On The Water" and talks about songs from their 2020 album Whoosh!

Superman in Song

Superman in SongSong Writing

Not everyone can be a superhero, but that hasn't stopped generations of musicians from trying to be Superman.

Rick Astley

Rick AstleySongwriter Interviews

Rick Astley on "Never Gonna Give You Up," "Cry For Help," and his remarkable resurgence that gave him another #1 UK album.