Album: 52nd Street (1979)

Charted: 24

License This Song 

• If you search for tenderness
  It isn't hard to find
  You can have the love you need to live
  But if you look for truthfulness
  You might just as well be blind
  It always seems to be so hard to give
  
  Honesty is such a lonely word
  Everyone is so untrue
  Honesty is hardly ever heard
  And mostly what I need from you
  
  I can always find someone
  To say they sympathize
  If I wear my heart out on my sleeve
  But I don't want some pretty face
  To tell me pretty lies
  All I want is someone to believe
  
  Honesty is such a lonely word
  Everyone is so untrue
  Honesty is hardly ever heard
  And mostly what I need from you
  
  I can find a lover
  I can find a friend
  I can have security until the bitter end
  Anyone can comfort me
  With promises again
  I know, I know
  
  When I'm deep inside of me
  Don't be too concerned
  I won't ask for nothin' while I'm gone
  But when I want sincerity
  Tell me where else can I turn
  'Cause you're the one I depend upon
  
  Honesty is such a lonely word
  Everyone is so untrue
  Honesty is hardly ever heard
  And mostly what I need from you Writer/s: Billy Joel
  Publisher: Songtrust Ave, Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 6

• Mc Sonics from Ann Arbor, Michigan Billy Joel was once at a Yankees game in the late 70's or early 80's and got recognized and people started walking up to him asking for autographs and he kept saying "no oble Ingles" and a few minutes later a bunch of people in the section behind him started singing "Honesty, is such a lonely word, everyone is so untrue".    After that he signed the autographs. 
• Tom from Sydney, AustraliaIt is a disappointment that 'Sodomy' was the title prior to 'Honesty'. 'Home Again' is bland but it is better.
  
  I am questioning truthfulness at the moment. Was there anything happening in Billy Joel's life which inspired the second half of the chorus, "Honesty is hardly ever heard -- and mostly what I need from you"? Wikipedia says the song was recorded in July - August 1978 ('52nd Street' album). His marriage to Elizabeth Small? A reneging on a business contract? False flattery from the public? I request that any answer be the truth i.e. if nothing is forthcoming, I prefer that to something made up. Much appreciated.
• Groovus Maximus from Boston, MaStunning, staggeringly powerful song -- an all-time favorite among the many works of genius Billy Joel has created. From the lovely simplicity of the opening piano figure, it builds organically into a pop masterpiece of sheer grandeur and magnificence, a plaintive cry from the very soul of us all. The bridge ("I could find a lover... I could find a friend... I could have security until the bitter end") is one of the best encapsulations of human interaction and interpersonal relationships any philosopher could have possibly stated; Billy has an incredible facility with lyrical & musical invention which few could ever hope to duplicate or even come close!
• Dana from Woodbury, MnThe working title was an inside joke among Joel and the members of his band.
• Ken from Louisville, KyBilly almost always wrote the music first and added lyrics later. When writing the music, he'd use any words he could think of to fit the meter, before writing the actual lyrics. He said when he wrote Honesty, the working title was "Sodomy"!
• Matt from Fishers, InShows how honesty is rarely alive in people, he says it is a lonely word because not many obtain this important characteristic.

More Songfacts:

HeroesDavid Bowie

David Bowie's "Heroes" is about his producer Tony Visconti and his girlfriend, but Bowie didn't admit this until the '00s, since Visconti was married at the time.

Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)Carla Thomas

Carla Thomas became the first woman to achieve a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100 with a song she wrote herself when "Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)" reached the chart's top tier in 1961. Thomas was just 16-years-old when she penned it.

AmenKid Rock

Kid Rock performed his song "Amen" at Barack Obama's inaugural, but claims he didn't vote for him.

All Through The NightCyndi Lauper

Cyndi Lauper's hit "All Through The Night" was written and originally recorded by Jules Shear, who also wrote "If She Knew What She Wants" by the Bangles.

DarlinAvril Lavigne

Avril Lavigne said her Goodbye Lullaby track "Darlin" was "probably" the second song she ever wrote. The Canadian composed it when she was an unsigned 15-year-old living in Napanee, Ontario.

BailandoEnrique Iglesias

Enrique Iglesias' single "Bailando" was the first ever Spanish-language song to reach one billion views on YouTube.

Editor's Picks

Ron and Russell Mael of SparksSongwriter Interviews

The men of Sparks on their album Hippopotamus, and how Morrissey handled it when they suggested he lighten up.

Linda PerrySongwriter Interviews

Songwriting Hall of Famer Linda Perry talks about her songs "What's Up" and "Beautiful," her songwriting process, and her move into film music.

Harold Brown of WarSongwriter Interviews

A founding member of the band War, Harold gives a first-person account of one of the most important periods in music history.

Dave EdmundsSongwriter Interviews

A renowned guitarist and rock revivalist, Dave took "I Hear You Knocking" to the top of the UK charts and was the first to record Elvis Costello's "Girls Talk."

Mike Love of The Beach BoysSongwriter Interviews

The lead singer/lyricist of The Beach Boys talks about coming up with the words for "Good Vibrations," "Fun, Fun, Fun," "Kokomo" and other classic songs.

Wang Chung Pick The Top Songs Of The '80sSongwriter Interviews

'80s music ambassadors Wang Chung pick their top tracks of the decade, explaining what makes each one so special.