For the Sake of the Song: Patty Griffin “Truth No. 2”

The first time I heard ‘Truth No. 2’ by the eminent Patty Griffin it was, in fact, being sung by The Chicks (who still had the Dixie in front of their name at the time). This is not an unusual experience, but what I’ll say next is slightly controversial: I actually still think The Chicks’ version is preferable to Griffin’s own original.

‘Truth No. 2’ appeared on The Chicks’ 2002 smash ‘Home’ – along with another Griffin cut, the heart-shattering ‘Top of the World’ – and although that was over 20 years ago, the band, and in particular their frontwoman Natalie Maines, remain huge fans of Griffin. Before Maines’s divorce inspired the material that went to fill their long awaited comeback “Gaslighter” in 2020, the band were planning to record an album entirely of Griffin covers to complete the obligation of their record contract.

While Griffin recorded ‘Truth No. 2’ in the year 2000 – two years before The Chicks released their cover – the song and the album it was on, “Silver Bell”, didn’t in fact see the light of day for another 13 years. Recorded as a follow up to Griffin’s 1998 release “Flaming Red”, “Silver Bell” was left sitting in limbo due to a dispute between Griffin and her record label (although, it should be mentioned, it was able to be found floating around certain parts of the internet in the years before it obtained an official release).

Having covered her songs live when Griffin opened for them on their “Fly” tour in 2000, The Chicks decided to be the heroes that they are and let ‘Truth No. 2’ and ‘Top of the World’ out into the world by recording their own versions of them on “Home”. It’s a fairly simple song from the perspective of one partner who’s trying to get the other to confront their problems and open up (“Tell me what’s wrong with having a little faith / In what you’re feeling in your heart / Why must we be so afraid / And always so far apart”).

I think one of the things that makes The Chick’s recording of ‘Truth No. 2’ so standout is time. When it was released, the band were still uncontroversial, country radio playlist fodder, but when they famously blasted then US president George W. Bush the next year at a London concert, everything changed. In the performances since, it feels that ‘Truth No. 2’ has taken on an entirely new meaning. When Maines opens with the caustic, “You don’t like the sound of the truth / Coming from my mouth” your mind is immediately drawn not to someone angry with a partner in a personal level, but to the band’s battle with right wing commentators and so called country music fans over their perceived “hate speech” in relation to 43rd president.

Apart from the wait for a new Patty Griffin album (her last being 2022’s collection of rough cuts “Tape”), I, like many others, await the next recording from the Chicks (2020 somehow seems like it both just happened and was also a million years ago). If they’re struggling to come up with new material, I’d like to put forward a suggestion: do the world a favour and finally record that Patty Griffin covers album.

About Helen Jones 155 Articles
North West based lover of country and Americana.
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Steve Goldsmith

There’s a great live version of Truth on her album Impossible Dream. Really captures the song.

Ray Walker

Great song but have to agree that the Chicks version has a slightly harder “edge” which makes the hairs stand up on my arms