The alt-rock band Concrete Blonde released its debut album in 1986. The song “True” was included on the album twice, once with lyrics and again as an instrumental.
In 2002, after breaking up and reforming, as so many bands do, ho-hum, Concrete Blonde released “Group Therapy,” an album that includes “True, Part III.”
In 2012, the band disbanded again. Johnette Napolitano wrote in a farewell message, “Music lives on. Keep Listening. Long after we’re gone, the music will still be there.” Indeed.
As good as they were, Concrete Blonde somehow never clicked with the public and rose to the top. Such a shame.
In my subjective opinion, all three versions of “True” are well done, artistically and technically.
Which is why I present them to you herewith.
True
By Concrete Blonde, 1986
Written by Johnette Napolitano and James Mankey
When I’ve had enough,
I’ll get a pickup truck,
And I’ll drive away.
I’ll take my last ten bucks
Just as far as it will go.
Sometimes I’m easily fooled.
I take a painful step,
And I get knocked back two.
I do what I can,
And it’s all I can do.
But I’m true.
And if I had the choice,
I’d take the voice I got,
‘Cause it was hard to find.
You know I’ve come too far
To wind up right back where I started.
And they tell me who I should be.
I’ll never let those monkeys
Make a mess out of me.
I give all I am,
And it’s all I can do.
Ah, but I’m true.
One more sunset.
Lay my head down.
True.
One more sunrise.
Open my eyes up.
True.
And then they talk you up,
And then they talk you down,
And you begin to doubt.
Sometimes the reasons seem so very far away.
Ah, but I’d stop breathing today,
‘Cause if I can’t walk proud,
I’d rather walk away.
I do all I am, and it’s all I can do.
But I’m true.
I’d give all I am and give it to you.
True.
So true.
https://rockysmith.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/concrete-blonde-true.mp3
The instrumental version:
https://rockysmith.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/concrete-blonde-true-instrumental.mp3
True, Part III
By Concrete Blonde, 2002
Written by Johnette Napolitano and James Mankey
And I
Will leave this life,
And I will know
I’ve done the very best I can.
And I
Will leave behind
Strain and pain
And take the blame for who I am.
And I,
I tried,
Tried to find a way
To hang it all together,
Oh, together.
And when
I leave this life,
What will you say of me,
You, who never knew my heart?
For I
Will leave behind
The sound of a woman
Who knew what was true
From the start.
And I,
I wanna slide
Out of my old hide
All clean and free and better.
Yeah, I
Wanna ride
Off into a wild new morning,
Off into forever.
Forever.
Oh, I,
I wanna ride
Off into some wild new morning,
Off into forever.
Oh, I,
I wanna slide
Out of my old hide
All clean and free and better.
Oh, forever.
https://rockysmith.files.wordpress.com/2022/02/concrete-blonde-true-part-iii.mp3
Mr. Write's Page 
Leave a Reply