| Tell Me a Lie | |
| Cover: | Tell Me a Lie - Sami Jo.jpg |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Sami Jo |
| Album: | It Could Have Been Me |
| B-Side: | Stay Where You Are |
| Released: | February 1974 |
| Recorded: | 1973 |
| Genre: | Pop |
| Label: | MGM South |
| Producer: | Sonny Limbo |
| Next Title: | It Could Have Been Me |
| Next Year: | 1974 |
| Tell Me a Lie | |
| Cover: | TellMeALieJF.png |
| Type: | single |
| Artist: | Janie Fricke |
| Album: | Love Lies |
| B-Side: | Love Have Mercy |
| Released: | September 17, 1983 |
| Genre: | Country |
| Length: | 3:35 |
| Label: | Columbia |
| Producer: | Bob Montgomery |
| Prev Title: | He's a Heartache (Looking for a Place to Happen) |
| Prev Year: | 1983 |
| Next Title: | Let's Stop Talkin' About It |
| Next Year: | 1984 |
"Tell Me a Lie" is a song composed by Mickey Buckins and Barbara Wyrick. Originally recorded by Lynn Anderson for her 1974 What a Man My Man Is album, it was released later that same year as a single by Sami Jo Cole, who took it to number 21 on both of the major U.S. pop charts. It also charted in Canada (#17).[1] Cole's version was also an Adult Contemporary hit, reaching number 14 in the U.S.[2] and number 27 in Canada.[3]
Janie Fricke covered the song in 1983 and topped the U.S. country singles charts with it.
| Peak position | ||
| Australia (Kent Music Report)[4] | 43 | |
|---|---|---|
| Canada RPM Top Singles[5] | 17 | |
| Canada RPM Adult Contemporary[6] | 27 | |
| US Billboard Hot 100[7] | 21 | |
| US Billboard Adult Contemporary[8] | 14 | |
| US Billboard Country [9] | 52 | |
| US Cash Box Top 100[10] | 21 |
| Rank | ||
| Canada RPM Top Singles[11] | 157 | |
|---|---|---|
| US (Joel Whitburn's Pop Annual)[12] | 162 |
In 1981, Bettye LaVette recorded an R&B version of the song on Motown. It was released as the title track of her album the following year.[13]
In 1983, Janie Fricke picked up the song "Tell Me a Lie" as to be released as her next single in 1983. Originally included on Fricke's 1982 album It Ain't Easy, it was released in September 1983 as the first single from her album Love Lies. During this time, Fricke racked up a good number of hits, like "It Ain't Easy Bein' Easy" and "I Need Someone to Hold Me When I Cry".
Shortly thereafter, Fricke's record producer at the time Billy Sherrill, had suggested that Fricke would record the song. Listening to Sherrill, Fricke recorded the song in 1983. By this time though, Fricke had produced a number 1 hit in 1983 called "It Ain't Easy Bein' Easy". Fricke soon released "Tell Me a Lie" as a single on the country charts that year.
By 1983, "Tell Me a Lie" was Janie Fricke's fourth number one hit on the Country charts.[14] The song and its album that it was featured on titled It Ain't Easy became very successful and became one of Fricke's signature songs. Since the song's release, it has been included in numerous multi-artist compilation albums. Despite the song's pop production, as well as its success on the country charts, it did not reach the pop singles chart. In 2004, Fricke released a bluegrass album, entitled The Bluegrass Sessions, which featured remakes of Fricke's biggest hits. The album featured "Tell Me a Lie".
| Peak position | |
| Canadian RPM Country Tracks | 1 |
|---|---|
