Introduction
A fiery tug-of-war between pride and passion—where the heart knows better, but the mouth won’t admit it.
Tucked into their 2001 album Steers & Stripes, “Deny, Deny, Deny” is Brooks & Dunn at their emotionally conflicted best. While much of the album balances upbeat honky-tonk anthems with tender ballads, this track burns with frustration, desire, and the sting of love gone sideways.
From the opening chords, the song pulses with tension. Ronnie Dunn’s powerhouse vocals dive headfirst into a story many know too well: trying to act like you’ve moved on, even when your heart is still tangled up in what once was. It’s about the lies we tell ourselves—and the ones we tell everyone else—just to save face.
He says he’s fine.
He says he doesn’t care.
But every lyric reveals the opposite.
The chorus hits like a confession that won’t quite name itself:
“Deny, deny, deny / That I still want you, I still need you, I still love you…”
It’s raw. It’s real. And it hurts in all the right ways.
Musically, the production leans into classic country with a Southern rock edge, matching the emotional fire of the lyrics with electric guitar licks and a driving beat that mirrors the internal storm. You can hear the push and pull in every note—a man trying to keep his pride while his heart’s giving him away.
“Deny, Deny, Deny” is more than a breakup song—it’s a mirror for anyone who’s ever pretended not to care, just to survive the day. Brooks & Dunn once again prove that their real power doesn’t just lie in chart-toppers—it lies in their ability to tell the truth, even when the character in the song can’t.
Video
Lyrics
That wasn’t me at a quarter to three, back in our backyard
Tearing up the roses and the home grown tomatoes in my new car
Those bottles in the driveway and the bottles in the hall
Well I don’t know where they came from
It must be burglars in the neighborhood
I sure hope they catch those bums
I know you’ve got your own version of the truth
There’s only three things left now that I can do
Deny, deny, deny
Well I was allegedly dropped
By a truck stop waitress at our front door
Now who you gonna believe
Your sweet lovin’ daddy or those lying eyes of yours
That lipstick on my collar
That you found this morning well that’s not lipstick at all
I was just in a hurry to get back to you honey
Had myself a little fall
Oh yeah you’ve got your own version of the truth
There’s only three things left now that I can do
Deny, deny, deny
Oh please don’t answer the phone
Hey ain’t it great being home and alone like this
That cigarette voice asking for her big boy
Why should I know who that is
Yeah I know it looks bad but
You’re lookin’ at a victim of a circumstance or two
Oh what is it now seems like nothing I do ever pleases you
I know you’ve got your own version of the truth
There’s only three things left now that I can do
Deny, deny, deny
Deny, deny, deny