Track 03 — Seven Wives

SONG OVERVIEW

Title: Seven Wives Album Position: Track 3 Act: I - The Awakening Role: The public lie vs. private truth - bitter irony

Caption: “What a thing it is for a man to be accused of having seven wives, when I can only find one.” He stood at the pulpit and lied.

Style: Dark folk, sardonic, minor key, acoustic guitar, sparse arrangement, male vocals, bitter, ironic, storytelling, slow burn

Runtime Target: 3:00-3:30

FINAL LYRICS

[Sparse Intro - almost mocking]
. . ! . .

[Verse 1]
He stood up at the pulpit
The congregation hushed
He said what a thing it is
To be accused of such

[Verse 2]
Seven wives, they say I have
When I can only find one
I am the same man I always was
As innocent as I've ever been

[Pre-Chorus]
And I can prove them all perjurers
Every single one

[Chorus]
Seven wives
When I can only find one
Taught in secret
Denied in the sun
We sat there and we listened
To the lie fall from his tongue
Seven wives
And he could only find one

[Break]
. . . ! .

[Verse 3]
But we had read the revelation
Hyrum read it to the council
It authorized the number ten
And sealed them for eternity

[Verse 4]
David and Solomon had many wives
Yet in this they sinned not
So says the revelation
That he swears does not exist

[Chorus]
Seven wives
When I can only find one
Taught in secret
Denied in the sun
We sat there and we listened
To the lie fall from his tongue
Seven wives
And he could only find one

[Bridge]
Jane Law read it with her own eyes
Austin Cowles heard it read aloud
William knew it in his bones
When the Prophet came for his wife

[Final Chorus - bitter, slow]
Seven wives...
When he could only find one...
Taught in secret...
Denied in the sun...
We sat there and we listened
To the lie fall from his tongue
The revelation said ten...
And he could only find one

[Outro - spoken or whispered]
"I can prove them all perjurers..."

[End]

SOURCE MATERIAL FROM THE NAUVOO EXPOSITOR

All lyrics are grounded in the Nauvoo Expositor and Joseph Smith’s documented public statements.

Joseph’s Public Denial (May 26, 1844 - 12 days before the Expositor)

“What a thing it is for a man to be accused of committing adultery, and having seven wives, when I can only find one. I am the same man, and as innocent as I was fourteen years ago; and I can prove them all perjurers.”

The Secret vs. Public Doctrine

“we know positively is the case… taught secretly, and denied openly”

Jane Law’s Affidavit

“I certify that I read the revelation referred to in the above affidavit of my husband, it sustained in strong terms the doctrine of more wives than one at a time, in this world, and in the next, it authorized some to have to the number of ten”

Austin Cowles’ Affidavit

“the Patriarch, Hyrum Smith, did in the High Council, of which I was a member, introduce what he said was a revelation given through the Prophet… the doctrine of a plurality of wives, or marrying virgins”

The Biblical Justification

“David and Solomon had many wives, yet in this they sinned not save in the matter of Uriah”

The Sealing Doctrine

“the sealing up of persons to eternal life, against all sins, save that of sheding innocent blood or of consenting thereto”

LYRIC-TO-SOURCE MAPPING

PRODUCER NOTES

What This Song Does

• Contrasts Joseph’s public denial with documented private reality
• Uses his own words against him - the sermon quote is devastating
• “Taught in secret / Denied in the sun” summarizes the entire scheme in six words
• Names the witnesses who signed sworn affidavits
• Completes Act I by revealing the specific lie that broke the whistleblowers’ forbearance

Key Production Decisions

1. Sardonic tone - This isn’t angry like “Forbearance.” It’s bitter, almost mocking. The audacity of the lie.
2. His words as the hook - “Seven wives when I can only find one” repeats because it’s so brazen
3. The bridge names real people - Jane Law, Austin Cowles, William Law. These were sworn witnesses.
4. Sparse arrangement - Let the words land. The lie speaks for itself.
5. Whispered outro - “I can prove them all perjurers” echoes as bitter irony. He couldn’t. They could.

The “Ten” Decision

The Expositor says “to the number of ten.” Historical records suggest Joseph had 30-40 plural wives by 1844. We use TEN because:

1. That’s what the Expositor documented
2. We’re telling the Expositor’s story, not the full historical picture
3. It shows how deep the secrecy was - even insiders only knew about ten
4. “Ten” is still devastating when contrasted with “I can only find one”

The Sermon Context

Joseph preached this sermon on May 26, 1844 - just twelve days before the Expositor published. He knew the Expositor was coming. He was getting ahead of it. He stood in front of his followers and lied directly to their faces.

Some of those followers - William Law, Jane Law, Austin Cowles - had read the revelation themselves. They sat in that congregation and watched him lie. Twelve days later, they published the truth.

Connection to Other Tracks

• Track 1 “June 7, 1844” - The declaration that the disease must be known
• Track 2 “Forbearance” - Why they had to speak (private efforts failed)
• Track 3 “Seven Wives” - The specific lie they’re exposing
• Track 5 “Positively No Admittance” - What actually happened to the women
• Track 8 “The Revelation” - Austin Cowles’ full testimony about what Hyrum read

Act I Complete

With “Seven Wives,” Act I is complete. The listener now knows:

The listener is now prepared for Act II: The Women. They understand the context. Now they’ll hear what happened to the victims.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

On May 26, 1844, Joseph Smith preached a sermon in Nauvoo directly denying the practice of plural marriage. This was not ignorance or misunderstanding - he was lying to his own followers while secretly married to dozens of women.

The timing is crucial: Joseph knew the Expositor was coming. William Law and the other publishers had been excommunicated in a secret trial on April 18. They had announced their intention to publish. Joseph’s sermon was damage control - a preemptive denial.

But in that congregation sat people who knew the truth:

• William Law had read the revelation on plural marriage
• Jane Law had read it too - and testified she had been propositioned by Joseph
• Austin Cowles had heard Hyrum Smith read it aloud in the High Council

Twelve days later, they published their sworn affidavits. Joseph’s own words - “I can prove them all perjurers” - became evidence of his willingness to lie under oath.

The historical record now confirms approximately 30-40 plural wives. The Expositor only knew about “the number of ten.” Even that was enough to prove the public denial was a lie.

ALBUM FLOW NOTE

Act I: The Awakening is now complete:

Transition to Act II: Track 3 ends with the lie. Track 4 begins with a woman crossing an ocean, full of faith.

The juxtaposition is intentional: We’ve just heard him deny having seven wives. Now we’re going to meet one of them.