It's a Sin to Tell a Lie is a 1936 pop standard written by Billy Mayhew. It was first introduced on records by Dick Robertson and later popularized by Fats Waller, with many other artists recording it over the years—there are dozens of versions and counting. The tune was revived in 1955 by Somethin' Smith and the Redheads, whose traditional pop single was recorded in 1954 and released on Epic Records on January 31, 1955, with a 3:01 runtime and the B-side My Baby Just Cares for Me; it reached number 7 on the Billboard charts. Originally a waltz, the song was often played in a faster 4/4 tempo during the 1950s Dixieland revival. It has also been covered by artists such as Slim Whitman and John Denver, and remains a popular standard.
