Of all the things to do to a friend
You hurt them by your tongue.
Relationships will fatally end
Without a knife or gun.

Waitin' till you 're back behind them,
Then you put them down
How could you be talkin' 'bout them
When they're not around?

Chorus:
Don't be talkin' 'bout friends when they're not around
Don't be cuttin' their hearts and puttin' them down.
Don't be temptin' the Lord and makin' Him frown,
Don't be talkin' 'bout your friends when they're not around.

How all the gossip falls on our ears
It doesn't make much sense,
How we can cause the innocent tears,
Not helping their defense.

Listening, we all should fear it,
Listening is wrong.
If there were no one to hear it
It could not go on.

Repeat Chorus

Too many friendships have been broken
By just a simple, careless word spoken.

Repeat Chorus (x2)

Don't be talkin' down, throwin' down, cuttin' down friends
Why not treat them more like friends (when they're not around)?
Don't be saying lots of things, overlook the hurt it brings
Don't be talkin' bout your friends (when they're not around).