It's True! It's True!

Cosby's routine from the album discussing attempts to obtain the drug derived from the Spanish fly and use it on women by placing it into their drinks has been heavily discussed in the media.[3][11][12][13]

In a track on the album titled "Spanish Fly", Cosby discussed his desire to obtain the drug Spanish fly and use it on women by placing it into their drinks.[3][11][lower-alpha 1] Cosby said he first learned about the substance at age 13.[17]

"'You know anything about Spanish fly?' 'No, tell me about it.' 'Well there's this girl Crazy Mary, you put some in her drink man, she, 'Haaaaaaaaaaaaah'.' From then on, any time you see a girl. 'Wish I had some Spanish fly.' Go to a party, see five girls standing alone. 'Boy, if I had a whole jug of Spanish fly I'd light that corner up over there.' Haaa-ha-ha."[11][17][18]

— Bill Cosby, "Spanish Fly", It's True! It's True! (1969)

Cosby further elaborated on his attempts to find Spanish fly in his book Childhood,[19][20][21] published in 1991 by Putnam.[22] In its review of the book, The Columbus Dispatch noted Cosby's story about Spanish fly "ventures a bit beyond" childhood.[20] Dayton Daily News wrote that Spanish fly is described in Cosby's book as a type of "wonder drug".[23] In a 1991 interview with Larry King, Cosby again joked about usage of the drug on women.[24] In 1994, Greensboro News & Record reported that Cosby told a story about how, in his youth, he had tried to purchase Spanish fly from a member of the military, and how it had turned out to be cornstarch.[25]

The 1969 story by Cosby recounting his quest to find Spanish fly received renewed attention in 2014, after multiple women came forward to publicly accuse him of past incidents of sexual assault and rape against them.[11][18][26] According to accounts by the women, Cosby utilized drugs to subdue them prior to the asserted acts of violation by the comedian.[11][18][26] The "Spanish Fly" track from the album was re-discovered and publicized in 2014 by The Village Voice.[18][26][27] Ebony described the unearthing of the audio as "unfortunate timing", given the accusations by women that Cosby had drugged them prior to sexual assault.[26] The Boston Globe wrote: "Cosby had an entire stand-up routine about drugging women's drinks with 'Spanish fly' back in 1969; that it got laughs then says a lot about how views can shift in 45 years."[28] The comparison between the routine and women's subsequent accusations of drug-facilitated sexual assault received additional coverage from other publications, including the International Business Times,[12] the Chicago Sun-Times,[13] The Washington Post,[3][29] Philadelphia Daily News,[30] and CNN.[31] With regards to the "Spanish Fly" piece, The Washington Post wrote, "in hindsight one of his riffs seems particularly insensitive."[3]

All material written by Bill Cosby.

Side one

1. It's the Women's Fault – 5:25
2. Helicopters – 1:40
3. Ants Are Cool – 1:05
4. Burlesque Shows – 2:25
5. The American Gambler – 1:10
6. Shoelaces – 1:00
7. Spanish Fly – 2:55

Side two

1. Mr. Ike & The Neighborhood TV Set – 4:45
2. Foreign Countries – 14:00

• "It's the Women's Fault" begins with a re-telling of the routine "The Apple" from Cosby's previous album, To Russell, My Brother, Whom I Slept With (1968).

• Bill Cosby – performer

Technical

• Jimmy Hilliard – producer
• Lowell Frank – engineer
• Rudy Hill – editing
• Ed Thrasher – art direction, cover photography
• Dave Schultz – digital mastering

• Bill Cosby Is a Very Funny Fellow...Right! (Debut album by Cosby, also released by Warner Bros. Records)

• It's True! It's True! at AllMusic