The Devil Went Down to Georgia

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“The Devil Went Down to Georgia”
Single by Charlie Daniels
from the album Million Mile Reflections
Released 1979
Genre Country
Spoken word
Length 3:37
Writer(s) Charlie Daniels, Tom Crain, "Taz" DiGregorio, Fred Edwards, Charles Hayward, James W. Marshall

"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" is a southern rock song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1979 [1] album Million Mile Reflections. The song is written in the key of D minor. Vassar Clements originally wrote the melody an octave lower, in a tune called "Lonesome Fiddle Blues". Charlie Daniels Band moved it up an octave and put words to it. The song's verses are closer to being spoken rather than sung, and tell the story of a boy named Johnny, who one day is challenged by the devil himself to a battle of fiddle-playing. If Johnny triumphs, he claims the devil's favorite golden fiddle; however, losing the battle would mean losing his soul. Satan's and Johnny's performances are played as instrumental bridges during the song. The song was the band's biggest pop hit, reaching #3 on the Billboard Hot 100.[1]

Contents

[edit] Plot

The song is a narrative about the devil, who comes to Georgia in desperation and "willin' to make a deal." He spies a young fiddle player named Johnny, who calls himself "the best there's ever been", and challenges him to a fiddle-playing contest. The terms are that if Johnny should win the contest, he will get a fiddle made of gold, but should he lose, he will forfeit his soul. Confident in his talent with the fiddle, Johnny accepts the challenge. The devil performs with the backing of a demon band, but is squarely beaten by the more talented Johnny. In the end, Johnny gets his golden fiddle, and with cocky bravado, even dares the Devil to return for a rematch.

The narrative is a derivative of the traditional "Pact with the Devil" motif.

[edit] Covers and other versions

  • The version that appeared on Million Mile Reflections includes the line I done told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best that's ever been, but the version played by many radio stations had the words son of a gun instead. The latter version, ostensibly a concession to family friendly interests, eventually became the more widely used version of the song.
  • A sequel to the song, "The Devil Comes Back to Georgia," was recorded by Daniels and fiddle player Mark O'Connor in 1993, featuring guest performances by Travis Tritt (as the devil), Marty Stuart (as Johnny) and Johnny Cash. In the sequel, Johnny has grown into a man, who is married and has a child. Hoping to take advantage of Johnny's sinful pride, the Devil challenges him to a rematch. The ending does not outright state the victor, though the music video suggests Johnny won, as does the line "Johnny's still the best that's ever been".
  • The Urbz has a mini-game called Soul Music, and the dialog that occurs on the first play-through references the song:

Red Man: Hey there pipsqueak! You think you can beat the Red Man?
Character: Rosin up your bow, Red Man!
~after defeating him in a fiddle contest~
Red Man: Dang, I have to admit, you only won from that gold fiddle.
Character: Come on back whenever you want, Red Man, but I tell you what you son of a gun, I'm the best there's ever been!

  • Josh Zuckerman covered the song for his debut album. It noticeably keeps the "son of a bitch" line; however, it bleeps the word "bitch." Zuckerman has performed the song for numerous events, alternating censorship depending on the appropriateness of the occasion. There is no officially released recorded version of Zuckerman's that does not censor the line.
  • Swedish band Rednex recorded a dance cover of this song in 2000. It can be found on their second studio album Farm Out!.
  • Comedian Jim Davidson performed this song in 2002 during his "Silver Jubilee" tour.
  • Kevin Fowler has covered this song on many of his US tours.
  • Former WWE Superstar and current Hollywood Actor, Dwayne Johnson (better known by his ring name "The Rock"), performed this song briefly during what he called "The Rock Concert" on an April 2003 edition of WWE Raw.
  • Indian country music group Emerson Drive performed a cover of this song on their 2006 album "Countrified". They make slight modifications to the song such as adding a keyboard lick at the beginning of the first instrumental, and adding a breakdown after the second instruemtal. The added breakdown is the riff from the Led Zeppelin song "Kasmir". Emerson Drive's version features a vocal cameo by the original singer, Charlie Daniels, on the line "I told you once you son of a gun 'I'm the best that's ever been'" It is credited on the album cover as "Devil Went Down To Georgia".
  • A hard rock/metal cover version of the song by Steve Ouimette appears in the video game Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock. It is the final track in the game and allows the player to battle against the Devil. The battle is played in the final location of the game, "Lou's Inferno." The part of Johnny's solo is what mostly defines the victory over Lou, mainly because it lasts longer than the Devil's part (it clocks two and a half minutes, while the Devil's solo goes on for half of this time); if the player manages to beat him before Johnny's solo (called "Victory Solo" and comprised of 18 parts total) is done, the battle ends and the player goes on to play the final verses while Lou merely stands onstage, watching you play.[2] In addition, the verse "I told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best that’s ever been" appears censored, with the word "bitch" drowned out. However, the line is sung uncensored on the "Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock Companion Pack" CD. A version of the song that enables the player to play it in any other game mode than the regular "Career Mode", in which Lou is battled, is available as downloadable content in the "Boss Battle Song Pack" on Xbox Live Marketplace for the Xbox 360 version of the game[2][3] and on the PlayStation Store for the PlayStation 3 version of the game.[4][5]
  • The German musician Lonzo Westphal released a song named Der Zaubergeiger (Der Teufel kam nach Eppendorf) (in English: The magic fiddler (The Devil Went Down to Eppendorf)) in 1980 on his album Heftig. The story stays the same as in the original tune, with two exceptions: it's set to Hamburg-Eppendorf, and Johnny doesn't have a name in Westphals version. Lonzo himself was often called Der Teufelsgeiger (The devil's fiddler) at the times of his major success.
  • In April 1992 lead by Greek-American recording artist Aris Tomas the song was covered by the Greek band Modern Fears in their album Η Αναμετρηση(in English: The Showdown). Originally titled Το χρυσό βιολί(English: The Golden Fiddle) it was released under the band's first official full-length album "H Anametrisi" and became an instant success selling over 20000 copies in its initial release. The story in the Greek version is basically a very close translation of the original version, including Johnny's name. The only difference in the Greek version is that its set in Athens instead of Georgia. Some fans over the years have put their own spin to this making the story set in Athens, Georgia.[6]

[edit] Adaptations

  • Artists Mike Rayburn adapted the song that he performs live during his act. In his version, he plays the entire song with an acoustic guitar instead of the rest of the band. It was included on his album Carnegie Hall
  • RIAA lists this song as the top selling single of all time with one of the 50 US states in the title of the song.
  • On the Alabama 3 album Power in the Blood, there is a song called "The Devil Went Down to Ibiza", a dark song about the dangers of drug-taking in dance culture.
  • A hip-hop adaptation entitled "The Devil Came Up to Michigan" was released in 1991 by KMC Kru. In their version, the Devil battles a rapper named the Butcher for a turntable made of gold.
  • The Clamdiggers released a song titled "The Devil Went Down to Newport", which relates the story of a surfing contest with the Devil. This song was covered in 1996 by Mono Puff.
  • Filk singer and fiddler Heather Alexander does a song called "Faerie Queen" (music by Heather Alexander, lyrics by Philip R. Obermarck) which she describes as her response as a Celtic fiddle player to the many requests she gets to play "The Devil Went Down to Georgia". In this variation, a fiddler girl plays off against the Faerie Queen to win back her husband-to-be from the Faerie Queen's spell.
  • American comedy rock band Tenacious D's song "Tribute", which is a cross between "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" and "Stairway to Heaven", chronicles a late-night encounter with a demon (played in the music video by Dave Grohl). He appears and tells them to "play the best song in the world/or I'll eat your souls". The demon is "done" when he hears them play "the first thing that came to [their] heads" and it is indeed the greatest song ever played.
  • Also in Tenacious D's film/album The Pick of Destiny. The Devil is resurrected and Tenacious D becomes the last defense of the world when Jack Black challenges the Devil to a "Rock-off" which the Devil cannot refuse. In this version, if Tenacious D wins the battle, the Devil will have to 'take his sorry ass back to hell' and pay the rent on their apartment. On the other hand, if the Devil wins, he will take Kyle Gass back to hell to become his "little bitch". Despite the song's similarities to Tribute it is different in that you actually hear the two songs that the two participants play. The Devil plays all the instruments in his part and performs a metal masterpiece. After some inspirational words from Jack, Kyle begins to play and Jack starts to sing. They lose, but are able to banish the Devil back to hell by breaking off his horn.
  • The Toy Dolls, a British punk band, made a version of this song called "The Devil Went Down to Scunthorpe" in their 1997 album One More Megabyte. In this variation, the violins are replaced by electric guitars.
  • An animated film version of the song by Primus, using stop-motion animation with puppets, was made by Mike Johnson in 1996. [7]
  • In the Class of 3000 episode The Devil and Li'l D, Li'l D sells his soul to the devil, who takes the form of a large record producer named Big D. When Li'l D decides he wants his soul back from the devil, his lawyer suggests a fiddle contest. However, unlike in the original version of the story, Li'l D loses to the devil (mostly because he plays the drums, not a fiddle).
  • The original Charlie Daniels Band version is used in the film Coyote Ugly and is also the signature song used at the chain of Coyote Ugly bars across the USA.

[edit] Parodies and other references

  • In 2005 a punk band by the name of "A Human and His Stds" composed a cover of the song by the name of "The Devil Went Down to Santa Maria". In the song, the band has to play a punk rock show better than the devil to win a lifetime of beer or lose their souls. In the end, they lose after playing a 6 day, 6 hour, and 6 minute long show, but have no souls to give the devil.
  • Alvin and The Chipmunks recorded their own version of the song with the same name. In this version, the devil challenges Alvin to a harmonica-playing contest with the souls of himself and his brothers Simon and Theodore at stake, to which Alvin characteristically absentmindedly accepts.
  • In the Futurama episode "Hell is Other Robots", Leela accepts the Robot Devil's challenge to a fiddle contest with a golden fiddle to win Bender's soul. The contest was allowed under the Fairness in Hell Act of 2275. Regarding the practicality of a gold fiddle, Fry quipped, "Wouldn't a solid gold fiddle weigh hundreds of pounds and sound crummy?" The Robot Devil rationalized that it's "mostly for show", although he is able to play the fiddle in question very well. When Leela attempts to play, she makes a screeching sound before using it to knock out the Robot Devil and escapes with Fry and Bender. If Leela had lost, she would have received a smaller silver fiddle, and the Robot Devil would have killed Fry.
  • Another parody, "Devil Went Down to Dundalk," was performed on Baltimore radio station 98 Rock. In it, the devil challenges Johnny to a race, betting a local strip club called Night Shift against Johnny's hot rod. The song also contains references to the town of Dundalk (in Baltimore County).
  • The 2002 ApologetiX album "Grace Period" contained "The Devil Went Down to Jordan", which recounts the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness.
  • A parody from 2005 entitled "Sadako Came to the Arcade" was recorded by DJ Particle for her album Shiny Round Thing Inside, and featured The Ring villain Sadako Yamamura in place of The Devil. Sadako's challenge in this parody is a game of Dance Dance Revolution against a man who claims to be the best player of the game. There is no material prize in this parody, the winner simply gets to live. This parody also features drastically different instrumentals than the original. The instrumentals are an amalgam remix of songs appearing in Dance Dance Revolution.
  • Camper Van Beethoven's third album, entitled "Camper Van Beethoven," contains a song called "We Love You" which alludes to the original Charlie Daniels song. The band travels down to Georgia "lookin' for some fun," but instead they meet up with the Devil, who is armed "with a fiddle and a gun." The Devil boasts that he is the baddest fiddler in the land, proves it (with a musical bridge), and is then allowed to join the band.
  • In Stephen Lynch's song Beelz, the Devil says "Fuck Charlie Daniels, I don't care if he can fiddle" and then later in the song states "I would never be caught dead in Georgia".
  • Another variation was produced by a punk band called "Drain Bramaged" in which the devil and Johnny have a beer drinking contest with the prize of a golden keg. The devil has a gang of demons helping him but is still defeated by Johnny.
  • The ballad of Darrell and Rusty is a Nascar-themed parody of this song put on by John Boy and Billy
  • The Greaseman did a parody on his show entitled "The Devil Went Down to Georgetown." This explores what if the competition between the devil and Johnny had been based on a homosexual encounter.
  • In the Drew Carey episode "They Devil, You Say?" when Drew and the gang try to beat the devil in a game of pool, Lewis turns it on.
  • In the Adult Swim series Squidbillies Christmas special, Early tells Santa the last verse of the song. Also in the episode Mephistopheles Travelled Below To A Southern State Whose Motto Is "Wisdom, Justice and Moderation" Rusty sells his soul to the devil for guitar playing skills. The title is also a reference to the song.
  • A [2006 Pepsi Commercial] focused on a fiery duel between hip-hop violinist Miri Ben-Ari and electric violinist Mark Wood as "the Devil." It included a remix of "The Goes Down to Georgia" with rapper Nas, produced by Jay-Z.
  • Rap group, Krushin Mc's from Lansing, Michigan (a.k.a KMC Cru), recorded their take-off "The Devil Came Up To Michigan" in 1991. It features the Devil vs "the Butcher" in a scratch battle, rather than a violin contest.

[edit] See also

Preceded by
"Coca-Cola Cowboy"
by Mel Tillis		 Billboard Hot Country Singles number one single
August 25, 1979
by The Charlie Daniels Band		 Succeeded by
"Heartbreak Hotel"
by Willie Nelson and Leon Russell

[edit] References

  1. ^ Whitburn, Joel: "The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits", p. 92, ISBN 0-8230-7518-4
  2. ^ Bergfeld, Carlos (2007-11-15). Guitar Hero III Boss Battle Song Pack Hits XBLM. Shacknews. Retrieved on 2007-11-15.
  3. ^ Hryb, Larry (2007-11-17). GH III: Boss Battle Track Pack (Free). majornelson.com. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
  4. ^ Press Release: Velvet Revolver, Foo Fighters and Boss Battle Anthems. gamesindustry.biz (2007-11-08). Retrieved on 2007-11-08.
  5. ^ Kollar, Philip (2007-11-06). Activision Reveals Plans for Guitar Hero DLC. 1up. Retrieved on 2007-11-07.
  6. ^ H Anametrisi.
  7. ^ The Devil Went Down to Georgia

[edit] External links