Devil, Devil (Prelude: Princess of Darkness)

Album: The Outsiders (2014)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • This track contains the second and third part of a haunting trilogy centered upon evil. It starts off with the preceding track, the tensely introspective "Dark Side" where Church talks about putting a bullet in anyone who messes with his family.

    Part two is "Princess of Darkness," a speech about the evils of Nashville that Church partially recited straight into his iPhone in the Opry Mills mall parking. He did so not long after learning that Shel Silverstein's estate wouldn't give him the rights to the late author's Nashville-as-the devil poem The Devil and Billy Markham.

    The final part, the menacing "Devil, Devil," finds Church taking on Nashville's streets of broken dreams before concluding, "The devil walks amongst us. And Nashville is his bride."
  • Church said that he and producer Jay Joyce set out to challenge themselves on The Outsiders. "We made a conscious effort when we started this album," he said. "We were at a point in our career where, I understand that we had two choices. I could have continued to do 'Drink In My Hand,' 'Springsteen,' 'Creepin' . . . I know how to do those things. I know how to continue the career that way. I think we made a conscious effort to challenge ourselves artistically, and do something that was artistic. That's what we did. That's what we chose on this album. We made it that way."
  • Church told Billboard magazine that no one should interpret this anti-music business rant as being his personal manifesto. "I really wrote that from the standpoint of — I've had my struggles — but I've seen a lot of people who had struggles," he explained. "I've always been so compelled by the difference between a person who come to this town and has his dreams come true and a person who's standing outside on Broadway playing for tips with a guitar case open and starving to death."

    "The talent difference is pretty close," Church continued. "They can both do it. It just seems so cruel to me the randomness that one makes it and ten don't. The seedy nature of that is what has always appealed to me."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

AC/DC

AC/DCFact or Fiction

Does Angus really drink himself silly? Did their name come from a sewing machine? See if you can spot the real stories about AC/DC.

Rickie Lee Jones

Rickie Lee JonesSongwriter Interviews

Rickie Lee Jones on songwriting, social media, and how she's handling Trump.

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many Songs

Who's Johnny, And Why Does He Show Up In So Many SongsSong Writing

For songwriters, Johnny represents the American man. He has been angry, cool, magic, a rebel and, of course, marching home.

Grunge Bands Quiz

Grunge Bands QuizMusic Quiz

If the name Citizen Dick means anything to you, there's a chance you'll get some of these right.

Kerry Livgren of Kansas

Kerry Livgren of KansasSongwriter Interviews

In this talk from the '80s, the Kansas frontman talks turning to God and writing "Dust In The Wind."

Songs Discussed in Movies

Songs Discussed in MoviesSong Writing

Bridesmaids, Reservoir Dogs, Willy Wonka - just a few of the flicks where characters discuss specific songs, sometimes as a prelude to murder.