Album: Million Mile Reflections (1979)

Charted: 14 3

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• The devil went down to Georgia, he was lookin' for a soul to steal
  He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind
  And he was willin' to make a deal
  
  When he came across this young man sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot
  And the devil jumped up on a hickory stump
  And said, "boy, let me tell you what"
  
  "I guess you didn't know it but I'm a fiddle player too
  And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you
  Now you play pretty good fiddle, boy
  But give the devil his due
  I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul
  'Cause I think I'm better than you"
  
  The boy said, "my name's Johnny and it might be a sin
  But I'll take your bet, you're gonna regret
  'Cause I'm the best there's ever been"
  
  Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard
  'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia, and the devil deals the cards
  And if you win, you get this shiny fiddle made of gold
  But if you lose, the devil gets your soul
  
  The devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show"
  And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow
  And he pulled the bow across the strings
  And it made a evil hiss
  Then a band of demons joined in
  And it sounded something like this
  
  When the devil finished, Johnny said, "well, you're pretty good, ol' son
  But sit down in that chair right there
  And let me show you how it's done"
  
  "Fire on the Mountain" run boys, run
  The devil's in the House of the Rising Sun
  Chicken in the bread pan pickin' out dough
  Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, no
  
  The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat
  And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet
  Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever wanna try again
  I done told you once you son of a bitch, I'm the best that's ever been"
  
  He played "Fire on the Mountain" run boys, run
  Devil's in the House of the Rising Sun
  The chicken in the bread pan are pickin' out dough
  Granny, will your dog bite? No child, no Writer/s: Charles Fred Hayward, Charlie Daniels, Fred Edwards, James W. Marshall, John Crain, William J. Digregorio
  Publisher: Universal Music Publishing Group
  Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 33

• Kjepson from Los Angeles CaliforniaThe best song by this awesome band of crazy cowboys from down South
• Seattleguy from Seattle"Chicken in a breadpan pickin' out dough"
  That line is sung in a 1950 Looney Tunes cartoon I just got through watching, called Hillbilly Hare, where Bugs Bunny dances with two hillbillies. You can find in on u-toob.
• George from Vancouver, CanadaI had a copy of "The Devil Went Down to Jamaica" which involved a bet with a giant bag of weed at the stake vs the man's soul, as to who had the best weed. The other guy smoked the devil senseless & won. (of course) funny dtuff when you know this song.
  
  Man, just read the lyrics for Johnny Cash's sequel: LAME! & where's the duel? Now I gotta listen to it, I guess. . .
• P K Johnson from Yankton SdWho's fiddle was used in the original recording of this song, The a Devil Went Down to Georgia? I was told it was my Grandpa Johnson's fiddle and it came from Russia.
• Treeslayer from PaThe "went DOWN to Georgia" part also strongly implies that Satan is a Yankee.
• Bruce from San Jose, Calif.This is so classic! When I heard it as a young kid at the end of the song when the devil lays the golden fiddle on the ground in defeat at Johnny’s feet and Johnny taunts him “I told you once you son-of-a-*** I’m the BEST that’s EVER been!” — I was teary-eyed and punching the air with my fist and yelling with pride, “Yeah, way ta go Johnny! You kicked the Devil’s ASS!” —Great Memories!!!
• Seventhmist from 7th HeavenRegarding the alternate "son of a gun/son of a bitch" line, I'm sure that was just to accommodate stations in different markets. Earlier examples were Steve Miller's "Big Ol' Jet Airliner," with the line "funky s--t/funky kicks goin' down in the city" or Blondie's "Heart of Glass," which often omitted the verse containing "Once I had a love and it was a gas, soon turned out to be a pain in the ass."
• Dag from HereDid I miss something? I did not see where Vassar Clements, or his song "Lonesome Fiddle Blues" are mentioned in all this.
• Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn June 17th 1979, "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" by the Charlie Daniels Band entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart at position #81; and on September 9th it peaked at #3 (for 2 weeks) and spent 18 weeks on the Top 100 (and for 7 of those 18 weeks it was on the Top 10)...
  And on August 19th, 1979 it reached #1 (for 1 week) on Billboard's Hot Country Singles chart (also peaked at #1 on the Canadian Country chart)...
  Between 1973 and 1982 the band had eight Top 100 records; with two making the Top 10, their other Top 10 entry was "Uneasy Rider", it peaked at #9 in 1973 (just missed having a third Top 10 record when "In America" peaked at #11 in 1980).
• Esskayess from Dallas, TxJohnny Cash narrated a relatively unheraled sequel song for Daniels, 'The Devil Comes Back to Georgia' in the 9os. Everyone does their best, but it doesn't come close to the original.
• Terry from Colchester, VtCheck out the Zac Brown Band cover of this that they did at the 2009 CMA's. It is really good.
• Astrid from Guaynabo, Puerto RicoThe song is also played in "Coyote Ugly" when the bartenders and some other girls dance on top of the bar
• Paul from Evansville, InI like the original but since I'm a metal head I like the metal version a bit better :)
• Stan from Dearborn Heights, MiI've seen Blues Travler cover this song in concert at a neck breaking speed as John Popper played the fiddle parts on harmnonica.
• Stan from Dearborn Heights, MiOkay to markus in houston, there was a small time rapper in the early 90's from Detroit who did make a rap version of this song, he called it The Devil came up to Detroit, it's basically the same song except for the location and instead of a fiddle they both played turn tables.
• Breanna from Henderson, NvThis is an awesome song! I always stop to hear it when ever it's played.
• Marcus from Houston, TxI might get a lot of flak for saying this but do you think this song could technically be considered a "rap' song? it has a nice drum beat. most of the verses are spoken with a rythmic rhyme.
• Dylan from Charlotte, NcA student in my 9th grade honors English class observed that "...fire on the mountain, run boys run" might be an allusion to Lord of the Flies (William Golding). It seems to fit!
• Joshua from La Crosse, WiOne thing I never got about this song: Just who was judging this fiddling contest, that Old Nick was apparently unable to tempt, intimidate or otherwise corrupt?
• Briar from Hazard, KySimply a great tune
• Valerie from None Of Ur Buisness!!, Bcomigosh i LOVE this song soooo much! :D
• Kevin from Memphis , Tnlove the "Southern Baptist" version where the last line is changed from "I done told once you son of a gun/ I'm the best that's ever been" to "I done told you once you son of a bitch/ I'm the that's ever been"
• Jessie from Dallas, Txgreat song
• Logan from Troy, MtStephen Colbert and Paul Dinello played their version on stage once.
  
  It's the Devil Went Down to Georgia with Bassoons.
• Landon from Winchester, OhEmerson Drive have a cover-up for this song. Hek!
• Dylan from Bethlehem, PaWhenever the Devil seems to challenge anyone, he always seems to lose miserably. Its kind of sad really...
• V-starr from ?????????, MiSteve Ouimette did a metal version for Guitar Hero III as the last boss song aganst your band's manager aka the Devil.
• Jevon from Houston, Txit sounds just like the beezleboss story in the tenacious d movie!!!!!
• Sandy from Warsaw, InI love this song even if it is old! Good songs never die!!!
• Greg from Shelbyville, KyAaron says the CDB started as country until "Devil." The actual breakout song was "Uneasy Rider," which hit in 1975 or 1974. I had a buddy at Univ of KY who had played with Charlie, before "Uneasy Rider" hit. He got tired of all the time on the road, not making much money. "Uneasy Rider" was a rather rebellious song for mid-70's radio, including a couple of off color words, and a openly risque situation, but it was FUNNY, and the pot smoking programmers loved it, as well as their audiennces. "I was taking a trip out to LS, tooling along in my Chevrolet, tokin on a number and grooving on the radio."
  
  Charlie's still the man, he doesn't mind speaking his piece. Google "Charlie Daniels" to check out his website. Greg, Shelbyville, KY
• Jay from Brooklyn, NyThere is an episode of Furturama in which Fry and Leela travel to Robot Hell to save Bender. The Robot Devil (a.k.a. Beelzebot) tries to make them sign a Fiddle Contest Waver. The Fairness in Hell Act requires him to challenge people to a fiddle contest in order to win back a soul.
• Jay from Brooklyn, NyBaseball Hall of Famer Dizzy Dean once said "It ain't braggin' if you can do it." If the devil had challenged Dean to a pitching contest, Ol' Diz would have had the arrogance and skill to put Satan in his place.
• Dustin from Whitehouse, TxAlso, a band called the "Toy Dolls" did a version called "The Devil Went Down To Scrunthorpe." It's a metal version of the song and all the "fiddle" references are replaced by "guitars" instead.

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