All songs
copyrighted
by David Rood
except as noted.

The Devil Walks Again in Georgia

Story

A few years ago, a remarkable violinist named Mark O'Connor did a sequel with Charlie Daniels to the original "The Devil Went Down to Georgia", telling the story about the Devil returning to challenge Johnny after ten years.

Since I can't play fiddle, I recast it for trumpet with a new champion.

Lyrics

Well it was in the last millenium that the Devil had a date
With a certain instrumentalist in a certain Southern state
An Immortal might think the more things change the more they stay the same
But the Devil’s gonna find this time around it’s a trumpet player’s game

Well the Devil heard a sound and he walked all around
And he found the boy playing dolce
So with big brown eyes he put on a smile
And approached him sotto voce

"I see you play the horn, and that’s a trade I know quite well
And I and my best students heard your slurring down in Hell
Young Gabriel’s first chair nowadays up in the heavenly hosts
But before your little world began I taught him everything he knows

"I tell you I have sat and watched as every generation
Makes the same mistakes again and learns the same old lessons
You may think you don’t have a care just playin’ your lullaby,
Let me put some fire into your soul before life passes you by."

The boy said, "I was born with peace like a river in my soul
The kind of peace that will bring a smile to me when I am old
The book says all the Devil’s power is packed into his tongue
So you do what you have to do and I’ll play when you’re done."

The Devil smiled; God never made a modest trumpet player
He knew the sin of subterfuge was only the first layer
And all he had to do was show the Georgia boy that he was hot
Then his ego would compel him to give it everything he’s got

(Devil Plays)

The Devil blew til his face turned blue and he lay on the ground
The Georgia boy had closed his eyes and listened to the sound
"Well that’s pretty fine technique; I guess you’ve had a lot of practice
And after several thousand years, even you’ve forgotten what your act is

The way you play shows you forgot we all know Johnny’s story
I’m doing this for the sake of music and not for my own glory
What amazes me the most is that you still don’t realize
At the end of night the Devil must fall and the sons of man must rise!"

(play)

Well the Devil was still lyin’ on the ground where he had fallen
And he found his strength all slip away, for his doom was now upon him
"You challenged Johnny twice, and all the stories give you three tries
So pucker up those worthless lips and kiss your @$$ goodbye!"

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