Re:Deals with the Devil Aren't What They Used to Be
by robbiep on Thursday August 15, 2024 @04:04PM
(#41259821)
Maybe shifting further but ’the silver tongued devil’ by Kris Kristofferson is a beautiful song with a beautiful message in my opinion
Re:Deals with the Devil Aren't What They Used to Be
by bbreier on Thursday August 15, 2024 @04:11PM
(#41259873)
funny enough, "To Beat the Devil" of his is my pick for the best riff on the trope of country songs about musicians taking on the devil
Re:Deals with the Devil Aren't What They Used to Be
by buildsjets on Thursday August 15, 2024 @04:04PM
(#41259820)
Which always seemed to me just a retelling of the Robert Johnson “crossroads” legend.
Re:Deals with the Devil Aren't What They Used to Be
by krapp on Thursday August 15, 2024 @03:52PM
(#41259713)
There is a lesson about hubris, but most people miss it. The Devil's deal is false, he doesn't play "fair and square." Johnny wins the bet but still loses his soul to the sin of pride. It's even in the lyrics: "My name's Johnny and it might be a sin, but I'll take your bet and you're gonna regret 'cause I'm the best that's ever been!"
At least that's how I've always interpreted it.
Re:Deals with the Devil Aren't What They Used to Be
by jkaptur on Thursday August 15, 2024 @03:57PM
(#41259771)
Very interesting interpretation! I see your point.
Re:Deals with the Devil Aren't What They Used to Be
by butlike on Thursday August 15, 2024 @04:23PM
(#41259981)
A modern take I've always enjoyed is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1tcj6bUv98
Most of the deals in the article do not end well for the human, but here there's no lesson about hubris, nor the curse of knowledge, or anything else. No, Johnny's just a better fiddle player, he beats the devil, and he wins a golden fiddle fair and square.
(The article might allude to this story: "Satan is not the real God, because there is only one God; the Devil doesn’t have the best tunes.")