Robert Johnson and the Devil - Nigel D'Eon and Manitoba Hal

Robert Johnson. I'd heard the name, but really didn't know anything about him. So I looked him up. There's this neat bit of folklore about him selling his soul to the devil at the crossroads in exchange for the ability to play the guitar. Having found no songs written about this, I took it upon myself to write one. Knowing I couldn't do the song justice, I enlisted my good friend Manitoba Hal to play along. Since the vocals are a little quiet, the lyrics are printed below. Video editing by Gavin McLean.

Lyrics:
Well, Robert Johnson might well have been forgotten
See, he couldn’t even tune a guitar.
He done well in school, and he was nobody’s fool
But he dreamed of being a star.

A friend said, ”Bob, the Devil’ll do that job
At the crossroads at midnight.”
So next to the graveyard out behind the train yard
Robert Johnson made his plight.

Now isn’t it a pity that a boy from Mississippi
Should have to make such an appeal?
But just as Bobby feared, the Devil did appear
He was ready to make a deal.

With a burst of fire he said, “What is your desire?
What is it you want to be?”
He said, “My ambition is to be a blues musician.”
And the Devil said, “Now, listen to me.”

As he tuned up his strings, he said “A couple of things
Before we make this deal a whole
If you join in this fraternity, you’ll pay for all eternity
For in exchange, I keep your soul.”

Sitting on a tombstone, Devil singing baritone,
Teaching him to play the guitar.
And little Bobby’s learning, with desire he’s a-burning
To be the next Delta Blues star.

Underneath the moon, Robert Johnson picks a tune
The Devil said, “My work here is done.”
Disappearing into darkness, left behind a great guitarist
Whose career had only just begun.

Have you heard the news, man? Now he’s a famous bluesman
Making records and selling out shows.
Then came a knock upon the door, the Devil stood upon the floor
And told him, “Now it’s time to go.”

“I’m only twenty-seven, I ain’t ready t’go to Heaven.”
And the Devil grinned an evil smile
“The line, you should be toeing, it’s the other place you’re going
You ain’t leaving for a long, long while.”

Now, just like Faust, in the Devil’s house
He’s trapped being Satan’s muse
Playing for Devil deep down under ground level
Lies the King of the Delta Blues.

Nigel D'Eon 02/09/2017

[warpspeedchic]

I know you haven’t got a massive following but I love all the stuff you post and it makes me so happy to see you’re still going with 10+ years of content <3

[abuzerdag]

Wow great job! Is that the guy who makes blues lessons?