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The Devil went down to Georgia 00:15
He was lookin' for a soul to steal 00:16
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind 00:18
And he was willin' to make a deal 00:20
When he came across this young man 00:22
Sawin' on a fiddle and playin' it hot 00:23
And the Devil jumped upon a hickory stump 00:25
And said, "Boy, let me tell you what" 00:27
"I guess you didn't know it, but I'm a fiddle player, too 00:29
And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you 00:33
Now you play pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the Devil his due 00:36
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul 00:39
'Cause I think I'm better than you" 00:41
The boy said, "My name's Johnny, and it might be a sin 00:43
But I'll take your bet, you're gonna regret 00:46
'Cause I am the best that's ever has been 00:48
Johnny, rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard 00:50
'Cause Hell's broke loose in Georgia and the Devil deals the cards 00:53
And if you win, you get this shiny fiddle made of gold 00:57
But if you lose, the devil gets your soul 01:01
01:06
The Devil opened up his case and he said, "I'll start this show" 01:12
And fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow 01:15
And he pulled the bow across the strings and it made a evil hiss 01:19
And a band of demons joined in, and it sounded somethin' like this 01:22
01:28
When the Devil finished 02:02
Johnny said, "Well, you're pretty good ol' son 02:03
But sit down in that chair right there 02:06
And let me show you how it's done" 02:07
"Fire on the Mountain", run, boys, run 02:09
The Devil's in the house of the risin' sun 02:13
Chicken in the bread pan pickin' out dough 02:16
Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, no 02:20
02:24
The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat 02:43
And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet 02:47
Johnny said, "Devil, just come on back if you ever wanna try again 02:50
I done told you once, you son of a bitch 02:53
I'm the best that's ever been" he played 02:55
"Fire on the Mountain", run, boys, run 02:57
The Devil's in the house of the risin' sun 03:01
The chicken in the bread pan pickin' out dough 03:05
Granny, will your dog bite? No, child, no 03:08
03:10

The Devil Went Down to Georgia – English Lyrics

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By
The Charlie Daniels Band
Album
A Decade Of Hits
Viewed
76,605,697
Language
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Lyrics & Translation

Explore the vibrant sounds and storytelling of American roots music with "The Devil Went Down to Georgia." This song offers a glimpse into Appalachian folklore and the cultural significance of music, all while delivering a high-energy narrative that makes learning English an engaging experience.

[English]
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 upon 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 am the best that's ever has 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
And a band of demons joined in, and it sounded somethin' 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 risin' 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
The Devil's in the house of the risin' sun
The chicken in the bread pan pickin' out dough
Granny, will your dog bite? No, child, no
...

Key Vocabulary

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Vocabulary Meanings

devil

/ˈdev.əl/

A2
  • noun
  • - the main spirit of evil in some religions

soul

/soʊl/

B1
  • noun
  • - the spiritual or immaterial part of a human being or animal, regarded as immortal.

steal

/stiːl/

A2
  • verb
  • - take (another person's property) without permission or legal right and without intending to return it.

bind

/baɪnd/

B2
  • noun
  • - a difficult situation

deal

/diːl/

A2
  • noun
  • - an agreement entered into willingly by two parties
  • verb
  • - to distribute cards to players in a game

fiddle

/ˈfɪd.əl/

B1
  • noun
  • - a violin, especially when used to play folk music
  • verb
  • - to play the violin

stump

/stʌmp/

B2
  • noun
  • - the part of a tree that is left in the ground after the tree has been cut down

dare

/der/

B2
  • noun
  • - a challenge to do something dangerous or foolhardy
  • verb
  • - challenge (someone) to do something

bet

/bet/

A2
  • noun
  • - an act of gambling; a wager
  • verb
  • - risk something, usually money, against someone else's on the basis of the outcome of an unpredictable event.

gold

/ɡoʊld/

A1
  • noun
  • - a yellow precious metal
  • adjective
  • - made of or relating to gold

sin

/sɪn/

B2
  • noun
  • - an immoral act considered a transgression against divine law.

regret

/rɪˈɡret/

B1
  • verb
  • - feel sad, repentant, or disappointed over (something that one has done or failed to do).
  • noun
  • - a feeling of sadness, repentance, or disappointment over something that has happened or been done.

bow

/boʊ/

B1
  • noun
  • - a weapon for shooting arrows, or the implement used to play certain stringed instruments
  • verb
  • - bend the head or upper part of the body as a sign of respect or greeting.

shiny

/ˈʃaɪ.ni/

A2
  • adjective
  • - reflecting light

fire

/ˈfaɪər/

A1
  • noun
  • - a state, process, or instance of combustion in which fuel or other material is ignited and combined with oxygen, giving off light, heat, and flame

bite

/baɪt/

A2
  • verb
  • - use the teeth to cut into or tear something

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Key Grammar Structures

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