5 Songs About the Devil — Moon Mausoleum

Some of them uses him more of a muse of exploring the dark sides of humanity. Some use him just for financially gain, like Jack Black himself said when saying: “Satan sells tickets.” Some have gone even further, dabbling in the occult or being straight believing in Satan and worshiping. This is mostly harmless, but then again, churches have definitely burnt down in the name of Satan.

Satan was something of a multi-instrumentalist himself, because as well as playing the fiddle, Ezekiel 28:13 states that he had his own instruments built into his very being. So perhaps not that strange that many musicians find him alluring as a character.

The Deamon Lover

This is a famous Scottish ballad about a man (usually the Devil) returns to his former lover after a very long absence, and finds her with a husband and a baby. He entices her to leave both behind and come with him, luring her with many ships laden with treasure. It can be traced back to the 1700.

Lyrics

Me and the Devil Blues

One of the most famous Made-A-Pact-With-The-Devil stories must be Robert Johnson, that made a deal for some crazy guitar skills. In the crossroad of highway 61 and 49 intersect a legend was born. In 1930 it is alleged he went out to make a Faustian pact with the devil to be the greatest guitar player. In any case, talent he got. When he died he was only 27 and it is said he was poisoned by the devil. The legend goes he heard the howling of the hell hounds, coming for him when the devil claimed him as his own.

Lyrics

Early this mornin’
When you knocked upon my door
Early this mornin’, ooh
When you knocked upon my door
And I said, “Hello, Satan,”
I believe it’s time to go.”

Me and the Devil
Was walkin’ side by side
Me and the Devil, ooh
Was walkin’ side by side
And I’m goin’ to beat my woman
Until I get satisfied

She say you don’t see why
That you will dog me ‘round

Now, babe, you know you ain’t doin’ me right, don’cha

You may bury my body
Down by the highway side

Baby, I don’t care where you bury my body when I’m dead and gone

Sympathy For The Devil

The Rolling’s stones is perhaps not remembered as a satanic rock band, but once upon the time, they kind of were. Mostly Mick Jagger was the one interested in occult books like Taoist Secret Of The Golden Flower. And in 1969 sympathy for the devil came out. There were also claims that the Church Of Satan used the song as an anthem. Hey, it was the late 60s!

Lyrics

Lyrics:
Please allow me to introduce myself
I’m a man of wealth and taste
I’ve been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man’s soul and faith

I stuck around St. Petersberg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the Czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank
Held a general’s rank
When the blitzkrieg raged
And the bodies stank

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
What’s puzzling you is the nature of my game, oh yeah

I watched with glee as your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the Gods they made
I shouted out
“Who killed the Kennedys?”
When after all
It was you and me

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what’s confusin’ you is just the nature of my game

So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I’ll lay your soul to waste, mmm yeah
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, mmm yeah
But what’s puzzling you is the nature of my game

The Devil Went Down to Georgia

Released in 1979, the song was the most successful one for the band Charlie Daniels Band. It is a pretty upbeat song, but with a more sinister lyric. Inspired by a poem the song deals with the deal with the devil motif. The song begins as a disappointed Devil arrives in Georgia, apparently “way behind” on stealing souls, when he comes upon a fiddle-playing young man named Johnny.

Lyrics

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 a 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

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 dealWhen 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 youNow you play a 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 soulThe devil opened up his case
And he said, “I’ll start this show.”
And fire flew from his fingertips
As he rosined up his bowAnd he pulled the bow across the strings
And it made an evil hiss
Then a band of demons joined in
And it sounded something like thisWhen 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 a bread pan pickin’ out dough
Granny, does your dog bite? No, child, noThe devil bowed his head
Because he knew that he’d been beat
And he laid that golden fiddle
On the ground at Johnny’s feetJohnny 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 Rising Sun
The chicken in a bread pan pickin’ out dough
Granny, will your dog bite? No child, no

Houses Of The Holy

Songs like this made people talk aboud Led Zeppelin being a Satanic Band. Jimmy Page himself was extremly occupied of exploring the occult, attending séances, collected occult artefacts. He also bought a house in Loch Ness. Page once said that mixing in Satanic influences was like an “alchemical process”.

Lyrics

From the houses of the holy, we can watch the white doves go
From the door comes satan’s daughter, and it only goes to show, you know

There’s an angel on my shoulder, in my hand a sword of gold
Let me wander in your garden and the seeds of love I’ll sow you know

So the world is spinning faster are you dizzy when you’re stoned
Let the music be your master will you heed the master’s call
Oh Satan and man

Said there ain’t no use in crying ’cause it will only, only drive you mad
Does it hurt to hear them lying?
Was this the only world you had? oh oh

Originally published at https://moonmausoleum.com on October 12, 2020.