Me and the Devil Blues
Confronting the Devil: A Blues Tale of Temptation and Consequence
Lyrics
Early this morning
Refers to the early hours of the day
When you knocked upon my door
When someone (possibly Satan) came knocking at the singer's door
Early this morning, ooh
Reiteration of the time when the visitor arrived
When you knocked upon my door
Reiteration of the visitor knocking on the singer's door
And I said "hello Satan
The singer acknowledges the visitor as Satan
I believe it's time to go"
The singer recognizes it's time to go with Satan
Me and the Devil
The singer and the Devil are together
Was walkin' side-by-side
They are walking alongside each other
Me and the Devil, ooh
Reiteration of them walking together
Was walking side-by-side
Reiteration of their companionship while walking
I'm going to beat my woman
The singer expresses intent to physically harm his woman until he's satisfied
Until I get satisfied
The satisfaction is linked to beating the woman
She said "you don't see why
His woman questions why he mistreats her
That I will dog her 'round"
The singer acknowledges mistreating his woman
Now baby you know you ain't doin' me right, now
She asserts that she's not treated well by him
She say "you don't see why, hoo
Reiteration of her complaint about mistreatment
That I would dog her 'round"
She attributes his behavior to an evil spirit influencing him
It must-a been that old evil spirit
Suggests that an evil spirit within him causes mistreatment
So deep down in the ground
Implies that the evil spirit is deeply rooted within
You may bury my body
Expresses a desire for his body to be buried by the highway side
Down by the highway side
Reiteration of the desired burial location
Baby, I don't care where you bury my body when I'm dead and gone
Expresses indifference to the burial location after death
You may bury my body, hoo
Reiteration of not caring where the body is buried
Down by the highway side
Reiteration of the desired burial location
So my old evil spirit
Desire for the evil spirit within to leave the body after death
Can get a Greyhound bus and ride
Wishes for the evil spirit to depart using a Greyhound bus metaphorically
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