The Devil’s Man
1.Well,I used to be a banjo player, I taught myself to play,
I practiced all those licks, rolls and breakdowns,
I wore my fingers to the bone, the wife, the kids, the dog left home,
The neighbours moved out to another town.

2. So I set out to make my name, to get my place in the hall of fame,
On TV and on stage I’d make it real big.
So I went down to my local bar, played “Cripple Creek” and “Old Joe Clark”
Then said “hey, landlord won’t you give me a gig?”

3. Well that landlord took an intake of breath, and he turned to me and shook his head,
And said “Y’know times are hard, I’ve had so many.
Banjo players come in here, most are faster than you in fact it’s clear
You banjo players are really two a penny.

4.So I went away feeling blue, I knew what I had to do,
Down that long and dusty road with my masterplan,
And after I’d gone a mile or so, there he was sitting on a rock and yo!
Straight away I knew that this was indeed the devil’s man.

5. So I said, “can you take me to your master, cos I need to play this banjo faster,
Then the devil can have my soul for eternity.”
Well, he stood up tall, hissed through his teeth
And shook his head in disbelief, and these were the word he said to me:-

Chorus:-
“The devil only takes fiddlers, they’re all he’s taking on,
The law of supply and demand determines what you’re worth.
Right now he’s up to his ears with souls of banjo players,
So you can stay down here and just create hell on earth.”

6. Well, (Em)after such a wasted trip, I (Am)threw that banjo in the (Em)skip,
(Sound of banjo going in skip)
And (Am)walked along with my(F#) head held (B7)low.
Well I (Em)hadn’t gone more than ten minutes or so
When I came across this (Am)window of a (Em)music store
Saw this box like thing with (B7) knobs all in (Em) rows

7.Well,, I went into that store, spoke to the man, said “(Am) hey,let me have a (Em)go at that thang”,
I (Am)squeezed and pulled and(F#) out came this (B7)sound.
So I (Em)practised hard both night and day, and(Am) pretty soon I (Em)learned to play
A thousand tunes that(B7) just went round and (Em)round( and round, and round...)
8. So I set out again to make my name, and (Am)get my place in the (Em)hall of fame,
This (Am)time on TV and on(F#) stage I’d make it real (B7) big.
So (Em)down I went to that local bar, played (Am)Harvest Home and (Em)Speed the Plough,
And said “Landlord won’t you(B7) give me a (Em)gig?”

9. Well that landlord took another intake of breath, and (Am)turned to me and (Em)shook his head,
Said “(Am) I’ve had 64 of you (F#) buggers in (B7)today,”
(Em)Told me to shove it you know where, but(Am) there was already a (Em)banjo there,
So I hung my head and (B7)I was on my(Em) way.

10. So I went away feeling blue, I (Am)knew what I (Em)had to do,
Down that (Am) long and dusty (F#) road with my master (B7)plan,
And (Em)after I’d gone a few miles or so, there he (Am)was sitting on on his rock,
And(Em) yo , I said “this time can you (B7)help me, devil’s (Em)man?”

11. I said “Can you take me to your master, so (Am) I can play this (Em) melodeon faster
And the(Am) devil can have my (F#) soul for eterni(B7)ty.”
Well, he (Em) stood up tall, hissed through his teeth,
And (Am) shook his head in (Em)disbelief, and these were the (B7)words he said to (Em) me:-
Chorus:-
“The (C) devil only takes (G)fiddlers, they’re (D)all he’s taking (Em)on,
The (C)law of supply and demand decides what you’re (B7)worth.
It’s an (C)interesting theological debate we have in (G)hell whether (D)melodeon players have souls to (Em)sell,
But they sure as hell can (B7)create hell on (Em)earth.”

12.Well after such a wasted trip I (Am)threw that melodeon in the (Em) skip,
It (Am)landed on the banjo, (F#)perfect pitch I’d (B7) say,
But (Em) not wanting to be one of those blokes that tells (Am) old recycled (Em) banjo jokes
I hung my head and (B7)I went on my (Em) way

So I went away feeling blue I (Am) knew what I had to do
What I needed was another cunning plan,
Now if you were there in my shoes, tell me now what would you choose ,
Hurdy Gurdy, bagpipes or bohdran?