Dead & Company is an American rock band consisting of former Grateful Dead … Read Full Bio ↴Dead & Company is an American rock band consisting of former Grateful Dead members Bob Weir (guitar and vocals), Mickey Hart (drums), and Bill Kreutzmann (drums), along with John Mayer (guitar and vocals), Oteil Burbridge (bass, percussion, and vocals), and Jeff Chimenti (keyboards).

Mayer recounts that in 2011 he was listening to Pandora and happened upon the song "Althea" by the Grateful Dead, and that soon Grateful Dead music was all he would listen to. In February 2015, while Mayer was guest hosting The Late Late Show, he invited Grateful Dead guitar player Bob Weir to join him in a studio performance. A bond developed between the two, and while Weir and the other three surviving core members of the Grateful Dead were preparing for their 50th anniversary shows, dubbed Fare Thee Well, Mayer began practicing the band's large catalog of songs. That August, Mayer and original Grateful Dead members Weir, Hart, and Kreutzmann formed the band, along with keyboardist Jeff Chimenti and bassist Oteil Burbridge. Mayer expressed a particularly strong enthusiasm toward playing with the new band.

Phil Lesh, the bassist for the Grateful Dead, did not join Dead & Company. Instead he continued to perform with his band Phil Lesh and Friends. Mike Gordon of Phish briefly auditioned for the bassist role but had to withdraw due to being too busy with other matters.

The band has not released any studio recordings, but all of the concerts from their 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 and 2022 tours have been (or are being) released on CD, iTunes, streaming services, and through their Livedead.co website.

https://deadandcompany.com/

Friend of the Devil
Dead & Company Lyrics

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I lit up from Reno
I was trailed by twenty hounds
Didn't get to sleep that night
Till the morning came around

Set out running but I'll take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight

Just might get some sleep tonight

Ran into the devil, babe
He loaned me twenty bills
I spent the night in Utah
In a cave up in the hills

Set out running but I take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
Just might get some sleep tonight

I ran down to the levee
But the devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill
And it vanished in the air

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
Just might get some sleep tonight

Got two reasons why I cry
Away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie
And she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
The sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me

Set out running but I take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
Just might get some sleep tonight

Got two reasons why I cry
Away each lonely night
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie
And she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
The sheriff's on my trail
And if he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
The first one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me

I set out running but I took my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine

If I get home before daylight
Just might get some sleep tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Friend of the Devil" by Dead & Company tell a story of a man who appears to be on the run and entangled in a complex web of relationships and trouble. The song begins with the singer leaving Reno and being pursued by hounds, indicating a sense of being chased or on the move. The imagery of not being able to sleep until morning suggests a restless and possibly anxious state of mind.

As the song progresses, the man encounters the devil who lends him money and finds himself spending the night in Utah in a cave. This encounter with the devil and the references to running and taking his time suggest a life lived on the edge, making deals with unsavory characters, and always being on the move to evade his troubles.

The mention of running to the levee and losing money to the devil further reinforces the theme of a man grappling with his demons and the consequences of his actions. The repeated lines about being a friend of the devil, needing to get home before daylight to sleep, and the troubles he faces with women and the law paint a picture of a man in constant turmoil.

The conflicting emotions of love, regret, and the looming threat of the law add layers to the singer's character. The references to Anne Marie, his heart's delight, and the dilemma of having multiple wives with conflicting claims about parenthood showcase the complexities of his relationships and the consequences of his actions. The cyclical nature of the lyrics, with repeated verses and refrains, reflects the ongoing struggles and patterns in the man's life as he navigates a turbulent existence. Overall, "Friend of the Devil" is a narrative of a man caught in a cycle of trouble, love, and uncertainty as he grapples with his choices and the challenges that come his way.

Line by Line Meaning

I lit up from Reno
I left Reno quickly

I was trailed by twenty hounds
I was being followed by many people

Didn't get to sleep that night
I didn't sleep that night

Till the morning came around
Until the next morning

A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
I am friendly with those who are up to no good

If I get home before daylight
I might make it home early

Just might get some sleep tonight
Possibly I'll be able to rest tonight

Got two reasons why I cry
I have two main causes of my sadness

Away each lonely night
Every night spent alone

The first one's named sweet Anne Marie
One is named sweet Anne Marie

And she's my heart's delight
She brings joy to my heart