Berlin, who was Jewish, was one of the few Tin Pan Alley/Broadway songwriters who wrote both lyrics and music for his songs. Although he never learned to read music beyond a rudimentary level, he composed over 3,000 songs. Many of his songs, including "God Bless America", "White Christmas", "Alexander's Ragtime Band", and "There's No Business Like Show Business," left an indelible mark on American music and culture. He produced 17 film scores and 21 Broadway scores, in addition to his individual songs.
Pack Up Your Sins And Go To The Devil
Irving Berlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Twas from a man I used to know
About a year or so ago, before he departed
He is just as happy as can be
I'll tell you what he said to me
He said, "If ever you get heavy-hearted
Pack up your sins and go to the devil in Hades
They'd rather be down below than up above
Hades is full of thousands of Joneses and Browns
O'Hoolihans, Cohens, and Bradys
You'll hear a heavenly tune that went to the devil
Because the jazz bands they started pickin' it
Then put a trick in it, a jazzy kick in it
They've got a couple of old reformers in heaven
Making them go to bed at eleven
Pack up your sins and go to the Devil
And you'll never have to go to bed at all
If you care to dwell where the weather is hot
H-E-double-L is a wonderful spot
If you need a rest and you're all out of sorts
Hades is the best of the winter resorts
Paradise doesn't compare: all the nice people are there
They come there from everywhere
Just to revel with Mister Devil
Nothing on his mind but a couple of horns
Satan is waitin' with his jazz band
And his band came from Alabam' with a melody hot
No one gives a damn if it's music or not
Satan's melody makes you want to dance forever
And you never have to go to bed at all
The lyrics to Irving Berlin's song "Pack Up Your Sins And Go To The Devil" is a humorous take on the idea of going to hell instead of heaven. The singer of the song receives a message from a departed acquaintance who is in hell and claims to be happier there than he ever was in life. The lyrics poke fun at the concept of sin and hell, suggesting that going to Hades might be an enjoyable and carefree experience.
Berlin creates a vivid picture of Hades as a lively and vibrant place where the "finest of gentlemen and the finest of ladies" go to have a good time. The jazz music and "jazzy kick" that is put into heavenly tunes, and the devil himself leading an exciting jazz band from Alabama, is portrayed as more appealing than the traditional "couple of old reformers" in heaven who make people go to bed at eleven.
Berlin's satirical lyrics is an interesting take on the idea of heaven and hell, suggesting that hell might not be such a bad place after all. It also touches on the idea that the rules and restrictions one might find in heaven can be less appealing than the freedoms that are available in hell.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, I got a message from below
I received a message or a sign from Hell
'Twas from a man I used to know
The message was from a man I knew who had passed away
About a year or so ago, before he departed
The message was sent about a year after the man's death
He is just as happy as can be
The man is very happy in Hell
He said, 'If ever you get heavy-hearted
The man's advice is to go to Hell if you feel tired or downhearted
Pack up your sins and go to the devil in Hades
The man suggests that you bring all your flaws and faults and go to Hell
You'll meet the finest of gentlemen and the finest of ladies
Hell is populated with sophisticated and elegant people
They'd rather be down below than up above
People in Hell prefer it to Heaven
Hades is full of thousands of Joneses and Browns
People from all backgrounds and ethnicities are in Hell
O'Hoolihans, Cohens, and Bradys
Irish, Jewish, and Italian names mentioned to illustrate the diversity of people in Hell
You'll hear a heavenly tune that went to the devil
Even heavenly music sounds devilish in Hell
Because the jazz bands they started pickin' it
Jazz music originated in Hell and continues to be played there
Then put a trick in it, a jazzy kick in it
Musicians in Hell add their own twists and improvisations to jazz music
They've got a couple of old reformers in heaven
Heaven is boring because there are strict rules to follow
Making them go to bed at eleven
Even the bedtime is regulated in Heaven
Pack up your sins and go to the Devil
To avoid being held back by rules and regulations, go to Hell
And you'll never have to go to bed at all
In Hell, there are no rules, so you don't have to sleep at all
If you care to dwell where the weather is hot
If you like it hot, go to Hell
H-E-double-L is a wonderful spot
Contrary to popular belief, Hell is a great place to be
If you need a rest and you're all out of sorts
If you're feeling tired and overwhelmed, Hell is a good place to take a break
Hades is the best of the winter resorts
Hell is a resort for people who need a break from their lives
Paradise doesn't compare: all the nice people are there
Heaven is not as great as Hell because all the friendly people are in Hell
They come there from everywhere
People from all over the world come to Hell to have fun
Just to revel with Mister Devil
People in Hell like to party with the Devil
Nothing on his mind but a couple of horns
The Devil is just having fun and isn't worried about anything
Satan is waitin' with his jazz band
Satan, the leader of jazz music, is eagerly waiting for people to come and enjoy the music
And his band came from Alabam' with a melody hot
The band is great and their music is hot and exciting
No one gives a damn if it's music or not
In Hell, people don't care if the music is good or bad, they just want to enjoy it
Satan's melody makes you want to dance forever
The music in Hell is so good that people can't stop dancing
And you never have to go to bed at all
In Hell there are no rules, so you don't have to sleep
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: IRVING BERLIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Iñaki del Barrio
We've all come here following the Leader.
James Bushnell
i can’t believe i have to keep saying this but there are those who follow and there are those who lead
No name
The apotheosis of Samuel Sterns.
V O
Hell yeah,inmortal Hulk 😳👌
ThunderPaladin
Here from Immortal Hulk. Shame on every other version of this song that doesn't include the lyrics.
Nelop Prime
The original Montero.
Kevin Rivera
I’m guessing we’re all here from Immortal Hulk, huh?
Cameron Webb
Immortal Hulk
TheDUDERulez1
Yup! I love it when comics introduce me to old songs I never heard before! An issue of Ghost Rider got me to listen to "Tombstone Every Mile" because a demon trucker had it on 8-track!😆
Michael Patterson
Puny Piano Man!! Smash!!