The band made its recording debut in 2001 with Blackwater, following up in 2004 with Lochloosa (both released under the name Mofro; both albums reissued by Alligator). In 2007 the band, with it's current name, released Country Ghetto, followed by the 2008 album Orange Blossoms. With the release of 2010’s Georgia Warhorse, the band stepped further into the mainstream view with the AAA radio breakout single The Sweetest Thing. In 2011 the full fury of the band’s live show was captured on the live CD/DVD Brighter Days.
April 2013 brings the release of the band's sixth studio album, This River. Named for the St. John’s River, a centering point for Grey's childhood near Jacksonville, Florida, b]This River flows from freewheeling celebrations (Florabama) to dark inner journeys (Somebody Else), from late night, beer-soaked testimonials (Your Lady, She’s Shady) to heartfelt ballads of the almost-forgotten (The Ballad Of Larry Webb), and ends with the title track and a singularly devastating vocal performance. With Dan Prothero at the helm as producer, JJ and the band once again returned to Retrophonics Studio in nearby St. Augustine, Florida and muscled out some of JJ’s strongest material to date.
The band has played countless festivals, including Lollapalooza, Bonnaroo, Wakarusa, Austin City Limits Festival, Byron Bay Blues Festival (Australia), Montreal Jazz Festival and Fuji Rock (Japan). Over the course of his career, Grey has shared stages with the likes of Lenny Kravitz, B.B. King, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, Los Lobos, Jeff Beck, Ben Harper, Booker T. Jones, Mavis Staples and many others. In 2011 the band extensively toured the UK. That same year, back in the U.S.A., Grey embarked on his first-ever solo tour, playing packed-to-capacity clubs. The band returned to Europe in 2012, playing multiple dates in the UK, Germany and The Netherlands.
JJ’s songs have appeared in film and network television including House, Flashpoint, Crash, Friday Night Lights, The Glades, The Deadliest Catch and the film The Hoot. In November 2009, JJ wrote his first film score for the critically-acclaimed, Emmy Award-winning documentary The Good Soldier, that appeared in theatres and on Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. In 2010, JJ played piano, sang and contributed a song (The Wrong Side) to Buckwheat Zydeco’s Grammy-winning Alligator Records album Lay Your Burden Down. JJ also appears on Shemekia Copeland’s Grammy-nominated 2012 CD 33 1/3.
The Devil You Know
JJ Grey & Mofro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hide and seek with yourself it ain't a game you can win
If ya gonna be dumb boy you got to be tough
If we changed up places you'd roll like a dime
Yeah you hurt yeah you hurt yeah you know it ain't right
I ain't going I ain't going to front you this time… because you…
You turned on me for the devil you know
Well you can't get free without some blood sweat and tears
That voice in your head has got you all balled up in fear
Time to, to pack your bags and tell yourself goodbye
Habit got you changed mind body and soul
And you'll never feel free until you learn to let go of that
That bag full of bricks you been dragging around
You turned on me for the devil you know
You turned on me for the devil you know
The song "The Devil You Know" by JJ Grey & Mofro is about not being able to change who you are and the consequences that come with it. The lyrics suggest that the choices we make in life can lead us down a path of self-destruction, and sometimes we end up hurting those we care about the most. The opening lines "Don't try to change the subject again, hide and seek with yourself it ain't a game you can win" is a reflection of the tendency we have to avoid confronting our own flaws and weaknesses, and how this can lead to negative consequences.
The chorus "You turned on me for the devil you know" is a reference to the idea that sometimes we choose to stick with what we know, even if it is not good for us. The song suggests that we need to be brave enough to let go of our self-destructive tendencies and embrace change in order to break free from the cycle of pain and hurt we cause ourselves and those around us. The lyrics "Well you can't get free without some blood sweat and tears, that voice in your head has got you all balled up in fear, time to pack your bags and tell yourself goodbye" suggests that change requires hard work and determination, but is ultimately necessary for personal growth and happiness.
Overall, "The Devil You Know" is a powerful song that encourages listeners to take ownership of their actions and to be brave enough to choose the path of positive change, even when it is difficult.
Line by Line Meaning
Well don't try to change the subject again
Stop avoiding the real issue
Hide and seek with yourself it ain't a game you can win
Stop lying to yourself, face your problems head-on
If ya gonna be dumb boy you got to be tough
If you're going to make mistakes, you need to be resilient
If we changed up places you'd roll like a dime
If you were in my shoes, you'd be struggling too
Yeah you hurt yeah you hurt yeah you know it ain't right
You know you've caused pain, and you need to make it right
I ain't going I ain't going to front you this time… because you…
I won't pretend everything's okay this time, because you've crossed a line
You turned on me for the devil you know
You betrayed me for something familiar, even though it wasn't right
You turned on me for the devil you know
You betrayed me for something familiar, even though it wasn't right
Well you can't get free without some blood sweat and tears
Breaking free from bad habits requires hard work and perseverance
That voice in your head has got you all balled up in fear
Your own thoughts are holding you back with fear and anxiety
Time to, to pack your bags and tell yourself goodbye
It's time to leave behind what's been holding you back and move on
Habit got you changed mind body and soul
Your habits have deeply affected every aspect of your life
And you'll never feel free until you learn to let go of that
You can only find true freedom by letting go of what's holding you back
That bag full of bricks you been dragging around
You carry a heavy burden that's weighing you down
You turned on me for the devil you know
You betrayed me for something familiar, even though it wasn't right
You turned on me for the devil you know
You betrayed me for something familiar, even though it wasn't right
Contributed by Joshua H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.