Russell Allen "Rusty" Wier (May 3, 1944 – October 9, 2009) was an American … Read Full Bio ↴Russell Allen "Rusty" Wier (May 3, 1944 – October 9, 2009) was an American singer-songwriter from Austin, Texas.

Wier's career dates back to the mid 1960s and covers multiple music genres. He started as the drummer and vocalist of Austin, TX garage rockers The Wig. After the group split, he went on to become very successful as a country artist. He is most famous for his composition Don't It Make You Wanna Dance which was a minor pop hit for him, but has been covered by, among others, Jerry Jeff Walker, Chris LeDoux, John Hiatt, and Barbara Mandrell. Bonnie Raitt's version of the song was a country hit when it was included on the Urban Cowboy soundtrack. Wier was inducted into the Austin Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2002.

The Devil Lives In Dallas
Rusty Wier Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I should have never drove to town
On that drizzlin' Dallas night
With a half-pint of Turkey on my left hip pocket
And my paycheck in my right

I drove right into a honky tonk
One stepped to my side
Then I saw her man glaring over at me

I laid my money right down on the line

When I woke up I was laying in the alley
It was getting right close to dawn
Feeling like a turkey
My truck, my honey, and all my money was gone
Then I saw him drive around the corner
There was nothing that I could say
He thumbed a look over his left shoulder
He shrugged then he drove away

[ guitar ]

The devil lives in Dallas
He drinks from a silver chalice
He drives an El Dorado being black
Ooh he's got a smile that'll chill you
Line a women that'll thill ya
The devil lives in Dallas that's a fact
Girl I know

[ guitar - keys - violin ]

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Rusty Wier's song "The Devil Lives In Dallas" tell a story of regret and caution, as the singer laments his decision to drive to town on a rainy night with his cash and a bottle of booze in tow. He ends up in a honky tonk where he catches the attention of another man's woman, igniting a dangerous situation. The singer lays his money on the line, perhaps in an attempt to buy his way out of trouble, but the next thing he knows he's lying in an alley, robbed of his truck, money, and woman. As if that weren't enough, the man who stole from him returns and offers a shrug before driving away, leaving the singer feeling powerless and defeated.

But the story doesn't end there, as the singer declares that the devil lives in Dallas, a city painted as a den of iniquity and temptation. The devil in this context is a charming, sinister figure who drinks from a silver chalice and drives a black Cadillac El Dorado. His smile is unsettling and his ability to lure women is unmatched. The implication is that the theft the singer endured was not mere happenstance, but rather the work of the devil himself.

Throughout the song, there's a sense of danger lurking beneath the surface, as well as a warning to the listener to be wary of the temptations of Dallas. It's a cautionary tale with a supernatural twist, highlighting the dark side of human nature and the allure of vice.

Line by Line Meaning

I should have never drove to town
I regret driving to town

On that drizzlin' Dallas night
On a rainy night in Dallas

With a half-pint of Turkey on my left hip pocket
Carrying a half bottle of Turkey whiskey in my pocket

And my paycheck in my right
Carrying my paycheck in my other pocket

I drove right into a honky tonk
I drove into a bar

One stepped to my side
Someone approached me

Then I saw her man glaring over at me
I noticed a man looking at me angrily

I laid my money right down on the line
I bet my money against his

When I woke up I was laying in the alley
I woke up in an alley

It was getting right close to dawn
It was almost morning

Feeling like a turkey
Feeling foolish