Devil Got My Woman
SkipJames Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman's man
Aw, nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind
Was nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind
I laid down last night, laid down last night
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest
My mind got to ramblin', like a wild geese
The woman I love, woman that I loved
Woman I loved, took her from my best friend
But he got lucky, stoled her back again
And he got lucky, stoled her back again
The song "Devil Got My Woman" by Skip James is a haunting blues tune that speaks to the desperation of a jilted lover. The lyrics express the singer's desire to be the devil so he could have the woman he loves. He believes that the only thing that changed her mind and caused her to leave him was the devil. This feeling of powerlessness is further emphasized by the repeated lines of the song, suggesting the enduring nature of his torment.
Skip James skillfully paints a picture of a sleepless night, in which the singer's mind wanders restlessly like a wild goose. His thoughts are consumed by the woman he loves, who was taken from him by his best friend, only to be stolen back again. The repeated lines "I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman's man" express the singer's deep longing to have his former lover back, but also highlight the power dynamic at play. He imagines himself as evil and all-powerful, in contrast to his own powerless and vulnerable state.
This song reflects the influence of Delta Blues on the development of modern music. It has also been covered by a number of artists in various genres, including Taj Mahal and the Allman Brothers Band. It is considered one of the classics of the blues genre and is often cited as an example of James' unique style of fingerpicking guitar.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman's man
I'd rather be so wicked that I could be that woman's partner who is not faithful to love but always seeks pleasure and satisfaction.
Aw, nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind
My lover's mind has been corrupted by evil forces, and now she no longer belongs to me.
I laid down last night, laid down last night
Last night, I tried to sleep, but I couldn't.
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest
I tried to rest my troubled mind but couldn't.
My mind got to ramblin', like a wild geese
My thoughts went all over the place, like a flock of wild geese flying free and aimlessly.
From the west, from the west
In a direction opposite to the east, from where the sun rises.
The woman I loved, took her from my best friend
The woman I loved was taken away from me by my closest friend.
But he got lucky, stoled her back again
But my friend was lucky enough to steal her from me once again, even though she was mine first.
Lyrics © WYNWOOD MUSIC CO. INC.
Written by: SKIP JAMES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tombeaudry3143
"Do you have any records like that?"..."There aren't any other records like that!!"
@szabilovag
yiss
@mikeshaffer4912
+Thomas Beaudry Niice! :) I just saw that movie and had to look this up to hear if they used the original Skip James version, and they did in Ghost World.
@factumDiabolus
Bojler van elado? :P
@ironmaz1
yes yes robert crumb!
@williamzamora3196
watching the movie right now
@markmarsh27
This is as genuine as it gets. I've never heard Skip James before. I feel like I've had my head stuck in a hole in the ground. What a treasure he is.
@NFL294
I feel the same as you,there's so much music that never gets radio play.My father had a very large record collection [remember records?].He had Dixie land,swing,big bands,jazz,blues,folk,so I was kinda of lucky to be exposed to these little gems as a young boy
@antonmikofsky2073
play all of his, both copied old 78s and the "rediscovery" live & studio sets from 1960s
@richardbrown5517
Well, it was 1930.