Devil Got My Woman
Skip James Lyrics
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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
Skip James's song "Devil Got My Woman" carves the story of an ill-fated love triangle between the singer, his lover, and his best friend. Two distinct notions are heavily present throughout the song: the devil and the woman. Perhaps, the most intriguing and captivating aspect of the song is its vividness in its portrayal of both characters. The devil is portrayed as a compelling enigma, an insatiable mystery that seems to have mastered the mind of the singer's lover and left him powerless to control her. On the other hand, the woman is portrayed as a manipulative temptress who drove the singer and his friend into a perilous competition to win her heart.
In the opening of the song, the singer conveys his jealousy over the woman he loves and states that he would rather be the devil than be with any other man. He insists that it was "nothin' but the devil" that had caused his woman to choose his friend over him. The next verse paints a picture of the singer trying to sleep but failing as his mind goes wild with thoughts of his lost love. The fourth and final verse relates how the singer's friend stole her back from him. Ultimately, the song is a melancholic rumination on the consequences of infidelity and the irresistible lure of temptation.
Line by Line Meaning
I'd rather be the devil, to be that woman's man
I'd choose to be evil just to be in a relationship with that woman despite the consequences.
Aw, nothin' but the devil, changed my baby's mind
My lover changed her mind due to evil influences.
I laid down last night, laid down last night
I went to bed, went to bed.
I laid down last night, tried to take my rest
I went to bed, intending to sleep peacefully.
My mind got to ramblin', like a wild geese
My thoughts were wandering aimlessly, like migrating geese.
From the west, from the west
In an uncontrolled manner, with no clear direction or purpose.
The woman I love, woman that I loved
The woman I was fond of, the one I loved.
Woman I loved, took her from my best friend
The woman I loved left me for my closest friend.
But he got lucky, stoled her back again
My friend re-seduced her and reclaimed her from me.
And he got lucky, stoled her back again
My friend re-seduced her and reclaimed her from me.
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.