The Devil You Know
Todd Snider Lyrics


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Helicopters over the house again
We got the projects two or three blocks from here
They pull the kids over for driving while African
And the ones with the warrants always run in fear
So I sit here waiting for the coast to clear
Wishing once again I had a gun around here
Turn on the news and what do I hear
Some kid shot the bank up on gallatin road
Ran away from the cops while he was trying to reload
He beat them up to East land street on feet
Now he's probably reloaded and running down my street
Better turn the alarm on and lock myself in
Helicopters over the house again

Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below
Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know

Poor kid probably never had a chance to give a fuck
Wouldn't know good luck from a debutant
He's gotta find a way to be Steve Mcnair or young buck
Or he's just tough luck looking for a prison to haunt
And you can fuck getting any kind of job you want
Unless you really want to work in a fast food restaurant
And who wants to do that? do you want to do that?
I wouldn't trade that for my crooked hat
Or my gang or my gun or my waist full of pagers
For a job deep frying shit, for richer teen agers
If that's where it's at and no one's gonna help
How you gonna blame a man for helping himself
There's a war going on that the poor can't win
Helicopters over the house again

Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below
Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know

Black and white cops shining lights in the bushes
Can't see how this kid is gonna get very far
Unless he finds a way to make it back over to Barry street
And he can't do that unless he steals a car
Man the way things are they just don't seem right
All the white people talking 'bout the hope and the light
There ain't no hope in sam levy just guns and drugs
We ain't building bridges we're just training thugs
Then I hear a terrifying kick at my back door
And in comes this kid I say hey I've seen this kid before
I see him all the time at that bar on woodland street
Now he's bleeding in my kitchen tracking mud off his feet
And he's looking at me like I'll either help him or die
Until he sees in my eyes that I'm on his side
I hand him my keys I say you better move fast
There's a J in the ashtray and plenty of gas
He throws me the cash and says I'll be back for this
I say yeah well don't be surprised if there's a little bit of it missing
His gold teeth glistened with a big old grin
He said we'll talk about that when I see you again
He shook my hand I shook his back
I felt like I was about to have a heart attack
Until he finally drove away I thought "goddamn"
Helicopters over the house again

Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below




Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know

Overall Meaning

In Todd Snider's song "The Devil You Know," he gives a commentary on the cycle of poverty and crime in low-income neighborhoods. The helicopters in the first line are representative of police surveillance, and Snider suggests that this type of surveillance is a regular occurrence in this neighborhood because it is so heavily policed. The next few lines describe racial profiling, where African-American drivers are pulled over unjustly, and those with outstanding warrants are in even more trouble. In an ironic twist, the man sitting on his porch wishing he had a gun (presumably to protect himself from criminals) hears on the news that a kid has just shot up a bank a few streets away. The kid is now running down Snider's street, and he is scared that the criminal will come to his home.


The character in the song then begins to muse on the difficulties of breaking out of the cycle of poverty that creates criminals in the first place. The poor kid who shot up the bank will have a hard time getting a job that pays well, and so he sees a life of crime as his only option. Snider also points out the systemic issues that entrap poor communities, such as poor educational opportunities and a lack of access to decent-paying jobs. The song ends with the poor kid breaking into Snider's home, bleeding and injured, and Snider handing him his car keys to escape. This act of humanity is an example of how we can help those around us break free from the cycle of poverty and crime.


Line by Line Meaning

Helicopters over the house again
The presence of police surveillance, particularly helicopters, is routine in this neighborhood.


We got the projects two or three blocks from here
The public housing projects are in close proximity and contribute to the high crime rate in the area.


They pull the kids over for driving while African
Police specifically target and racially profile black drivers, stopping them without legitimate cause.


And the ones with the warrants always run in fear
Individuals with outstanding warrants are afraid of being arrested and avoid contact with law enforcement.


So I sit here waiting for the coast to clear
The artist is waiting for the heightened police presence to subside before leaving his house.


Wishing once again I had a gun around here
The singer feels unsafe and wishes he had a firearm to protect himself.


Turn on the news and what do I hear
The singer is referencing the constant coverage of crime in the area on the news.


Some kid shot the bank up on gallatin road
Recent news coverage details a shooting that occurred at a local bank on Gallatin Road.


Ran away from the cops while he was trying to reload
The suspect fled from the police while attempting to reload their firearm.


He beat them up to East land street on feet
The suspect outran the police and was seen heading towards East Land Street.


Now he's probably reloaded and running down my street
The singer is concerned that the suspect may now be in their immediate vicinity and is armed.


Better turn the alarm on and lock myself in
The artist takes precautions to protect themselves should the suspect attempt to break into their home.


Sometimes you rise above it
Despite the hardships faced in the community, individuals can choose to rise above the negativity and persevere.


Sometimes you sneak below
Other times, individuals must compromise their values or act in ways they are not proud of to survive.


Somewhere in between believing in heaven
The singer is exploring the complex range of emotions individuals can experience while living in such an environment.


And facing the devil you know
Despite the negative aspects of the community, residents have become accustomed to them and must face the reality they know.


Poor kid probably never had a chance to give a fuck
The artist empathizes with the young suspect and recognizes the systemic obstacles faced by those in poverty.


Wouldn't know good luck from a debutant
Due to his upbringing and lack of opportunity, the suspect is unfamiliar with common expressions of good fortune.


He's gotta find a way to be Steve Mcnair or young buck
The singer suggests that the suspect feels pressure to emulate successful black men in order to succeed.


Or he's just tough luck looking for a prison to haunt
The artist acknowledges that the suspect may feel as though he has no other options but a life of crime and imprisonment.


And you can fuck getting any kind of job you want
The job market is scarce and competitive, particularly for those living in the impoverished community.


Unless you really want to work in a fast food restaurant
The only viable job opportunity available for many residents is low-paying, and often unsatisfactory, fast food work.


And who wants to do that? do you want to do that?
The singer is questioning the worth of such a job, suggesting that it is unappealing to most people.


I wouldn't trade that for my crooked hat
The artist values his own personal style and would not sacrifice it for a job he deems unsatisfactory.


Or my gang or my gun or my waist full of pagers
The singer is highlighting that the young men in this community often resort to criminal activity for financial gain or status.


For a job deep frying shit, for richer teen agers
The singer perceives the option of fast food work as being limited and unworthy of going after.


If that's where it's at and no one's gonna help
The singer emphasizes that the situation in the community is dire and individuals are left to fend for themselves.


How you gonna blame a man for helping himself
The artist challenges criticisms of those who turn to crime, as individuals are just trying to survive.


There's a war going on that the poor can't win
The artist recognizes that those in poverty are often set up to fail and face significant obstacles in trying to succeed.


Black and white cops shining lights in the bushes
The police presence is overwhelming and invasive, monitoring every aspect of the community.


Can't see how this kid is gonna get very far
The singer recognizes that the young suspect faces significant difficulties while evading the police.


Unless he finds a way to make it back over to Barry street
The artist suggests that the suspect may be able to elude the police if they can make it back to their own neighborhood.


And he can't do that unless he steals a car
The artist recognizes that the suspect may resort to criminal activity in order to escape the police and survive.


Man the way things are they just don't seem right
The artist is frustrated with the pervasive violence and poverty in the community.


All the white people talking 'bout the hope and the light
The singer perceives the conversations of outside, affluent individuals as being naive and out of touch with the reality of the community.


There ain't no hope in sam levy just guns and drugs
The artist is critical of the lack of options and opportunities available in the community.


We ain't building bridges we're just training thugs
The singer is highlighting the systemic failures of government and society in providing sufficient resources to those in poverty.


Then I hear a terrifying kick at my back door
The singer experiences a frightening moment of danger when someone attempts to break into his home.


And in comes this kid I say hey I've seen this kid before
The young suspect enters the singer's home and the singer recognizes him from the community.


I see him all the time at that bar on woodland street
The artist has seen the suspect around the community and is familiar with his story.


Now he's bleeding in my kitchen tracking mud off his feet
The suspect is injured and tracks dirt into the artist's home, emphasizing the consequences of life in the community.


And he's looking at me like I'll either help him or die
The suspect experiences desperation, perhaps assuming that the singer will call the police and put him in danger.


Until he sees in my eyes that I'm on his side
The singer assures the suspect that he's not the enemy and they share an understanding in their mutual difficult circumstances.


I hand him my keys I say you better move fast
The artist decides to help the suspect by lending him his car keys and urging him to leave the area.


There's a J in the ashtray and plenty of gas
The artist offers the suspect an escape, telling him there's weed in the car and enough gas for him to get away.


He throws me the cash and says I'll be back for this
The suspect gives the artist money as collateral, promising to return it at a later time.


I say yeah well don't be surprised if there's a little bit of it missing
The singer humorously implies that he may keep some of the money, but still intends to help the suspect.


His gold teeth glistened with a big old grin
The suspect, relieved to have found a way out, smiles broadly, revealing his gold teeth.


He said we'll talk about that when I see you again
The suspect appreciates the singer's help and leaves on positive terms, intending to repay him at a later date.


He shook my hand I shook his back
The singer and the suspect part ways with mutual respect and understanding.


I felt like I was about to have a heart attack
The singer has experienced a nerve-wracking, stressful event, but ultimately feels relieved that the suspect is safe.


Until he finally drove away I thought "goddamn"
The artist reflects on the dangerous environment he lives in, feeling overwhelmed by the life he's fallen into.


Helicopters over the house again
The constant police presence is a reminder of the dangerous, violent community the artist resides in.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: Todd Daniel Snider

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Caesar Ochoa

Helicopters over the house again
We got the projects two or three blocks from here
They pull the kids over for driving while African
And the ones with the warrants always run in fear
So I sit here waiting for the coast to clear
Wishing once again I had a gun around here
Turn on the news and what do I hear
Some kid shot the bank up on gallatin road
Ran away from the cops while he was trying to reload
He beat them up to East land street on feet
Now he's probably reloaded and running down my street
Better turn the alarm on and lock myself in
Helicopters over the house again

Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below
Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know

Poor kid probably never had a chance to give a fuck
Wouldn't know good luck from a debutant
He's gotta find a way to be Steve Mcnair or young buck
Or he's just tough luck looking for a prison to haunt
And you can fuck getting any kind of job you want
Unless you really want to work in a fast food restaurant
And who wants to do that? do you want to do that?
I wouldn't trade that for my crooked hat
Or my gang or my gun or my waist full of pagers
For a job deep frying shit, for richer teen agers
If that's where it's at and no one's gonna help
How you gonna blame a man for helping himself
There's a war going on that the poor can't win
Helicopters over the house again

Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below
Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know

Black and white cops shining lights in the bushes
Can't see how this kid is gonna get very far
Unless he finds a way to make it back over to Barry street
And he can't do that unless he steals a car
Man the way things are they just don't seem right
All the white people talking 'bout the hope and the light
There ain't no hope in sam levy just guns and drugs
We ain't building bridges we're just training thugs
Then I hear a terrifying kick at my back door
And in comes this kid I say hey I've seen this kid before
I see him all the time at that bar on woodland street
Now he's bleeding in my kitchen tracking mud off his feet
And he's looking at me like I'll either help him or die
Until he sees in my eyes that I'm on his side
I hand him my keys I say you better move fast
There's a J in the ashtray and plenty of gas
He throws me the cash and says I'll be back for this
I say yeah well don't be surprised if there's a little bit of it missing
His gold teeth glistened with a big old grin
He said we'll talk about that when I see you again
He shook my hand I shook his back
I felt like I was about to have a heart attack
Until he finally drove away I thought "goddamn"
Helicopters over the house again

Sometimes you rise above it
Sometimes you sneak below
Somewhere in between believing in heaven
And facing the devil you know

Source: LyricFind



All comments from YouTube:

lacrymal1

He has to be the most down-to-earth person in the music industry. I love that he tells stories in his songs, about crazy shit he's experienced, and that he still surrounds himself with "lower" class people. Middle and upper class people don't experience life quite the same as poor people. Not having money makes people creative and risk-taking, which means you do crazy shit sometimes. Shit that makes people laugh.

Vaughn Blaylock

I was poor before I had money. Being poor made me creative and risk-taking, which meant that I did crazy shit sometimes. That's how I made money. I'm still creative. I'm still crazy and creative. It didn't go away.

LULE JAN

Coulden´t say better then you did, lacrymal1

secret perdue

I've been a Todd Snider fan for 10ish years. Since I was 11 or so. I've seen him every year without fail, and I know every song by heart. Love you Todd!

Scott Mi

This guy is awesome.  I saw him open up for Jimmy Buffet at least 20 years ago.

TARAS KOVALIV

This guy is AWESOME!!

dharmasuu

Love that line - "Somewhere between believin' in heaven...and facin' the devil you know!"

Mike Raines

Love it man, the message in the music is on point. If it don't make you want to turn it up, turn it off.
Keep doing what you do todd, I'll listen and turn it up as loud as I can. 🤠✌🎼🎶

Larry Raboy

Energy, timing and truth, this guys got it!

Traci Hill

When my mood is low I somehow find my way here to Todd .I can rise above again.

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