Anyone familiar with the song ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia?’ If you’re not, then you’re clearly not American. Or perhaps you’ve just never visited the South. Either way, this has no meaning for you, so stop reading.
As much as I hate to admit that the Charlie Daniels Band actually created a song worth listening to, I love this particular tune. But never fear, the country stars still managed to mess this song up somehow.
We – the audience, the listeners at home – are presented with two examples of just delightful fiddle playing. It’s revealed that Johnny has won the fiddle-off, he gets the golden fiddle and he keeps his soul. Leaving the rest of us wondering:
Wtf?
Did you even listen to that? I mean, sure Johnny was pretty damn good, a lot better than I could ever do, but the devil TOTALLY kicked ass. His part had depth, a backup chorus, and musical tension. He even gave us a resolution instead of just a lot of really fast repetition. Daniels claims that he meant to make it that way to show that the devil was just all “smoke and mirrors” and that Johnny had the real talent, but here’s the thing: it sounds like he spent an awfully long time dreaming up the devil’s part. It’s complicated, it lures you in, and despite the fact that Daniels CLAIMS it has no melody, there’s a kick-ass bass track underneath it. Charlie Daniels doesn’t understand that audiences want something fresh and new, not just some lame “skill.”
Who the hell judged this competition? The devil’s ex-lover? I mean, that’s the only way it makes sense. If this were a call on Monday night football, the stadium would be booing, coaches would be calling for a review of the play, and cheese curls would be all over the floor of every red-blooded American’s home while they jumped up and down on the couch Tom Cruise-style.
Until recently, I thought that I was the only person on the face of the planet who thought that the devil totally kicked the devil’s ass in this competition. It’s been brought to my attention that this is a fairly common issue with people who have musical taste. Thankfully, Guitar Hero recognizes that the devil’s a total badass by using him as the ultimate final challenge in Guitar Hero III. I bet he puts up one hell of a fight with his smoke and mirrors. And talent.
Perhaps, then, this isn’t what NO ONE wants to know, but rather what the Charlie Daniels Band doesn’t want to know. Oh, and God. He’s not so pleased about it, either.
