779. Friend of the Devil (The Grateful Dead) - Nick Benzie

This song is the second track of the Grateful Dead's album "American Beauty" (1970). Written by Jerry Garcia and John Dawson, with lyrics by Robert Hunter, it tells of an outlaw, on the run from the police, who is helped by the Devil in his escape, but ends up trying to escape from the Devil as well. It is deliberately left unclear whether he is being chased by the police or the servants of Satan. ("I was trailed by twenty hounds", could refer to either police dogs or hellhounds.)

This song is one of the most frequently covered Grateful Dead songs. Artists who have covered it include Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Counting Crows (2003), Elvis Costello and Lyle Lovett.

Many American Christian groups, from the 1960s to 1990s campaigned against what they saw as Satanic influences in Rock Bands, and frequently used this song as an example, as it seems to sympathise with a man who has made a deal with the Devil.

Lyrics:
I lit out from Reno, I was trailed by twenty hounds.
Didn't get to sleep last night till the morning came around.

Set out runnin' but I take my time.
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine.
If I get home before daylight, I just might get some sleep tonight.

Ran into the devil, babe, he loaned me twenty bills.
I spent the night in Utah in a cave up in the hills.

I ran down to the levee but the devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill and vanished in the air.

Got two reasons why I cry away each lonely night,
The first one's named sweet Anne Marie, and she's my heart's delight.
The second one is prison, babe, the sheriff's on my trail,
And if he catches up with me, I'll spend my life in jail.

Got a wife in Chino, babe, and one in Cherokee.
The first one says she's got my child, but it don't look like me.

This song is sung by Nick Benzie at a session of the Hong Kong Folk Society at The Canny Man in Wanchai.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• folk
• song
• jerry
• garcia
• canny
• man
• hong
• kong
• society
• wanchai

[OfficialArmonist]

Awesome! One of my favorites!

[raymondcrooke]

Nick does it very well. Good to have young people coming to these sessions.

[UncleVRoy]

Cool the Dead in Hong Kong

[raymondcrooke]

Yes, Johnny. They even made it here!

[SirCoughsalot]

Love this song. My favorite Grateful Dead tune.

[raymondcrooke]

Not part of my repertoire, so I'm glad to have Nick's contribution here.

[huntsman374]

makes an old man feel young again!SEMPER FI,huntsman

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks for dropping by, Shawn.

[raymondcrooke]

Thanks, Gari. It's always good to have young people taking part in these sessions.

[raymondcrooke]

I also have the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir, which performs at various venues. That one is pretty much the church of rugby.