I'm just back after an enjoyable night out(latterly I looked into a session as a listener) when I heard Hans Theesink, the Euro Bluesman. One of his numbers was "Johnny and the Devil" which was all about a blues guitarist who made a "Pact with the Devil".
How many of you there would consider making a "Pact with The Devil" if you were likely to become a brilliant fiddler or whatever in the process? This discussion can be as serious or humorous as you like depending on whether you believe in such nonsense or not. Oops, have I given myself away?
Also, which instruments do you think the Devil would be most sympathetic towards? I don't suppose he'd like the harp that much but he might help with your fiddle, Andee . I'd imagine that piano accordians would be one of his specialities too.
Well, theoretically, if there really *is* a devil, and his purpose and dominion are anything like what the Christian church describes, I'm going to hell anyway. So I might as well get something out of my damnation. I think what I would ask for, though, would be limitless financial resources and a long life, instead of instant technical brilliance. Here's my logic: With all the money I could possibly need at my disposal, I wouldn't be required to work and I could hire people to cook for me and clean up after me. That way I could devote nearly all my waking hours to playing, writing, recording and performing music and achieve technical brilliance in my own sweet time. Instant perfection would make the rest of my life boring. I would miss all those little thrills, like the first time I played a good triplet, the first time I learned a tune in C minor, etc.
Anyway, yeah, I'd do it, but for money, not for skill. (This isn't binding, is it? If it is, I'd better open up a Swiss bank account.)
Kerri, that's a well thought out strategy, I like it...
John maybe the devil does like harps--after all isn't Lucifer a fallen angel? Does anyone out there remember the Monkees episode where Peter Tork finds a harp in an antique shop and then later makes a deal with the devil to be able to play it? Or something like that anyway...
But, yeah I guess it's fun to fantasize about it, but talent given that would be bestowed upon you without the hard work might not be as appreciated or it might seem cheap or something. Then again hard work is such *hard work*....
The devil loves the spoons. There's this guy I knew in Phoenix named Kevin King, and he went toe to cloven-hoof with Mr. Beelzebub himself in a spoons contest. When all the smoke had cleared, Kevin was the last man standing, and old Mr. Devil had to give him a set of golden spoons. You can go to a Phoenix seisiun and ask anyone--they'll tell you. Of course, Kevin doesn't have the golden spoons anymore--he pawned them to get cash for Guinness.
there's a film called 'crossroads' which has a good take on the musical-infernal pact thingy.
but remember,it's all impermanence anyway and it did n't seem to do faust much good.
re instruments,outside of the farside cartoons,the fiddle seems to be the horned one's favourite in folk stories and written lit. with the pipes a very close second,esp. in ireland&scotland.
i would only sell my soul for one of my late mum's yorkshire puddings.or maybe a proper walnut whip.
Flan O'Brian had it with his play Faustus Kelly.
Disguised as a tax collector, the Devil goes around collecting the souls of small town in the West. By the end of the play, he's so exasperated he rips up all the contracts because he can't stand the thought of sharing his hell with a bunch of crazy Paddys. Ho ho
I figure life is short, afterlife is sooooo long. Mebbe if I work hard and make sacrifices (which I'm doing anyway), my reward will be an eternity of great music.
What happens in heaven though?(if it even exsits) I mean, what do you eat? It would be unfair if you sent chickens and pigs up there to be turned into pork chops and sunday roast. Unless you didn't need to eat. But it's supposed to be a time of eternal bliss, and I don't know about you, but food is definately bliss (apart from fish *shudders*)
John J, good humuorous post! Along similar lines, I wonder if some of us would trade a few years of our life in exchange for becoming a brilliant musician or whatever else you so desire. I remember reading an article about many athletes who were willing to give up huge amounts of life span in exchange for winning an Olympic Gold Medal....hmmmmm.....
After knee injuries ended my road bike racing career, I probably would have made a pact with the Devil (if such a character really exists) to have my knees back in perfect health. But this was a long time ago...
Gary Larson, cartoonist who drew the Far Side for a number of years, had two panels that treat nicely with this subject. One of them was a split panel, heaven on one side and hell on the other. In each a newcomer is being handed a musical instrument by the door guardian. Caption: "Welcome to heaven, here's your harp. Welcome to hell, here's your ukelele." Then there was the one where the devil is ushering a tuxedoed conductor into a classroom full of kids with accordions. "Maestro, welcome to hell."
So. Do *you* wanna risk the possibility of Larson being right? ;)
Sara
ps I don't care for really hot climates. I'll take the deal I've got.
I play the piano accordion, so I guess that means Hell won't have anything I can't handle ;)
(Unless they make me learn the fiddle. But that would just be hell for anyone who had to listen)
My drummer made a pact with the Devil for three wishes ....
One, a golden bodhran that played itself
Two, a bottle of Guiness that never emptied
Three, another bottle like that
There's an old gypsy tale about the creation of the fiddle:
There was once a young gypsy girl who fell madly in love with a non-gypsy boy. She tried everything to get him to look her way, but he would have none of it. So, growing increasingly desparate, she finally sold the souls of her family to the Devil in exchange for the boy to love her.
The Devil then took the girl's family's souls and made out of them a fiddle. Out of the mother's soul he made the body, the father's, the bow, and her 4 brothers and sisters became the strings.
The girl took the fiddle and learned how to play it to perfection. She finally won the boy's heart, but then along came the Devil, and whisked them both off to Hell in each others' arms.
So now you know....
Then there's the old Irish tale of the Soul Agony, about a boy who found a harp and fell in love with it but couldn't play it. His mother sold her soul to make him the greatest harper who ever lived. But after her death, he found that whenever the sun was down, he could hear her, down in hell, singing a song called the Soul Agony, and he could only play sad music until the sun rose again.
Seems like it just doesn't pay, does it?
Sara
Well at least you're allowed to sing in hell. Doesn't sound that bad... plus all the really interesting musicians and philosophers are probably going to be there. I for one am looking forward to it!
I believe that if there is a hell, I'll be going to the type of hell reserved for people who don't beleive in hell, which won't be so bad. We'll just sit around and argue and swap tunes (much like we do in here) and sip margaritas. Plato will be there, Aristotle, Descartes, Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix...
Oh Golly! Where was I to miss that one bigdave? My answer is "strychnine".
Have a look here and I think you might agree he probably went to hell (certainly before he died anyway). http://www.stormloader.com/users/crossroads/#devil
Pact with the Devil
Pact with the Devil
I'm just back after an enjoyable night out(latterly I looked into a session as a listener) when I heard Hans Theesink, the Euro Bluesman. One of his numbers was "Johnny and the Devil" which was all about a blues guitarist who made a "Pact with the Devil".
How many of you there would consider making a "Pact with The Devil" if you were likely to become a brilliant fiddler or whatever in the process? This discussion can be as serious or humorous as you like depending on whether you believe in such nonsense or not. Oops, have I given myself away?
Also, which instruments do you think the Devil would be most sympathetic towards? I don't suppose he'd like the harp that much but he might help with your fiddle, Andee
. I'd imagine that piano accordians would be one of his specialities too. 
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by John J Returns
Re: Pact with the Devil
I don't need no help from no steenkin devil, even if I did believe he'd make me an offer.
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by rocking bow
Re: Pact with the Devil
Well, theoretically, if there really *is* a devil, and his purpose and dominion are anything like what the Christian church describes, I'm going to hell anyway. So I might as well get something out of my damnation. I think what I would ask for, though, would be limitless financial resources and a long life, instead of instant technical brilliance. Here's my logic: With all the money I could possibly need at my disposal, I wouldn't be required to work and I could hire people to cook for me and clean up after me. That way I could devote nearly all my waking hours to playing, writing, recording and performing music and achieve technical brilliance in my own sweet time. Instant perfection would make the rest of my life boring. I would miss all those little thrills, like the first time I played a good triplet, the first time I learned a tune in C minor, etc.
Anyway, yeah, I'd do it, but for money, not for skill. (This isn't binding, is it? If it is, I'd better open up a Swiss bank account.)
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Pact with the Devil
Kerri, that's a well thought out strategy, I like it...
John maybe the devil does like harps--after all isn't Lucifer a fallen angel? Does anyone out there remember the Monkees episode where Peter Tork finds a harp in an antique shop and then later makes a deal with the devil to be able to play it? Or something like that anyway...
But, yeah I guess it's fun to fantasize about it, but talent given that would be bestowed upon you without the hard work might not be as appreciated or it might seem cheap or something. Then again hard work is such *hard work*....
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Andee
Re: Pact with the Devil
The devil loves the spoons. There's this guy I knew in Phoenix named Kevin King, and he went toe to cloven-hoof with Mr. Beelzebub himself in a spoons contest. When all the smoke had cleared, Kevin was the last man standing, and old Mr. Devil had to give him a set of golden spoons. You can go to a Phoenix seisiun and ask anyone--they'll tell you. Of course, Kevin doesn't have the golden spoons anymore--he pawned them to get cash for Guinness.
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by whistlemanhimself
Re: Pact with the Devil
there's a film called 'crossroads' which has a good take on the musical-infernal pact thingy.
but remember,it's all impermanence anyway and it did n't seem to do faust much good.
re instruments,outside of the farside cartoons,the fiddle seems to be the horned one's favourite in folk stories and written lit. with the pipes a very close second,esp. in ireland&scotland.
i would only sell my soul for one of my late mum's yorkshire puddings.or maybe a proper walnut whip.
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by biggus dave
Re: Pact with the Devil
Ah, yes. The Devil Went Down to Brixton.
How many of you would make a pact with someone that they would give you all you want for one day, in exchange for killing you the next day?
You don't get anything out of damnation.
Dave
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by showaddydadito
Re: Pact with the Devil
I thought the fiddle was the devil's instrument. It's certainly a devil to play at first, but dammit, the rewards are great.
Soul? What's a soul?
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Cath
Re: Pact with the Devil
Has anyone seen the fillm Dogma? It's halarious(if a little...rude hee hee)
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Folkie Junkie
Re: Pact with the Devil
Yes, Starlet, Dogma's one of my favourite movies too.
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Cath
Re: Pact with the Devil
cool the only trouble is, I go to a Catholic school, so if I did the whole "groovy Jesus" thing, I'd probably get chucked out.
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Folkie Junkie
Re: Pact with the Devil
Flan O'Brian had it with his play Faustus Kelly.
Disguised as a tax collector, the Devil goes around collecting the souls of small town in the West. By the end of the play, he's so exasperated he rips up all the contracts because he can't stand the thought of sharing his hell with a bunch of crazy Paddys. Ho ho
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by llig leahcim
Re: Pact with the Devil
I figure life is short, afterlife is sooooo long. Mebbe if I work hard and make sacrifices (which I'm doing anyway), my reward will be an eternity of great music.
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by rocking bow
Re: Pact with the Devil
What happens in heaven though?(if it even exsits) I mean, what do you eat? It would be unfair if you sent chickens and pigs up there to be turned into pork chops and sunday roast. Unless you didn't need to eat. But it's supposed to be a time of eternal bliss, and I don't know about you, but food is definately bliss (apart from fish *shudders*)
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by Folkie Junkie
Re: Pact with the Devil
Yeah, and didn't god put dinosaur bones in the ground just to test our faith?
# Posted on June 2nd 2004 by llig leahcim
Re: Pact with the Devil
Robert Johnson went down to da crossroads an made that dere pact with the devil, and where did it get him? He went te hell.
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Clear Drops
Re: Pact with the Devil
"There's no Devil, there's only God when he's drunk"
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Pied Piper
Re: Pact with the Devil
There's no Pied Piper either as the world is still full of rats.
Lots of nice pussy cats on this site , though. 
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by John J Returns
Re: Pact with the Devil
John J, good humuorous post! Along similar lines, I wonder if some of us would trade a few years of our life in exchange for becoming a brilliant musician or whatever else you so desire. I remember reading an article about many athletes who were willing to give up huge amounts of life span in exchange for winning an Olympic Gold Medal....hmmmmm.....
After knee injuries ended my road bike racing career, I probably would have made a pact with the Devil (if such a character really exists) to have my knees back in perfect health. But this was a long time ago...
Joyce
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by JMH
Re: Pact with the Devil
The Devils Dream, indeed
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Harper_Lad
Re: Pact with the Devil
Gary Larson, cartoonist who drew the Far Side for a number of years, had two panels that treat nicely with this subject. One of them was a split panel, heaven on one side and hell on the other. In each a newcomer is being handed a musical instrument by the door guardian. Caption: "Welcome to heaven, here's your harp. Welcome to hell, here's your ukelele." Then there was the one where the devil is ushering a tuxedoed conductor into a classroom full of kids with accordions. "Maestro, welcome to hell."
So. Do *you* wanna risk the possibility of Larson being right? ;)
Sara
ps I don't care for really hot climates. I'll take the deal I've got.
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by sara g
Re: Pact with the Devil
Starlet, it works like this: the souls of the piggies and chickens we eat on earth get to go up to heaven too. Then we butcher and eat them again.
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Pact with the Devil
For those of you who haven't read this already, here's a link that will help you answer the burning question "is hell endothermic or exothermic?"
http://www.wilk4.com/humor/humore24.htm
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Pact with the Devil
I play the piano accordion, so I guess that means Hell won't have anything I can't handle ;)
(Unless they make me learn the fiddle. But that would just be hell for anyone who had to listen)
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by accordionista
Re: Pact with the Devil
just wondering how Jan Martin knows that Robert Johnson ended up in hell-have you been there,Jan,or were you confusing it with Swindon?
ps -there should be the smiley face thingy with this post,just in case you were thinking otherwise...
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by biggus dave
Re: Pact with the Devil
My drummer made a pact with the Devil for three wishes ....
One, a golden bodhran that played itself
Two, a bottle of Guiness that never emptied
Three, another bottle like that
# Posted on June 3rd 2004 by geoffwright
Re: Pact with the Devil
There's an old gypsy tale about the creation of the fiddle:
There was once a young gypsy girl who fell madly in love with a non-gypsy boy. She tried everything to get him to look her way, but he would have none of it. So, growing increasingly desparate, she finally sold the souls of her family to the Devil in exchange for the boy to love her.
The Devil then took the girl's family's souls and made out of them a fiddle. Out of the mother's soul he made the body, the father's, the bow, and her 4 brothers and sisters became the strings.
The girl took the fiddle and learned how to play it to perfection. She finally won the boy's heart, but then along came the Devil, and whisked them both off to Hell in each others' arms.
So now you know....
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Joe CSS
Re: Pact with the Devil
Then there's the old Irish tale of the Soul Agony, about a boy who found a harp and fell in love with it but couldn't play it. His mother sold her soul to make him the greatest harper who ever lived. But after her death, he found that whenever the sun was down, he could hear her, down in hell, singing a song called the Soul Agony, and he could only play sad music until the sun rose again.
Seems like it just doesn't pay, does it?
Sara
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by sara g
Re: Pact with the Devil
Well at least you're allowed to sing in hell. Doesn't sound that bad... plus all the really interesting musicians and philosophers are probably going to be there. I for one am looking forward to it!
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Pact with the Devil
It's so sad...so unfair.
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Miss Lonelyhearts
Re: Pact with the Devil
Kerri - LOL! Depends on which version of heaven/hell you believe in.
Will - you've never read the Princess Bride, I take it? Life is not fair. ;)
Sara
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by sara g
Re: Pact with the Devil
I believe that if there is a hell, I'll be going to the type of hell reserved for people who don't beleive in hell, which won't be so bad. We'll just sit around and argue and swap tunes (much like we do in here) and sip margaritas. Plato will be there, Aristotle, Descartes, Janis Joplin, Jimmy Hendrix...
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Pact with the Devil
beleive, I mean.
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Pact with the Devil
NO, NO! Believe! Believe! I've got coffee fingers. buzzing away with a life of their own!
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Kerri Brown
Re: Pact with the Devil
So apparantly the Johnny + Devil thing is common ish? Yes, tired... Ummm, hehe, those two stories are interesting ^_^
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by fiddlinviolinin
Re: Pact with the Devil
Oh Golly! Where was I to miss that one bigdave? My answer is "strychnine".
Have a look here and I think you might agree he probably went to hell (certainly before he died anyway).
http://www.stormloader.com/users/crossroads/#devil
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Clear Drops
PS: Where in hell is Swindon?
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Clear Drops
^ ^
@ @
:
___
V
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Clear Drops
Wonky devil! Worth a try.
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by Clear Drops
Re: Pact with the Devil
yes,Jan,i'm aware of all that stuff and that film i mentioned does indeed have a robert johnson figure;as for Swindon,it's just a state of mind...!
# Posted on June 4th 2004 by biggus dave