Up Jumped The Devil

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American Devil Songs 1920’s to 1950’s

Music and its association with the Devil, dates back to when man used early forms of musical composition in religious ceremonies. Musicians could also use their compositions to attack and criticize and therefore be deemed ‘Devils’. (However, the word ‘Devil’ grew from the Indo-European ‘Devi’ or ‘Deva’ meaning ‘Goddess’ or ‘Gods’.  The Old English ‘Divell’ comes from the Roman ‘Divus’-‘God’).  The Devil’s imagery comes directly from the horned, lustful, pagan God ‘Pan’ -who also played musical pipes.  Indeed the Devil ‘jumps’ up throughout history, in Blues mythology at the crossroads - a place that belongs to no one where you can exchange your soul for that arcane musical knowledge that will mesmerize and captivate here on Earth.  In the middle ages the Roman Catholic Church banned a certain musical phrase called the ‘tritone’ otherwise known as ‘the Devils Chord’ it is interesting that it is these ‘Devil notes’ that mostly appear in Blues, Jazz and Rock.  In the 19th  & 20th Century, particular beats and rhythms were associated with savages by a so-called civilized society and it is these  primal rhythms that form the backbone of what became
‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’. Add to this the problems of teenage rebellion & temptation, throw in a mess of religious superstition and you can see why the Devil has featured so highly in popular music.

God save our souls!

Tracklisting:
1) Gene Vincent – Race With The Devil 1956
2) Fats Waller – There’s going To Be The Devil To Pay 1935
3) Bo Carter – Old Devil Circa 1938
4) Charlie Christian – Pagin’ The Devil 1939 
5) Woodie Brothers – Chased Old Satan through The Door 1931 
6) Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – Little Demon 1956
7) Byron Parker and his Mountaineers – Up Jumped The Devil 1940
8) Skip James – Devil Got My Women 1931
9) Fess Parker and his Royal Flush Orchestra – Feelin’ Devilish 1930
10) Bessie Smith –Blue Spirit Blues 1929
11) Oliver Brown –Oh You Devil You 1935
12) The Clovers –Devil or Angel 1955
13) Almanac Singers – Get Behind Me Satan 1941
14) Sister Rosetta Tharpe – The Devil has thrown him down 1943
15) Powder River Jack and Kitty Lee – Tying a Knot in the Devil’s Tail Circa 1930
16) Washboard Sam – She Belongs to the Devil 1941
17) Jack Teagarden – Putting Salt on the Devil’s Tail Circa 1941
18) Otis Spann – I’d Rather Be The Devil 1954
19) Jelly Roll Morton’s Red Hot Peppers – Boogaboo 1928
20) Robert Johnston – Me and The Devil Blues version 1  193

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