Devil went down to the Holler

The devil came down from the ridge one night Looking for a soul he could drag from the light He'd heard about a boy called Caleb Creek Who played the old banjo seven nights a week He came down the switchback through the laurel and fog Past the cold creek crossing on a rotted-out log Said boy I'll make a wager if you think you're brave You play me something living or I drag you to the grave Caleb stood up Didn't run Said devil tune up Let's get this done Devil went to the holler Came to steal a soul Found a boy with iron hands And fire in his bones Strings rang out like thunder Shook the ridge and the clay Devil went to the holler But the holler wouldn't pay Devil played first and the hollow cracked wide Black smoke poured through every rotted plank side He bent the strings till they screamed like the dead And laughed through the roar of the hell he had fed Then Caleb stepped up with his jaw set tight Fingers hit the strings like a clap of night He played every ghost that ever died on this hill Every hollow-eyed widow, every copper-pot still The scar on his knuckle, the barn that burned black The devil stood quiet and he never played back Devil leaned in Teeth like nails Caleb played on Through the smoke and the wails Devil went to the holler Came to steal a soul Found a boy with iron hands And fire in his bones Strings rang out like thunder Shook the ridge and the clay Devil went to the holler But the holler wouldn't pay Devil stopped playing Smoke pulled back Looked at the boy And the boy looked black Said I've been to the lowlands I've been to hell But I never lost To a ridge-born spell Caleb set down the banjo slow Spit on the floor and said Now you know Devil went to the holler Came to steal a soul Found a boy with iron hands And fire in his bones Strings rang out like thunder Shook the ridge and the clay Devil went to the holler But the holler Devil went to the holler But the holler wouldn't pay