Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Call And Response



I keep hearing the horrid song, "The Devil Went Down To Georgia" everywhere I go. I heard it a lot as a child and the new regime started at my dear Angela's wedding where the guests analyzed the lyrics after downing some relatively weak Mexican beer. So the conversation was still coherent if a bit confusing. A big part of the debate involved the call and response section of the song, "Granny does your dog bite?/ No, child, no." We danced to the song at the end of the wedding, something I remember not as well given that it was late and the world was spinning along with me under the stars in a black bridesmaid's dress. I've only been a bridesmaid once and this was my chance to do it right. This means staying sober the week before the event and drinking like an Irish dockworker after.

The other day, I saw a group of children dance to this song in a building used as a church most of the time. It made me laugh, particularly the dance of the demons. But I guess it was fitting -- ultimately the devil loses the fiddle contest and is forced to depart with "a violin of gold." I brought a book to read during the dull parts of the recital as I always do and realized too late that Columbine, the book about the school shooting, with the terrific bleak cover and big block letters might not have been the best choice. There was also a song about an "evil clown" and one of the girls made evil clown motions around her face. This was worth the price of admission. I laughed as I thought of our discussion about the Devil lyrics. Why is granny being asked if her dog bites at this point? How come the dance of the demons wasn't that great in the end? What the hell happened to the prize fiddle? Next time I hear it which I suspect will be very soon given my luck, I'll figure it all out.

Michelle's Spell of the Day
"Food to the indolent is poison, not sustenance." Frederick Douglass

Cocktail Hour
Drinking suggestion: Working on a rum concoction as we speak. Thanks to Mark for the ultimate Detroit cocktail! That will be in a video very soon.

Benedictions and Maledictions
Happy Tuesday!

11 comments:

Heff said...

Still trying to figure out how you have access to Playboy magazine..or why ?, lol !

the walking man said...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDm_ZHyYTrg

The Devil musta done alright because I saw Charlie Daniels on CMT cribs.

Cheri said...

Apparently around here in 1981 there was a church that people flocked to for a few weeks, and on the front of the church images of Jesus and Mary holding a baby Jesus appeared. The Devil was also in attendance. The Vatican declared it a work of the Devil instead of a miracle, to influence people en masse.

I found that pretty interesting. My friend who told me has a very famous aunt, the understudy of Mother Angelica on the Catholic channel on TV.

Anonymous said...

Dang, you look good.

Anonymous said...

Are you a Wings fan? If so go over and give Will HEll for he loves the Blackhawks. I myself love the Wings. 3-2, Will, 3-2

Charles Gramlich said...

I was somewhat scandalized when I came to New Orleans. There was a song that they play at parties and weddings here called "Strokin," and it is as dirty as all get out. The first wedding I went to they played this song and it was just bizarre to me to see young kids and old people dancing and laughing while filth was coming out of the speakers.

Scott said...

Michelle,

I never liked that song...I think even the Devil cringes whenever it's played, LOL. The other wedding song I hate is the Chicken dance...I first witnessed this horrible soical ritual at my five-year school reunion, actually, and said'What the fuck is this ???', to which I was answered, as if I was some kind of hermit or alien just landed on Earth, 'it's the Chicken Dance'. I've since seen it at many a wedding, for some reason...the strange rituals of civilized folk...it just makes me want to grab a folding chair and go all WWE on everyone.

I dunno, I always pictured the Devil paying a guitar, acoustic or electric.

jodi said...

Hi Beautiful, I remember weddings where the "Too Fat for Me" polka was a highly anticipated dance song. God, is it any wonder most of us rednecks are alcoholics? xo

Anonymous said...

I think the chorus is the song Johnny plays since it's lifted from a traditional bluegrass song called "Granny Will Your Dog Bite?"

Anonymous said...

And the devil leaves the fiddle behind. Basically, the Devil challenges Johnny, and loses the contest.

Jason said...

There was a Detroit spoof in the early nineties. i forgot what they battled over and I think it was a rap tune.