You play pretty good fiddle boy
but give the Devil his due...
Well... The devil went down to the 12 inch mill
He was lookin fer a soul to steal
He was in a bind and way behind
He was lookin to make a deal
He come across a young man
flipping tails and acting hot
The devil jumped up on the laying head
and said boy let me tell you what
Now, you flip pretty good tails, boy
But give the devil his due
I'll bet a hook of gold, against your soul
To think I'm better'n you
And the boy said "my name's Johnny"
And it might be a sin
But I'll take that bet and you'll regret it
Cause I'm the best they's ever been
Oh, Johnny polish up your hook
And throw those cutters away
Cause the devil's loose at the layin head
And there'll be hell to pay
And if you win you'll take the devils golden hook today
But if you lose he'll take your fans away!!!
The devil smiled with a wicked grin
And said I'll start this show
And fire flew from his finger tips
as he twirled that hook of gold
Then a snapper cracked right through the cage
And the devil he looked scared
But in the twinkling of an eye
Ol' Johnny stood right there
Together they worked side by side
With hooks of gold and steel
And by the time they'd fixed that tail
The two had struck a deal
The devil kept his hook of gold
And Johnny kept his fans
And the story's told unto this day
Amongst the finishing hands
How hell's too hot for Johnny
Or so that it would seem
But a steel mill is a meaner place
Than the devil's wildest dreams
Billets in the reheat
Let the mill roll
Roller, will we change over
No! Hell no!!!
