Day #28 – The Devil I Know
Day #28 – The Devil I Know
I have always liked this song, from the first time I popped this CD into the player, I connected with it. Not sure if it’s the fun, fast paced lyrics, or the rhythm, or just the concept, but I think it’s a wonderful song. Certainly, it tells us a little about Jimmy, but perhaps it also tells us a little about ourselves.
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Original post from 9/29/2023
Day #28 – The Devil I Know
This one popped into my head last night, in a jumble of manic lyrics, which I rarely get right, even while listening and singing along. I’ll take this as a message from JB and I say, “Thank You, Bubba!”
Devil I Know was released on Jimmy’s 2020 album Life On The Flip Side. Interesting name for the album since this was released early in the pandemic that pretty much flipped all of our lives around. There was also no summer tour for Jimmy and the Coral Reefers because of lock downs, which Jimmy later mentioned was a very difficult transition for him. I remember being so excited about this album and it certainly helped me through a difficult transition during lock down life! I’m incredibly grateful for this album for that reason and I consider it a Pandemic Gift!
So many great songs on this album but The Devil I Know was an instant connection for me. It is written by Jimmy and his longtime partner in crime, Mac McAnally; I swear those two created magic together!
This song is classic Jimmy, with catchy lyrics, quirky humor and an upbeat, fast paced rhythm. Almost a full song of tongue twister mentions that include some old buccaneers, feral cats, and dragons swooping around causing a bit of havoc. And multiple mentions of beverages of choice!
I dare you not to have fun listening to this one!!! Please enjoy The Devil I Know from Life On The Flip Side. I have included the link in the comments below.
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The saying “the devil you know” stems from the larger quote, “better the devil you know, than the devil you don’t”, which really tells us that we might not be trust or love the person you are dealing with, but at least you know what you are dealing with, as opposed to the devil you don’t know, which is a complete wild card. Hinting of course, it’s better to continue to deal with familiarity.
The saying is considered an idiom, which means its meaning cannot be deciphered by defining the individual words. I really feel like this could be a lot of Jimmy’s lyrics, because there are layers and layers, private stories and nick names, locations and travels. Which is one of the special things about Jimmy’s music … that it can mean something different to many, many people. What a gift he had for singing a song and telling a story!
And I love the hints in this song of wild times in the past, and the little flare we all have to reignite those fires every now and then, no matter what or who every sets off the spark.
Stacy
Please enjoy The Devil I Know. I have included the link below. Enjoy!
The link is from Jimmy’s official YouTube channel, which I have no personal affiliation with.
