I got the song from Finbarr Boyle (sp?) at the Willie Clancey Festival in 1985. I listened to my tape again and for sure he sings "And on my soul it is the Devil's own invention."

I rarely go back to my notes, transcription, or tape once I have memorized a song and made it my own (stylistically speaking). I don't know if it's laziness or narcissism, but I often find I've folk-processed it in some way. In this case I folk-processed my mondagreen! My transcription reads "Oh the Devil I would say got his [instead of "God's"] curse on Americay." But now I sing "got his claws in A..." I have no idea how that happened or where it came from. curious and curiouser.

Has anyone else heard the "Devil's invention" line? Or is that Finbarr's invention?

David