Subject: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,Richie Date: 04 May 11 - 02:17 PM Hi, Anyone have versions of "Dig a hole to put the Devil in"? Know where it came from? When did the expression originate? Richie |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: MartinRyan Date: 04 May 11 - 02:22 PM Hasn't the HBO series "The Wire" got a bluesy sig tune based on that phrase/idea? Regards |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,Richie Date: 04 May 11 - 03:12 PM One version was copyrighted in 1945. Here are some lyrics to one version: God made man And man made money. God made the bee And the bee made honey. God made Lucifer And he made sin. Go dig a hole and put the Devil in. Leadbelly also sang a version quite different |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: MartinRyan Date: 04 May 11 - 03:20 PM The one I was thinking of seems to be by Tom Waits - here's The Blind Boys of Alabama singing it. Regards |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,Richie Date: 05 May 11 - 01:54 AM Hi, I've been trying to straighten out my web-site since I threw a bunch of info on the songs but never proofed it or carefully researched it. Here's what I have on "Gwine Dig a Hole": http://bluegrassmessengers.com.temp.realssl.com/gwine-dig-a-hole-and-put-the-devil-in--leadbelly.aspx As far as I can tell Leadbelly recorded three versions two titled "Fidler's Dram"- one accidentally titled Fiddler's Dream- haha The lyrics are in my 1936 Lomax book but they are different slightly, Richie |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: Snuffy Date: 05 May 11 - 09:37 AM Old Johnny Pucker/Booker/Bugger/Bucker/Bucca - Lots of versions and links to other threads here |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,Doc John Date: 05 May 11 - 02:29 PM Richie, It may have been from Leadbelly's L of C recordings I heard it. The expression is supposed to refer to what slaves or convicts would like to do to their overseer (= the devil) |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,Richie Date: 05 May 11 - 10:23 PM Thanks, Snuffy-It's interesting that the Johnny Booker lyrics are a source. Good job! John Doc- you're right about the Leadbelly reference- it's in my Lomax Leadbelly book. Richie |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST Date: 07 Aug 12 - 08:57 PM gwine dig a hole to put the devil in is a song on an ablum "classic blues volume 1" by Shack of Peasants |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 08 Aug 12 - 12:00 AM Parallel topic/verse Circa 1975....west coast...USA...Hispanic community...Sunday School 10 y.o.
If I could I 'd tie him in a box. Tie him in a box, and throw away the key For all the tricks he 's played on me.
I 'm glad that I 'm a Christian (3X)
Sincerely, |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: Jack Campin Date: 08 Aug 12 - 04:04 AM Is the origin perhaps the tale "Putting the Devil into Hell" as in Boccaccio? (which he probably didn't originate). |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,hg Date: 10 Aug 12 - 01:08 AM hey gargoyke! |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: Steve Gardham Date: 10 Aug 12 - 03:23 PM Here's a reference from Notes and Queries 1870, sent in by James Henry Dixon, he of the ballad books in the 1840s. 'Some years ago I sent to N&Q a much better version of the lines contributed by F.S. (there must have been a previous query I've not copied) I do not, however, remember their insertion, and probably they never came to hand. My copy, which I now append, was transcribed from the fly-sheet of a Bible that belonged to a pitman who resided near Hutton-Henry, Durham. He was a Methodist. I pitched upon the quatrain while leafing through the Bible. The lines I later found were well-known in the pit villages. I believe they belong to the North of England. (Dixon wasn't a very knowledgeable scholar.) 'God made bees, and bees made honey; God made man, and man made money; Pride made the Devil, and the Devil made sin; So God made a coal-pit to put the Devil in.' I have another copy, which I took from a chalking on an engine-house door near Houghton-le-Spring.' It looks like I will have to try to get a copy of the note that prompted this reply. It mentioned Billy Purvis a North Country Music Hall artiste. It might also be significant, if my memory serves me right, that the Elliots of Birtley in Co. Durham used to sing 'Old Johnny Booker'. |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: Steve Gardham Date: 10 Aug 12 - 03:37 PM Here's a version from the Journal of American Folklore April-June 1913 which was recorded from 'East Tennessee negroes in 1905'. 'God made de bee, and de bee made honey; God made man, an' de man made money; God made Satan, an' Satan made sin; God made a hole, an' rolled Satan in.' An addition is given from Kentucky negroes, 1912. 'Satan got mad, an' said he wouldn't stay; God tol' Satan that he couldn't get away.' |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,Nathan Greb Date: 11 Jan 17 - 02:20 PM God made Man Man made money God made Bees Bees made honey God made Satan Satan made sin God made a hole to put Satan in Satan said he wouldn't stay God said he would cause he couldn't get away so God made a hill sliker than glass down come Satan sliding on his ass By Nathan Greb |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: Joe_F Date: 11 Jan 17 - 02:58 PM God made Satan, Satan made sin. God made a hot place to put Satan in. Satan didn't like it, and he said he wouldn't stay. He's been acting like the devil ever since that day. -- The Darky Sunday School |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: and e Date: 11 Jun 20 - 09:03 AM The Dublin Literary Gazette and National Magazine, July to December 1830. Pg 645. 'God made man, an' man made money; This is quoted as part of a story... so it is earlier than 1830. |
Subject: RE: Origins: Dig a hole to put the devil in From: GUEST,Starship Date: 11 Jun 20 - 06:35 PM From about 3:30. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqcBtpb6hJM |
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