The Devil went down to Georgia
He was looking for a soul to steal
He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind
And he was willing to make a deal

Well, he come across a young man
Sawing on a fiddle and he played it hot
The Devil jumped up on a hickory stump
And said, "Boy, let me tell you what?"

"In case you didn't know it
I'm a fiddle player too
And if you care to make a dare
I'll make a bet with you"

"Now you play pretty good fiddle
Son, but give the Devil his due
I'll bet a fiddle of gold against your soul
'Cause I think I'm better than you"

Well, the boy said
"My name's Johnny and it might be a sin
But I'll take your bet, you're gonna regret
'Cause I'm the best there's ever been"

Johnny rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard
'Cause hell's broke loose in Georgia
And the Devil deals the cards

And if you win you'll get this shiny fiddle made of gold
But if you lose the Devil gets your soul
The Devil opened up his case, and said, "I'll start this show"

And fire flew from his finger tips as he rosined up his bow
When he pulled that bow across the strings, it made an evil hiss
And a band of demons joined in, it sounded just like this

When the Devil finished, Johnny said
"Well, you're pretty good old son
But just sit down in that chair right there
And let me show you how it's done"

He played, 'Fire on the mountain, run, boys, run'
The Devil's in the house with the rising sun
Chicken in the bread pan picking out dough
Granny does your dog bite, "No, child, no"

The Devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat
And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet
And Johnny said, "Devil, come on back if you ever want to try again
But I told you once, you son of a bitch, I'm the best there's ever been"

He played, 'Fire on the Mountain, run, boys, run'
The Devil's in the house with the rising sun
Chicken in the bread pan picking out dough
Granny does your dog bite, "No, child, no"