One More Fiddle Fight

**“Johnny Went Down Below”**

Johnny woke in fire and smoke, with a fiddle in his hand

Thought he heard those Georgia pines, but this weren’t promised land

Chains were singin’ through the dark, sinners cried in pain

Then a voice he knew too well said, “Boy, we meet again”

Devil stood in blackened boots beside a river red

Grinnin’ like a copperhead beside the newly dead

Said, “You won that fight years ago, I’ll give the boy his due

But pride’s a debt that comes around, and now I’ve come for you”

Johnny went down below, thought he’d beat the Devil clean

But the years turned gold to vanity and whiskey in between

Now the bow screamed through the flames where the lost souls cry all night

Johnny went down below… for one more fiddle fight

Demons gathered all around, stompin’ on the stone

Every sinner in the pit leaned close to hear the tone

Devil played a hurricane, full of greed and war

Every note dripped hatred like the blood on heaven’s floor

Johnny held his battered bow, hands began to shake

Not because he feared the flames or all he’d left to break

He remembered mama’s hymns and daddy’s calloused hands

Sunday mornings back in Georgia and simpler kind of plans

Johnny went down below, where the burned and broken stay

But he played a song of mercy that the fire couldn’t slay

And the damned all stood in silence, and the chains fell loose and light

Johnny went down below… and played with all his might

Then the cracks split through the caverns

And a light broke through the black

Devil screamed, “Boy, stop that playin’!”

But Johnny never looked back

The strings cut deep into his fingers

Till they bled like summer rain

But every note sounded sweeter

Than the glory and the fame

Johnny went down below, but he didn’t stay for long

He traded pride for honesty inside a simple song

And before the gates swung open in a flood of holy white

Johnny smiled at the Devil…

“…Should’ve never asked for another fight.”Now if you ever hear a fiddle when the storm rolls through the pines

And the tune sounds warm and lonesome like old forgotten times

That might be Johnny playin’ where the good souls finally go

’Cause the Devil lost for good the day Johnny went below