The Kerley went down to Georgia, he was looking for a soul to steal.
He was in a bind ‘cos he was way behind: he was willin’ to make a deal.
When he came across this young man sawin’ on a fiddle and playin’ it hot.
And the Kerley jumped upon a hickory stump and said: "Boy let me tell you what:
"I bet you didn’t know it, but I’m a fiddle player too.
"And if you’d care to take a dare, I’ll make a bet with you.
"Now you play a pretty good fiddle, boy, but give the Kerley his due:
“I bet a fiddle of gold against your soul, 'cos I think I’m better than you.”
The boy said: "My name’s Johnny and it might be a sin,
“But I’ll take your bet, your gonna regret, 'cos I’m the best that’s ever been.”
Johnny you rosin up your bow and play your fiddle hard.
'Cos hells broke loose in Georgia and the Kerley deals it hard.
And if you win you get this shiny fiddle made of gold.
But if you lose, the Kerley gets your soul.
The Kerley opened up his case and he said: “I’ll start this show.”
And fire flew from his fingertips as he resined up his bow.
And he pulled the bow across his strings and it made an evil hiss.
Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this.
When the Kerley finished, Johnny said: "Well you’re pretty good ol’ son.
“But if you’ll sit down in that chair, right there, and let me show you how its done.”
Fire on the moun, run boys, run.
The Kerley’s in the house of the risin’ sun.
Chicken in the bread pin, pickin’ out dough.
“Granny, does your dog bite?”
“No, child, no.”
The Kerley bowed his head because he knew that he’d been beat.
He laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny’s feet.
Johnny said: "Kerley just come on back if you ever want to try again.
“I told you once, you son of a bitch, I’m the best that’s ever been.”
And he played fire on the mount, run boys, run.
The Kerley’s in the house of the risin’ sun.
Chicken in the bread pin pickin’ out dough.
“Granny, does your dog bite?”
“No, child, no.”
V
