Me and the Devil Blues

"Me and the Devil Blues"
"Me and the Devil Blues"
	Original 78 record label
Single by Robert Johnson
Released	1938
Recorded	June 19, 1937
Studio	Dallas, Texas
Genre	Delta blues
Length	2:37 (take 1); 2:29 (take 2);
Label	Vocalion
Songwriter	Robert Johnson
Producer	Don Law

Last updated January 01, 2026

"Me and the Devil Blues" is a blues song by Robert Johnson, released as a single in 1938. It tells the story of the singer's waking up one morning to the devil knocking on the door, telling him that "it's time to go."^[1]

The lyrics concluded with the lines "You may bury my body down by the highway side" / "So my old evil spirit can catch a Greyhound bus and ride."^[2] Johnson recorded the song, among others, in a warehouse in Dallas, that served as a makeshift recording studio, on June 19, 1937. It was his final recording session.^[2]

Austrian recording artist Soap&Skin covered the song on her 2013 EP Sugarbread .^[3] The cover went viral on TikTok between 2024 and 2025.

References

↑ Schroeder, Patricia R. (2004). Robert Johnson, Mythmaking, and Contemporary American Culture. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0252029158 – via Googlebooks.
1 2 Palmer, Robert (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 116, 124. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.
↑ "Me and the Devil by Soap&Skin". WhoSampled . Retrieved December 31, 2025.

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[1] Schroeder, Patricia R. (2004). Robert Johnson, Mythmaking, and Contemporary American Culture. University of Illinois Press. ISBN 978-0252029158 – via Googlebooks.

[Palmer-2] 1 2 Palmer, Robert (1981). Deep Blues. Penguin Books. pp. 116, 124. ISBN 978-0-14-006223-6.

[3] "Me and the Devil by Soap&Skin". WhoSampled . Retrieved December 31, 2025.

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v t e Robert Johnson
Albums	King of the Delta Blues Singers King of the Delta Blues Singers, Vol. II The Complete Recordings
Original 78 rpms (chronological)	"Terraplane Blues" / "Kind Hearted Woman Blues" "32-20 Blues" / "Last Fair Deal Gone Down" "I Believe I'll Dust My Broom" / "Dead Shrimp Blues" "Cross Road Blues" / "Ramblin' on My Mind" "Come On in My Kitchen" / "They're Red Hot" "Sweet Home Chicago" / "Walkin' Blues" "Hellhound on My Trail" / "From Four Until Late" "Milkcow's Calf Blues" "Stones in My Passway" "Stop Breakin' Down Blues" "Me and the Devil Blues" "Love in Vain Blues"
Later releases	"If I Had Possession over Judgment Day" "When You Got a Good Friend" "Traveling Riverside Blues"
Related	Robert Johnson recordings The Search for Robert Johnson Me and the Devil Blues (manga) Me and Mr. Johnson/Sessions for Robert J The Robert Johnson Songbook Johnson's guitars Crossroads (1986 film)