Grateful Dead – Friend of the Devil

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Send "Friend of the Devil" Ringtone to Cell

I lit up from Reno
I was trailed by twenty hounds
Didn't get to sleep that night
Till the morning came around

I set out running but I'll take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

I ran into the Devil, babe
He loaned me twenty bills
I spent that night in Utah
In a cave up in the hills

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

I ran down to the levee
But the Devil caught me there
He took my twenty dollar bill
And he vanished in the air

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

Got two reasons why I cry
Away each lonely night
First one's named sweet Anne Marie
And she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
The sheriff's on my trail
If he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

Got two reasons why I cry
Away each lonely night
First one's named sweet Anne Marie
And she's my heart's delight
Second one is prison, baby
The sheriff's on my trail
If he catches up with me
I'll spend my life in jail

Got a wife in Chino, babe
And one in Cherokee
First one says she's got my child
But it don't look like me

I set out running but I take my time
A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine
If I get home before daylight
I just might get some sleep tonight

Send "Friend of the Devil" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by capitol76

Track duration: 03:22

"Friend of the Devil" as written by Jerry Garcia

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

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Friend of the Devil song meanings
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34 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:ever think the devil may be cocaine.
    Flag kantthnkstr8on April 10, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I remember I heard this song after a festival..was still on my trip and thought it was about going to festivals, buying acid and such. :p
    Flag quietdivineon April 09, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Really? This is an obvious meaning. They F****** sold there soul to the devil. I mean come on have you heard of the bohemian grove? Close to their home "one of them anyway" They have to do sacrifices who's it gonna be? Got to keep their part of the bargain and plus they like it. It is really straight forward. If the victim is lucky they will die quickly and well I guess when their dead they can be grateful for that. Oh and yeah I used to be a dead head /tour head. I am also in the know about the masonic and Illuminati and CIA ties that this band has. But it's OK if you were fooled don't feel bad because anyone famous and not dead is guilty of selling their soul to the "industry".
    Flag ReflectingOnRealityon November 03, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read my comment after All Along the Watchtower. I am an over 50 hippie that has almost never smelled like patchouli or body odor.
    Flag groovyleeon August 12, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Someone said that it is about choosing a life that is rebelling against the status-quo. Aymen dude. I completely agree. A Friend of the Devil is a friend of mine, too. These types of people are the most interesting by far! The "hounds of hell" are not going to "steal your soul" if you are living a life that is true to yourself. If you push the envelope and go for the gusto, I support you! If you envision some life for yourself that is a challenge to traditional conventions, GO FOR IT.

    Jerry Garcia lived a life that was incredibly interesting. He was passionate about music, culture and people. He was a voracious reader. With his brilliant mind, he was self-deprecating. He had a GIANT heart and an incredible zest for life. He enjoyed all kinds of people and there was always room for everybody. I read somewhere once that he could "deftly skewer ballooning egos" and I've never forgotten that quote. i LOVE that. Simply put, he LIVED LIFE LARGE.

    This song reminds me of Jerry. When I die, I hope I have lived a life full of passion.
    Flag Gr8fulDeadon August 07, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think along similar lines to most others - the song is about running away from the bad life/his demons/the devil - but he knows he can never escape it & it always catches up with him so he just stops running away ...even though there's a part of him that just wants it to be over (go home & get some sleep)
    Flag davey10jon July 03, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Counting Crows do a nice cover of this song!
    Flag Envy337on January 19, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think...I mean I'm 99% positive...it's about his cocaine addiction...come on now...read it again.
    Flag jmbgon August 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Hedges almost as it right about omitting a verse. The song was written by Robert Hunter, although he did a workout of an early draft with David Nelson and John Dawson of the New Riders of the Purple Sage (Hunter was going to play bass with NRPS and they were going to play this song... never happened though). Anyway, for whatever reason, Hunter decided to omit this verse. Dawson wrote the original music at the NRPS house in Kentfield, and I guess Jerry reworked it with Hunter when Hunter brought it to the dead.
    Flag sunshipballoonson July 17, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:i think it is about he running away from police and he is hiding in a barn and he has to find friends that will do things they arent supose too so they are like kind a friend of the devil for doing the wrong thing
    Flag jagermeister1310on September 18, 2007   Link

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