• cobysev@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    The old story/song, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” isn’t about a young man winning a bet against the Devil that he’s a better fiddle player. It’s the devil tricking poor Johnny into the sins of pride and greed.

    The Devil pretended to lose so that Johnny would think that he was the best fiddle player in the world, even better than the all-powerful devil himself. (Pride) And then Johnny claims a reward of a solid-gold fiddle. (Greed) Johnny just cursed his soul to damnation, thinking he could actually beat the devil at his own game. It was a no-win scenario; the devil claims his soul either way.

    • Agent641@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      It was a no-win scenario

      Johnny could have just said “Beat it, dipshit.” When the devil offered him a bet.

    • kkj@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      4 days ago

      Arguably wrath too (“I done told you once, you son of a bitch”). Also, isn’t God the only thing you could reasonably call the Devil’s parent? Did Johnny call God a bitch?

    • starman2112@sh.itjust.works
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      4 days ago

      That’s certainly an interpretation, but I don’t think it’s necessarily canon. The sequel makes it ambiguous as to whether Johnny committed the sin of pride, or if he was simply correct about being the best there’s ever been. The fact that The Devil Comes Back to Georgia opens with the devil being furious that he lost kind of implies the latter