THE DEVIL IS DEAD

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Words and tune:

  • Traditional

Locations associated with this song:

Lyrics:

THE DEVIL IS DEAD – Daniel and Stephanie Payne learned this from the singing of Becky and Freeman Bennett of St. Paul’s, a community on Newfoundland’s Great Northern Peninsula.


‘Twas on one Friday eve when I was very poor,
I saw, you might believe, oh the devil he come to me door.
He held in his hands a large book, his eyes did sparkle bright,
Says he to me sister Sook, "I've come after your brother Mike.”
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee,
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee.

I knowed his voice in a minute, I heard it oft before,
And I so spry as a linnet, I slipped behind the door.
And bawl-ed out, did bawl so loud as I could shout,
Then me and me sister, Sook, we walloped the devil out.
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee,
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee.

Me little sister Peg, in fightin' had a knack,
With fadder’s wooden leg she broke the devil's back.
Twas on a washing night, the water was boilin' hot,
We give it to him rights and lefts and bundled him into the pot.
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee,
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee.

Oh now we have nothing to dread, the glasses sparkle bright,
Oh now the devil is dead we can all do just as we like.
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee,
Sing Faloral Ladidee Right Falor-I-Dee.
© Daniel and Stephanie Payne. Reproduced with permission

See lyrics on a page by themselves