Bluegrass Messengers

Never Let The Devil- Carter Family (VA) 1937 REC

[From Decca recording 5479, New York , NY June 17, 1937. This is clearly a version of "Lexington Murder" ballad type.

R. Matteson 2016]


Never Let the Devil Get The Upper Hand Of You- as sung by the  Carter Family of Virginia, collected by A.P. Carter, recorded 1937.


My tender parents brought me up
Provided for me well
Twas in the city of Lanson Town[1]
They placed me in a mill.

It was there I spied a pretty fair miss
On whom I cast my eye
I asked her if she'd marry me
And she believed a lie.

Three weeks ago last Saturday night
Of course it was the day
The devil put it in my mind
To take her life away.

I went into her sisters house
At eight o'clock one night
But little did the creator think
On her I had my spite.

I asked her if she'd take a walk
With me a little ways
That she and I might have a talk
About our wedding day.

We walked along until we came
To my little desert place
I grabbed a stick off of the fence
And struck her in the face.

I run my fingers through her coal black hair
To cover up my sin
I drug her to the riverside
And there I plunged her in.

I started back unto my mill
I met my servant John
He asked me why I was so pale
And it so very warm^[2].

Come all young men and warning take
Unto your lovers be true
And never let the devil get
The upper hand of you.

1. derivative of "Lexington."
2. wan