If you’ve heard The Charlie Daniels Band’s “Devil Went Down to Georgia” then you will be familiar with the plot. A none-too-perfect man and accomplished trumpeter “Jimmy” (Garland Thompson) is challenged to a contest by the devil himself (Donald Elson). Of course, nobody expects that “Jimmy” has a snowball’s chance in his foe’s fiery dominion, but in this smoky joint he accepts the wager - so let battle commence. The narration is delivered poetically, and some of that rhyming mixes menace, fantasy and even optimism quite powerfully as the jazz underscore sets up our duel. T...
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