Devil Raised a Good Boy?

[TomT]

I thought I heard "Devil Erased a good boy" today. It's supposedly about Johnny Thunders right? Was Johnny once an upstanding youth? This phrase has more of a "bad influence" vibe.

Devil Raiseda Good Boy seems to knock whoever actually brought Johnny up. I am not familiar with JT's story but maybe someone else is.

[wecantgetanybetter]

I think PW's playing with some standard blues mythology here. The devil raising a good boy, pawn his soul instead of selling his soul. But once that's set, I can see PW messing with it and changing to erased a good boy as you suggest.

For reference, from the 49:00 lyrics if you dare thread ...

Jul 22, 2008 2:58:43 GMT -5 ih8music said:

here's my best take at devil raised a good boy. i think it's pretty close, but i have no clue what he's saying after the solo (~16:25)!


Devil Raised a Good Boy (14:39-17:50)
===========================

flash like lightning
burn like straw
learned to live that night
like a true outlaw

devil raised a good boy
look out below
devil raised a good boy
pawn his soul

leather and lipstick
downtown blues
fool's all getting love
that he couldn't use

so he open fire in london
with his new york city band
left 'em all for dead
just like he planned

devil raised a good boy
look out below
devil raised a good boy
pawn his soul
devil raised a good boy
look out below
devil raised a good boy
god bless his soul

? flop house ?
? woke up in pain ?
raising cain this time to be paid

devil raised a good boy
time to go
devil raised a good boy
look out below
devil raised a good boy
time to go
devil raised a good boy

ah, good bye
i'll miss you so
tell johnny so!

[Veets]

Here's what I hear:

pawned his soul

fool's all getting fools all gave him love that he couldn't use

? New Orleans flop house ?


Credit for the "New Orleans" tip goes to someone who posted elsewhere on this forum.

On first listen, I thought this one was semi-autobiographical. After all, you can't tell JT so, but you can tell JW so.