That Devilish Rag 1913

by James Pitt-Payne, London UK - 24 Oct 2009
2009

In the dark of night
when there is no light
a vision does appear,
It ain't no angel from above,
it's from below I fear,
Satan sent me up to you,
to get your farewell prayer.
He wants to know
what kind of Imp
you want to be while there,
I done said Mr. Ghost
do hear my plea,
If an imp I must
a black one I will be.

Oh! That Devilish Rag
Oh! That Devilish Drag
Honey listen tell me
what is that I hear?
See those little Devils
swaying round us dear,
watch them turn,
twist and squirm,
Look at the blaze
from the fiery furnace,
while the queer sweet music
you're hearing, queer enough
to keep the whole world fearing,
when they grab you, nab you,
then they jab you,
when their long forks try to stab you,
while they're playing
that Devilish Rag.

Oh! That Devilish Rag
Oh! That Devilish Drag
Honey listen tell me
what is that I hear?
See those little Devils
swaying round us dear,
watch them turn,
twist and squirm,
Look at the blaze
from the fiery furnace,
while the queer sweet music
you're hearing, queer enough
to keep the whole world fearing,
when they grab you, nab you,
then they jab you,
when their long forks try to stab you,
while they're playing
that Devilish Rag.

When I 'rived below
I heard soft and low,
from what town do you hail,
I told him and he said to me,
put on this long red tail,
Show me, man, if you can do
that ragtime Devil Dance.
You should have seen
this boy start in
to do a lovin' prance,
When I got through
then Satan said to me,
Now the king of this dance
while here you must be.

Oh! That Devilish Rag
Oh! That Devilish Drag
Honey listen tell me
what is that I hear?
See those little Devils
swaying round us dear,
watch them turn,
twist and squirm,
Look at the blaze
from the fiery furnace,
while the queer sweet music
you're hearing, queer enough
to keep the whole world fearing,
when they grab you, nab you,
then they jab you,
when their long forks try to stab you,
while they're playing
that Devilish Rag.

Oh! That Devilish Rag
Oh! That Devilish Drag
Honey listen tell me
what is that I hear?
See those little Devils
swaying round us dear,
watch them turn,
twist and squirm,
Look at the blaze
from the fiery furnace,
while the queer sweet music
you're hearing, queer enough
to keep the whole world fearing,
when they grab you, nab you,
then they jab you,
when their long forks try to stab you,
while they're playing
that Devilish Rag.

Soft karaoke
Words
piano 1
piano 2
piano 3
piano 4
lyric
pizz str bass
*
That Devilish Rag 1913
Music by Frank Stillwell
Lyrics by Gene Fell
© MCMXIII by James Kendis Music Co. - New York
*
sequence & karaoke by James Pitt-Payne, London UK
on Saturday 24 October 2009 at 15.36
in association with Veda Meyer-Castens
*