The devil went down to Georgia,

he was lookin' for a soul to steal

He was in a bind 'cause he was way behind

And he was willin' to make a deal

When he came across this young priest churning out some verse and writing' it hot

And the devil jumped up on a hickory stump

And said, "boy, let me tell you what"

"I guess you didn't know it but I'm a poet too

And if you'd care to take a dare, I'll make a bet with you

Now you write a pretty good sonnet, boy

But give the devil his due

I'll bet a bank vault of gold against your soul

'Cause the bourgeois are better than you"

The boy said, "my name's Joseph and you might think I'm beat

But I'll take your bet, you're gonna regret

'Cause I'll lead the worker's elite"