The Devil’s Pay
The whorehouse is burning
Like the devil’s come to claim it
Get them girls out quickly
Before the devil gets his payment
Don’t let the devil get his payment
Don’t let the devil get his pay
They tried all night
To get that fire out
Using themselves like they never before
Like they never done it before
Like they never done before
And by the strike of 4
The house had been consumed
The burnt bodies they found died
Clutching fake jewels
Died clutching fake jewels
Died clutching fake jewels
So the sailors hauled up trailers
Beside them smoking ashes
Donated some blankets
Fixed up a box-spring mattress
Fixed up a boxspring mattress
Fixed up a box-spring mattress
And like a phoenix rising
There was one girl surviving
They put her in a trailer
And kept her business running
Kept her business running
Kept her business running
June 13th, 2006
Does the first line say, “The whole house…or The whore house…?”
I think whore house makes sense…
he says, “get those girls out before the Devil gets his payment” leading me to believe that the girls paying for their sins with their lives.
J.M.
December 8th, 2008
Although I believe this is a stretch, this song reminds me of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. The character of Cathy, who could arguably represent the devil, sets fire to her home while her parents are inside, killing them both. She later goes on to become a whore, only to kill the mistress of the house and take over the business. Possibly a connection, although I think it’s just me enjoying the fact that this amazing song reminds me of my favorite book.