Devil Went Down to Georgia, The
Charlie Daniels (arr. Michael Brown)
General Info
Year: 1979 / 2006
Duration: c. 3:50
Difficulty: III (see Ratings for explanation)
Original Medium: Blue grass song
Publisher: Hal Leonard
Cost: Score and Parts (print) - $60.00 | Score Only (print) - $5.00
For availability information, see Discussion tab, above.
Instrumentation
Full Score
Solo Violin
Solo Flute
Solo B-flat Soprano Clarinet
Solo E-flat Alto Saxophone
Solo Xylophone/Marimba
C Piccolo
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
B-flat Soprano Clarinet I-II-III
E-flat Alto Clarinet
B-flat Bass Clarinet
E-flat Alto Saxophone I-II
B-flat Tenor Saxophone
B-flat Cornet I-II-III
B-flat Trumpet I-II-III
Horn in F I-II
Trombone I-II
Euphonium
Tuba
String Bass
Timpani
Percussion I-II-III, including:
- Bells
- Chimes
- Drum Set
- Shakers
- Suspended Cymbal
- Tambourine
- Vibra-slap
Narrator (optional)
Errata
None discovered thus far.
Program Notes
The Devil Went Down to Georgia is a song written and performed by the Charlie Daniels Band and released on their 1979 album Million Mile Reflections.
The song is written in the key of D minor. Vassar Clements originally wrote the basic melody an octave lower, in a tune called Lonesome Fiddle Blues released on Clements' self-titled 1975 album on which Charlie Daniels played guitar. The Charlie Daniels Band moved it up an octave and put words to it.
The song's verses are closer to being spoken rather than sung (i.e., recitation), and tell the story of a young man named Johnny, in a variant on the classic deal with the Devil. The performances of Satan and Johnny are played as instrumental bridges. The song was the band's biggest hit, reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100.
- Program Note from Wikipedia
Media
State Ratings
None discovered thus far.
Performances
To submit a performance please join The Wind Repertory Project
- Roosevelt High School (Sioux Falls, S.D.) Freshman Percussion Ensemble (Michael Hench, conductor) - 13 February 2021
- Yarmouth (Me.) High School Wind Ensemble – 4 December 2018
Works for Winds by This Composer
- The Devil Went Down to Georgia (arr. Brown) (1979/2006)
Resources
- Daniels. C.; Brown, M. (2006). The Devil Went Down to Georgia: (Solo for Flute, Violin, Clarinet, Alto Sax, or Xlo./Marimba and Opt. Narrator) [score]. Hal Leonard: Milwaukee, Wisc.
- The Devil Went Down to Georgia, Wikipedia Accessed 15 February 2021
- Perusal score