In case some don't know, a violin has strings. A fiddle has strangs. Charlie was sawing those strangs almost hard enough to make them smoke. What a talented guy. RIP.
I had the joy of hearing Daniel’s do this song at a concert. Also, I met him in Nashville in the 70s at the first Fan Fair. He was signing autographs. He was from Wilmington, NC, and as a native myself, I wasn’t shy about talking to him. When I asked him, “Charlie, how are you doing?” He replied, “I’m “tarred.” That’s the correct pronunciation in some parts of North Carolina and the South!
Charlie worked well into his later years and I had the great fortune of watching him live in syracuse new york right before he passed , old dude was full of energy and had the huge crowd on our feet and clapping and cheering, he busted the fiddle strings a few times, he just reached for backups , rip Charlie ill never forget that show
@@imdowd it was the new york state fair, I've seen lots of good shows there , a recent one was zz top right before dusty passed but the best , Chicago, I buy beers and dinosaur BBQ and enjoy the shows
Honestly bluegrass music is similar to heavy metal, after a good banjo or fiddle solo you'd expect them to smash the instrument, so much wild energy. FYI I really wish beth would react to an Alison Krauss and Union Station song.
As a southern boy, my high school years consisted of Charlie Daniels, Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Pure Prairie League as southern rock staples. All are well worth your consideration.
This song highlights the difference between playing a violin and playing a fiddle. I remember when this song was out and it had regular airplay not only on country radio but on all the rock stations in Detroit. Nice reaction.
I had the opportunity to see him live twice. At an outdoor concert a train was sounding it’s horn in the distance and he started dueling with the train horn. He was an icon of southern rock/country music. An amazing story teller and musician. The world is a darker place without him.
What's so great about this is, it hits on every aspect. Great story, great melodies and several different genres perfectly blended together. The vocals are spot on, the musicianship is amazing and it's real music that somehow connected with a mass audience. There's some songs that stand the test of time and this is one of them.
The harmonys got that good, because the Charlie Daniels Band is an old school blue collar band- they rehearsed relentlessly, and played wherever whenever, and to whomever. They were 110% committed- it was swim or drown. That's just how most of those southern bands were. I had the pleasure of seeing them live, and they were on FIRE. That was most definitely a bucket list item checked off! Having seen a LOT of country artists live, I can tell you, country crowds absolutely do get that excited and roar like that. For example, when I saw Martina McBride, the crowd was so into it and so enthusiastic we made HER cry! Which is only fair- she had us all in the palm of her hand, and had the whole crowd in tears several times with the sheer power and beauty of her singing, and the lyrics of her songs. At more than one point, we were cheering so loud I was actually concerned we might bring the roof down on our heads, lol. For an example of what she can do, look up "Broken Wing" "Valentine" or "Concrete Angel" You won't be sorry! When Alan Jackson came on stage next, he got much the same reaction. The things they sing about hit close to home, ALL of them sing just as good live as in the studio, and the bands come to PLAY. We're all there to have a great time, and paint the town red, sooo.
@@gold98gtp yeah, I can remember hearing it well into the 00's on the radio, would have no idea now as I barely ever listen to the radio now, basically only when I buy a new car and don't have any way of getting other sources of music into it yet.
This is the 1st song I learned word for word. I got to see him 1992 and during the 1st song he was tapping the bow against his knee, broke it, looked at it, tossed it into the crowd, and reached back for a new one, without missing a beat. RIP Charlie.
Charlie played the fiddle so fast and hard he often went through 3-4 Bows in a LIVE set. Many videos show him playing with most of the horsehair broken and just flying around off the bow till the song ended and he quickly pull out another bow, from a tube full of spare bows, located near him onstage, and ready for the next song.
While this one really doesn't have a lot of singing, more spoken, but the fiddle feast is something to genuinely behold. And please note that the keyboards player has a broken hand, but is still banging it out. Charlie was one of a kind. It will be many years before we will see his caliber on the fiddle again.
This is CDB’s most popular song, but my favorite will always be “Still in Saigon.” It showcases Charlie Daniel’s’ true singing ability and is a chilling, emotional song about his PTSD from serving in Vietnam.
@Rush Fanatic87, except for the fact that Charlie never actually served in the US Military, and never fought in Viet Nam, or in any other War. Charlie didn't even move to Nashville until 1967, and when he rolled on into Nashville in his 57 Chevy Car, he only had $20 in his pocket, and he had lost the Clutch in his Car. He started out in music as a Nashville Session Musician, playing with Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohn, and other prominent Musicians of that time frame before forming the Charlie Daniels Band in the early 70's.
Worked security for CDB back in the day...wild times..everyone born between 1970 and 1980 knows every word to this song...Primus does an excellent cover, but you have to watch the video, classic Claypool...
This song has been the bane of my existence my whole life (as an American professional fiddler born in the 80s), and it is such a joy to see you responding to it for the first time, reminding me why it ever became so iconic. And +50000% for the Vassar Clements callout! 💚💚💚
Beth, absolutely loved your reaction to Charlie Daniels ! You should check out some of his other songs, such as , long haired country boy, still in siagon, lengend of wolley swamp. Hope you do more of him soon ❤️!
Beth - You are incredibly discerning and intuitive in your observation of how to create a sound scape to tell the story of the music beyond just playing the notes. It may be the Irish in you that explains your love of country and bluegrass.
Glad you enjoyed this so much Beth - it's an absolute motherlode of a genre and I hope you explore it more. Vassar Clements was a virtuoso fiddler who started out with the legendary Bill Monroe and went on to pioneer this novelty-flamboyant style. He is most famous for his collaborations with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and their seminal 1973 triple-album opus 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken' featuring many bluegrass and trad. country luminaries of the day. On their double album 'Stars and Stripes' he does an amazing 'Listen to the Mockingbird'. For a more contemporary starting point, you couldn't go wrong with Alison Krauss and Union Station, especially their live Louisville concert. And that's just scratching the surface. Happy listening!
Thanks for mentioning Vassar. I went to school with his kids and once gave his stepson a place to stay when he was going through a hard time. Vassar profusely thanked me for this and showed me what a true gentleman he was.
You know a master at this craft when they are such consummate musicians that when they deliver their lyrics they use their voice as just another instrument 😊
Charlie Danials was an American Treasure...and like Roy Clark, he was a master of his chosen instrument. And yes, Tenacious D owe's an enormous debt to Charlie Danials' music.
A true American Icon. R.I.P. Charlie, you were one of the good ones. If you like country try Randy Travis - Three Wooden Crosses. No other voice like his.
I grew up listening to the Charlie Daniel's Band. I so enjoyed watching your excitement and discovery of them. They are ageless, proof in your face. Thanks for sharing.
The song also takes inspiration from the poem "The Mountain Whippoorwill" by Stephen Vincent Benét and has a bit of a sequel called "The Devil Comes Back To Georgia" with Daniels, the late, great Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, and Mark O'Connor on O'Connor's 1993 "Heroes" album.
Mark O'Connor's Follow up like you mentioned is a collaboration between a whole lot of top Country Artists. I was so excited when I found out Mark had did a follow up - loved it extended the story between the Devil and Johnny.
I ran a spotlight for Charlie many years ago. Got a bird's eye view as the strings on his bow fell off! I was backstage at one point and he poured me a drink. Seemed like a great guy!
Sadly he has passed on. What a great guy and a wonderful musician. I got to play saxophone with a couple of session musicians from Nashville when I was playing out. They were both without fail the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.
The year that the Olympics were hosted in Georgia, one of the American gymnasts chose this for her routine and the crowd went wild. It was one of those iconic moments where she stuck every landing and the crowd was with her every step of the way. Afterwards, the Russian gymnast complained that she'd underperformed because she couldn't hear her music, so they gave her a do-over. One of those stories that become little legends, at least in your own personal history
Yeah, Dominique Moceanu. The Russians complains that the crowd reaction was literally blowing them off the beam when she was on. It was in the Georgia Dome so it was really a football stadium, so it was probably a bigger crowd than normal for gymnastics, so she may have had a point. I don't think they gave her a do-over though,- I feel like they filed a dispute but lost it. I might be wrong on that, but the way the judging worked back then, I think they could've just dropped that score so it didn't really matter that much.
I used to be a road manager for a band and we opened for Charlie Daniels. Our guitarist sat in for the encore and said it was the loudest stage he's ever played on. FYI, Vasser played with Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) in the band Old and in the Way. You should really do a reaction to one of Garcia's tunes. Aug 9th it will be 27yrs since his passing. I'd recommend "To Lay Me Down" or "Reuben & Cherise" live of course.
This is one of the early recordings of this song. You should listen to a later recording after Charlie and his band had settled into the song and it isn't quite so rushed. I went to a concert of his about a year before he died. He was still playing at the top of his game. He only got better with age. One of the best pure musicians I've ever heard.
First, glad you listened to the original version and not the churchified version! This is the way it became famous! Another song of his that I love is Caballo Diablo, although he plays electric guitar on the live version I just referenced. He was a big cross-over artist back in the 70's. Saw him live in the late 90's, heck of a show!
I get a good chuckle when I hear younger "musicologists" compare classics such as this to more modern pieces by artists from other musical genres. Most modern musical newbies got their ideas from old timers like this- not the other way around (for example, the bluegrass, country and rock musical and syncopated story-telling style was around long before the 80's rappers took note and copied it- and, of course, the bluegrass story-tellers copied it from the English, Irish and Scottish jigs from many generations before that!) . Another thing: Most people don't really know the major difference between a violin and a fiddle: the curvature of the bridge on a fiddle is cut flatter to allow the fiddle player to more easily play two-note "chords" without having to move the bow around as much. Another point: At 00:23, take a look at the two black and silver boxes with the four knobs and round display with the flickering orange light. Those are Conn Strobotuners. Before modern digital tuning devices, these boxes were the only good way to accurately tune an instrument- whether in a studio, repair shop or live on-stage. These delicate, electro-opto-mechanical boxes used an electric motor spinning a disc with patterns printed on it, in conjunction with a strobe light that was modulated by the instrument's output (by a microphone or direct connection via an instrument pickup) to allow for tuning for each note in the chromatic scale that was selected by one of the knobs. Beth, you stated that Charlie Daniels was serious about his musicianship and having these boxes on-stage during a live show really does proves that point. I really enjoyed watching this video! Keep up the great work of bringing these classics back again to the forefront for a new generation to appreciate and enjoy!
Glad to see you react to this one. Charlie Daniels Band, and specifically The Devil Went Down To Georgia, is an American classic from my generation's childhood. There are songs that transcend American pop culture throughout the decades and that's easily one of those Mt. Rushmore-type timeless songs. Thanks for making the video!
I started laughing when you paused it and said "before we get to the end" about 4 notes before the end lol The plot/story is essentially just a variation of "Faust".
A wonderfull reaction. You're one of the very best 'reactors' out there. And you're right, everything you said was right-on. Wonderfull harmonies, wonderfull fiddle playing, wonderfull story telling, a great performance.
My junior year in HS, several of us from the school orchestra played this at the school talent show. Fortunately, our "fiddle" player went to Juilliard after he graduated HS, so we had the hard part covered. I ended up playing the piano part, which was pretty close to the limit of my talent at that time. Also, if you look closely at 3:43, he quickly retunes the E string.
"I've never heard anyone play the fiddle like that". Well, it was the devil, after all - lol! Wasn't he great? Perfect enunciation in that rapid-fire delivery. The reason Charlie got that delighted crowd chuckle at the line "you son of a bitch" is because it was changed to "you son of a gun" for radio play.
Actually, the original version got airplay for a long while. The edited version came out on the Urban Cowboy soundtrack (don't remember if the movie itself used the edited version, I only saw it once) and radio switched to that variant. The FCC let some things slide a little bit, but then they likely got few complaints - it was the devil getting the what for, after all.
Beth . I love the way you break down the vocals and the instruments. You are very knowledgeable. But what's also love your reaction the music . You throughly love it. Awesome job
It surprises me that you have never heard of The Charlie Daniels Band or the story of how a boy named Johnny won a golden fiddle off of the devil himself. Then again I remember that I live in the southern US and that song is required listening by the time you are five.
One of the finest showmen ever. Encore after encore. Always the best show you were going to see that year. Saw them at the Denver Coliseum, Cheyenne Frontier Days and Red Rocks Ampitheatre.
Great reaction Beth! I have always loved Charlie Daniels and bluegrass music also. Would you react to Alison Krauss - Jacob's Dream. Alison started in Bluegrass and has a fantastic voice. Until recently, she held the number one spot for female Grammy winners with 27. Beyonce passed her in 2020 or 2021. The song Jacob's Dream is great story telling and based on a true event Thank you.
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As far as I'm concerned he is the Original "gangsta rapper"! No one had ever done anything like it when he did this!!! Love this song! This song came out at the same time as "Rappers Delight". which is the song they credit as the Start of Hip Hop! But this song to me...really should be the beginning of rap! But since its a white man...lol.
Country music is America's favor genre followed by rock. Country is also pretty big all around the world. Country can take you as high as stadium rock and low as the blues.
I loved this song as a kid. Imagine how blown away I was when I found out many years later that there's a sequel - "The Devil Comes Back To Georgia". If you enjoyed this one, it might be worth looking into...
Was lucky enough to meet Charlie several times during my life and got to know him. I've got a picture of me on his knee as a child and a guitar he autographed for me. Such a sweet man and an immensely talented musician. He will be missed.
Country fiddle at it's finest. Saw Charlie with Marshall Tucker Band. Great concert. Marshall Tucker plays similar style country rock. LOL no dear - that is not a violin, it's called a fiddle down south in the US 🙂
Have seen Charlie more than once over the decades. Never disappointed. Charlies bands have always been the best in the business. Listen to some of his other stuff from the 70's and 80's and musicianship of the band in those days is off the charts.
Yea, the man played hard, went through bowstrings and violin strings like crazy. I remember seeing a video of him playing, something like half the bowstrings were snapped, and he just kept on going.
We watched Charlie play at the Fox Theater in Atlanta Georgia just a few years before he passed away. You'd never guess his age by watching his performance, as high energy and precise as ever, a true professional.
Absolutely country western rap. There's a long "spoken song" heritage in country music. As good as Charlie was at fiddle, he was a better guitar player, and was a studio musician. Yes, Beth, the harmonies were really tight, thanks to Tommy Crain, Charlie's guitar player, who was always an inspiration to me as I learned to harmonize as I played guitar for lead singers.
I needed a ginger fix. Thanx for being here. The first thing I remember from Charlie Daniels was a song called "Uneasy Rider", a story about a road trip gone awry. Keep up the good work.
This song was my introduction to The Charlie Daniels Band, and I became an instant fan. This became my signature song when I started doing karaoke years later. I had the pleasure of meeting Charlie on two occasions, and he was a very friendly guy. I was so sad to hear about his passing.
I remember this song because in 1981 (I was 13), I and many of my friends joined Columbia House with their cheap as hell cassette tapes. It was such a scam. Anyway, Charlie Daniels I believe had a greatest songs cassette. Other than this song, The Devil went down To Georgia, is one song about the legend of woolly swamp. I really liked that one too.
I'm a couple years younger than you, but I remember (and bought into) that scam too! Vulture bastards! The album is 'The Charlie Daniels Band: A Decade of Hits'. I had it on cassette, then CD when I started getting into those, and now I have it on digital. I ADORE that album, and it's still in rotation on multiple playlists on my phone.
Charlie Daniels was not only a great multi-instrumentalist musician and storyteller, he was also an all-around great person. Growing up for a time in Mt. Juliet TN (his hometown), I got to see him perform concerts several times at my middle school. He was very involved in the community and also worked with several charitable organizations. Vassar Clemmons was also a local resident and maintained a recording studio in Mt. Juliet for several years. He spoke to a small group of us at that same middle school and played fiddle for us. It's a point of pride for me that the first fiddle I ever tried to "play" was his. Oh, pro tip: the only difference between a FIDDLE and a VIOLIN is [a] who you're talking to about it, and [b] what kind of music you're playing on it. So glad you got to Charlie on your channel.
I'd love to see you react to the sequel The Devil Went Back to Georgia by Mark O'Connor, Charlie Daniels, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, and Johnny Cash. The fiddle work that Mark O'Connor and Charlie Daniels in that song shows off their high level of skill. Alison Krauss is another top notch fiddle player. If you want a great violinist, Lindsey Stirling is the way to go.
I was eight years old in Wichita, Kansas when Charlie Daniels played at the local amusement park called joy land. That was the loudest concert I’ve ever been to! I will never forget how loud that was.
in fact you DO expect that audience reaction, the classic country sound, tho, as recorded it was current.. excellent musicianship, classically good songs,, very unlike the mush that drips from the speakers with today's country "music"...
I’m from the UK and never really got into country but my dad got me to listen to this song and have just loved it ever since! It’s such a good musical masterpiece
Had the privilege a few years back to share a stage with Charlie Daniels and play his charity festival here in Tampa about 10 year ago. He was A Country Santa Claus! Speaking to him backstage I shook his hand and said “Pleasure to meet you Mr Daniels” and he replied “No son, call me Charlie!” Sweet man! RIP!
I'm thrilled that you got a chance to listen to this song. Like some others, I also remember when this song came out - I wasn't quite a teenager yet and still put a lot of faith in labeling music (I didn't like "country" except for some Alabama and Statler Brothers and Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn and of course Lynyrd Skynyrd and Eagles and anyway ...) but hearing this on pop/rock stations, I liked it right away, partly because of the fiddle (!), partly because of the story, and maybe just a little because of the bad word! (although in those days, it was pretty common for radio stations to play the version where he said "son of a gun") I love the wide variety of music that you react to - you find music that's right in my wheelhouse and music I've never heard of and music I need to listen to. These are great videos and I hope you keep doing them, I always look forward to new ones to see if you've found a song I love!
I got to see Charlie Daniels Band live. It was an amazing concert. My favorite song by them is Reflections. R.i.p. Charlie Daniels, you were one of the greats. You are missed, but your music lives on.
Good morning from Mount Juliet Tennessee home of Charlie Daniels, glad you enjoyed the harmonies and the musicianship would you believe these guys just a couple years before were playing Jazz- Rock in the vein of the Allman Brothers check out some of their songs such as Saddle Tramp in the early to mid 70s
My favorite thing about Charlie Daniels is the confidence he has to play the devil's performance, and then play the performance of the person who beats him. Just a great song with a great story, and one of the best all-time violin/fiddle pieces ever.
I was lucky to see Charlie Daniels in concert back in 1997. SO amazing. He is known for this song primarily but his catalogue us full of tons of amazing songs. He was a world class Fidel player. RIP Charlie.
Charlie Daniels, and this song in particular, transcended beyond just country music. In the day, this and a few of his other songs, were often heard on rock and top 40 radio stations as well.
Such respect for Charlie Daniels! Thank you! Most folks from these younger generations spend their energy trying to cancel folks like him rather then pointing out his obvious talents.
It was in late 70s in a small 900 seat house in Schenectady, New York, where I heard this song for the very first time. This show was recorded at another local venue about twenty-five miles North of where I'd seen him the first time, It's the player that makes the difference between a violin and a fiddle.
“I’ve never heard a fiddle played like that.” Since that was the devil’s part, that means he got it right in my opinion.👏
It actually reminds me of Danse Macabre.
we noted back in the 1980 that the devil's part was actually better. this arraignment isn't the same as the hit.
She should listen to Paganini.
In an interview Charlie Daniel's said that the devils playing was all smoke and mirrors -- not as difficult as it might sound
She called it a violin
In case some don't know, a violin has strings. A fiddle has strangs. Charlie was sawing those strangs almost hard enough to make them smoke. What a talented guy. RIP.
Lol…you are so right!! Thank you for your service
Rest in peace Charlie
I was going to post the same thing. Heard a lil boy on Steve Harvey's show say the same thing. It has stuck in my mind for years.
Violin is the instrument. Fiddle is a technique.
Almost like fire flew from his fingertips, no? 😂
I had the joy of hearing Daniel’s do this song at a concert. Also, I met him in Nashville in the 70s at the first Fan Fair. He was signing autographs. He was from Wilmington, NC, and as a native myself, I wasn’t shy about talking to him. When I asked him, “Charlie, how are you doing?” He replied, “I’m “tarred.” That’s the correct pronunciation in some parts of North Carolina and the South!
Excuse the typing error in my post. As a former English teacher, I should have proofread the entry before posting it.
Charlie worked well into his later years and I had the great fortune of watching him live in syracuse new york right before he passed , old dude was full of energy and had the huge crowd on our feet and clapping and cheering, he busted the fiddle strings a few times, he just reached for backups , rip Charlie ill never forget that show
Represent that 315.
@@imdowd it was the new york state fair, I've seen lots of good shows there , a recent one was zz top right before dusty passed but the best , Chicago, I buy beers and dinosaur BBQ and enjoy the shows
Honestly bluegrass music is similar to heavy metal, after a good banjo or fiddle solo you'd expect them to smash the instrument, so much wild energy. FYI I really wish beth would react to an Alison Krauss and Union Station song.
Saw Charlie at the Hemlock Fair in 2000 or 2001.
@imdowd. Represent 585
Charlie's been gone three years now. There witll never be another like him. He was an icon.
As a southern boy, my high school years consisted of Charlie Daniels, Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Pure Prairie League as southern rock staples. All are well worth your consideration.
Don't forget the Allman Brothers.
as a northern boy a couple younger than you - my early twenties consisted of the same list
If she so gets the roar then she so gets the song !! 🎻
I grew up in exurban DC and if you weren't a fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd your sexuality was questioned
Allman Brothers
This song highlights the difference between playing a violin and playing a fiddle. I remember when this song was out and it had regular airplay not only on country radio but on all the rock stations in Detroit. Nice reaction.
Back in the day everyone knew this song. I had this on 8track.
I can confirm. Every station in town was playing it, I think. :)
“A violin sings and a fiddle dances.”
💯 This to me..is the Original "gangsta rapper"! It came out at the same time as "Rappers Delight" which is credited as the first Hip Hop song!
A violin has strings , a fiddle has strangs just ask Ricky scaggs and Kentucky thunder
I had the opportunity to see him live twice. At an outdoor concert a train was sounding it’s horn in the distance and he started dueling with the train horn. He was an icon of southern rock/country music. An amazing story teller and musician. The world is a darker place without him.
What's so great about this is, it hits on every aspect. Great story, great melodies and several different genres perfectly blended together. The vocals are spot on, the musicianship is amazing and it's real music that somehow connected with a mass audience. There's some songs that stand the test of time and this is one of them.
The harmonys got that good, because the Charlie Daniels Band is an old school blue collar band- they rehearsed relentlessly, and played wherever whenever, and to whomever. They were 110% committed- it was swim or drown. That's just how most of those southern bands were. I had the pleasure of seeing them live, and they were on FIRE. That was most definitely a bucket list item checked off!
Having seen a LOT of country artists live, I can tell you, country crowds absolutely do get that excited and roar like that. For example, when I saw Martina McBride, the crowd was so into it and so enthusiastic we made HER cry! Which is only fair- she had us all in the palm of her hand, and had the whole crowd in tears several times with the sheer power and beauty of her singing, and the lyrics of her songs. At more than one point, we were cheering so loud I was actually concerned we might bring the roof down on our heads, lol. For an example of what she can do, look up "Broken Wing" "Valentine" or "Concrete Angel" You won't be sorry!
When Alan Jackson came on stage next, he got much the same reaction.
The things they sing about hit close to home, ALL of them sing just as good live as in the studio, and the bands come to PLAY. We're all there to have a great time, and paint the town red, sooo.
Oh man Concrete Angel is a real heartbreaker, I love that song, Martina is amazing.
I've always enjoyed this one, and yes, I can remember when it used to play on the radio.
Me too so I guess that officially makes us old.
Still is played on the radio
@@markwilliams6394 I saw them perform this when it was released, same tour this was recorded from. It does make ya feel old.
@@gold98gtp yeah, I can remember hearing it well into the 00's on the radio, would have no idea now as I barely ever listen to the radio now, basically only when I buy a new car and don't have any way of getting other sources of music into it yet.
@@gold98gtp, true, but it is the re-recorded one where he says "you son of a gun"
This is the 1st song I learned word for word. I got to see him 1992 and during the 1st song he was tapping the bow against his knee, broke it, looked at it, tossed it into the crowd, and reached back for a new one, without missing a beat. RIP Charlie.
Charlie played the fiddle so fast and hard he often went through 3-4 Bows in a LIVE set. Many videos show him playing with most of the horsehair broken and just flying around off the bow till the song ended and he quickly pull out another bow, from a tube full of spare bows, located near him onstage, and ready for the next song.
False
If you want to see a guy beat fiddles and bows into submission, look up Doug Kershaw... the Ragin' Cajun!
While this one really doesn't have a lot of singing, more spoken, but the fiddle feast is something to genuinely behold. And please note that the keyboards player has a broken hand, but is still banging it out. Charlie was one of a kind. It will be many years before we will see his caliber on the fiddle again.
I caught that too. It takes quite a player to play one handed and still keep up.
The best part? The smiles that the music brings to your face, you really feel it and it shows. Thanks!
This is CDB’s most popular song, but my favorite will always be “Still in Saigon.” It showcases Charlie Daniel’s’ true singing ability and is a chilling, emotional song about his PTSD from serving in Vietnam.
Still in Saigon is a great song. Takes be back to my younger days
Can't even see or hear the title "Still in Saigon", much less hear the song itself without thinking about my dad. 101st Airborne Vietnam vet.
@Rush Fanatic87, except for the fact that Charlie never actually served in the US Military, and never fought in Viet Nam, or in any other War. Charlie didn't even move to Nashville until 1967, and when he rolled on into Nashville in his 57 Chevy Car, he only had $20 in his pocket, and he had lost the Clutch in his Car. He started out in music as a Nashville Session Musician, playing with Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohn, and other prominent Musicians of that time frame before forming the Charlie Daniels Band in the early 70's.
My favorite is "el toreador "
This was all over the radio in the US in '79.
Country Rapping is exactly right. Charlie has been a big time favorite with me. He is sorely missed. Thanks for playing this classic!
Worked security for CDB back in the day...wild times..everyone born between 1970 and 1980 knows every word to this song...Primus does an excellent cover, but you have to watch the video, classic Claypool...
This song has been the bane of my existence my whole life (as an American professional fiddler born in the 80s), and it is such a joy to see you responding to it for the first time, reminding me why it ever became so iconic. And +50000% for the Vassar Clements callout! 💚💚💚
Beth, absolutely loved your reaction to Charlie Daniels ! You should check out some of his other songs, such as , long haired country boy, still in siagon, lengend of wolley swamp. Hope you do more of him soon ❤️!
Beth - You are incredibly discerning and intuitive in your observation of how to create a sound scape to tell the story of the music beyond just playing the notes. It may be the Irish in you that explains your love of country and bluegrass.
Glad you enjoyed this so much Beth - it's an absolute motherlode of a genre and I hope you explore it more. Vassar Clements was a virtuoso fiddler who started out with the legendary Bill Monroe and went on to pioneer this novelty-flamboyant style. He is most famous for his collaborations with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and their seminal 1973 triple-album opus 'Will the Circle Be Unbroken' featuring many bluegrass and trad. country luminaries of the day. On their double album 'Stars and Stripes' he does an amazing 'Listen to the Mockingbird'. For a more contemporary starting point, you couldn't go wrong with Alison Krauss and Union Station, especially their live Louisville concert. And that's just scratching the surface. Happy listening!
Thanks for mentioning Vassar. I went to school with his kids and once gave his stepson a place to stay when he was going through a hard time. Vassar profusely thanked me for this and showed me what a true gentleman he was.
@@bobcorbin3294 Wow. Props to you, sir. Sometimes referred to as the 'Father of Hillbilly Jazz'. How DOES it go, Vassar? RIP
You know a master at this craft when they are such consummate musicians that when they deliver their lyrics they use their voice as just another instrument 😊
Charlie Danials was an American Treasure...and like Roy Clark, he was a master of his chosen instrument. And yes, Tenacious D owe's an enormous debt to Charlie Danials' music.
I think him and Dio are Jack Black's biggest inspiration if memory serves correct
It took you saying "was" for me to find out that he had died. What a terrible world we live in and, now, a sadder one.
Despite his passing he still is
Love the joy in your eyes as you listen and obviously enjoy it
Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 - July 6, 2020) RIP Thanks for the music
Every so often, a person finds out about something legendary they didn't previously know. Enjoyed getting to watch your experience with that today.
A true American Icon. R.I.P. Charlie, you were one of the good ones. If you like country try Randy Travis - Three Wooden Crosses. No other voice like his.
I grew up listening to the Charlie Daniel's Band. I so enjoyed watching your excitement and discovery of them. They are ageless, proof in your face. Thanks for sharing.
The song also takes inspiration from the poem "The Mountain Whippoorwill" by Stephen Vincent Benét and has a bit of a sequel called "The Devil Comes Back To Georgia" with Daniels, the late, great Johnny Cash, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, and Mark O'Connor on O'Connor's 1993 "Heroes" album.
Mark O'Connor's Follow up like you mentioned is a collaboration between a whole lot of top Country Artists. I was so excited when I found out Mark had did a follow up - loved it extended the story between the Devil and Johnny.
Not to mention borrowing musically from Vassar Clements' Lonesome Fiddle Blues.
I ran a spotlight for Charlie many years ago. Got a bird's eye view as the strings on his bow fell off! I was backstage at one point and he poured me a drink. Seemed like a great guy!
Sadly he has passed on. What a great guy and a wonderful musician.
I got to play saxophone with a couple of session musicians from Nashville when I was playing out. They were both without fail the nicest people you could ever hope to meet.
Unfortunately we lost Charlie and there will never be another like him. Thankfully he was on the business long enough we have lots of music to enjoy!
Fantastic analysis of this classic! I've heard it a million times and never heard the details. Charlie Daniels is an outstanding musician!
The year that the Olympics were hosted in Georgia, one of the American gymnasts chose this for her routine and the crowd went wild. It was one of those iconic moments where she stuck every landing and the crowd was with her every step of the way. Afterwards, the Russian gymnast complained that she'd underperformed because she couldn't hear her music, so they gave her a do-over. One of those stories that become little legends, at least in your own personal history
Yeah, Dominique Moceanu. The Russians complains that the crowd reaction was literally blowing them off the beam when she was on. It was in the Georgia Dome so it was really a football stadium, so it was probably a bigger crowd than normal for gymnastics, so she may have had a point. I don't think they gave her a do-over though,- I feel like they filed a dispute but lost it. I might be wrong on that, but the way the judging worked back then, I think they could've just dropped that score so it didn't really matter that much.
Thanks for reminding me!.
I love seeing the genuine joy on your face as you listen and comment.
Charlie was an appreciated genius.
Just found your Channel awesome I'm from Midwest USA it makes me smile seeing your reaction for people that has never heard this music.. loving it...
I used to be a road manager for a band and we opened for Charlie Daniels. Our guitarist sat in for the encore and said it was the loudest stage he's ever played on. FYI, Vasser played with Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead) in the band Old and in the Way. You should really do a reaction to one of Garcia's tunes. Aug 9th it will be 27yrs since his passing. I'd recommend "To Lay Me Down" or "Reuben & Cherise" live of course.
DEFINITELY!
“I’ve never heard any one play a fiddle like that”. And you never will! Charlie Daniels is his own kind
This is one of the early recordings of this song. You should listen to a later recording after Charlie and his band had settled into the song and it isn't quite so rushed. I went to a concert of his about a year before he died. He was still playing at the top of his game. He only got better with age. One of the best pure musicians I've ever heard.
First, glad you listened to the original version and not the churchified version! This is the way it became famous! Another song of his that I love is Caballo Diablo, although he plays electric guitar on the live version I just referenced. He was a big cross-over artist back in the 70's. Saw him live in the late 90's, heck of a show!
I get a good chuckle when I hear younger "musicologists" compare classics such as this to more modern pieces by artists from other musical genres. Most modern musical newbies got their ideas from old timers like this- not the other way around (for example, the bluegrass, country and rock musical and syncopated story-telling style was around long before the 80's rappers took note and copied it- and, of course, the bluegrass story-tellers copied it from the English, Irish and Scottish jigs from many generations before that!) . Another thing: Most people don't really know the major difference between a violin and a fiddle: the curvature of the bridge on a fiddle is cut flatter to allow the fiddle player to more easily play two-note "chords" without having to move the bow around as much. Another point: At 00:23, take a look at the two black and silver boxes with the four knobs and round display with the flickering orange light. Those are Conn Strobotuners. Before modern digital tuning devices, these boxes were the only good way to accurately tune an instrument- whether in a studio, repair shop or live on-stage. These delicate, electro-opto-mechanical boxes used an electric motor spinning a disc with patterns printed on it, in conjunction with a strobe light that was modulated by the instrument's output (by a microphone or direct connection via an instrument pickup) to allow for tuning for each note in the chromatic scale that was selected by one of the knobs. Beth, you stated that Charlie Daniels was serious about his musicianship and having these boxes on-stage during a live show really does proves that point. I really enjoyed watching this video! Keep up the great work of bringing these classics back again to the forefront for a new generation to appreciate and enjoy!
Glad to see you react to this one. Charlie Daniels Band, and specifically The Devil Went Down To Georgia, is an American classic from my generation's childhood. There are songs that transcend American pop culture throughout the decades and that's easily one of those Mt. Rushmore-type timeless songs. Thanks for making the video!
I started laughing when you paused it and said "before we get to the end" about 4 notes before the end lol
The plot/story is essentially just a variation of "Faust".
A wonderfull reaction. You're one of the very best 'reactors' out there. And you're right, everything you said was right-on. Wonderfull harmonies, wonderfull fiddle playing, wonderfull story telling, a great performance.
My junior year in HS, several of us from the school orchestra played this at the school talent show. Fortunately, our "fiddle" player went to Juilliard after he graduated HS, so we had the hard part covered. I ended up playing the piano part, which was pretty close to the limit of my talent at that time.
Also, if you look closely at 3:43, he quickly retunes the E string.
Really good music, without words paints a picture. The words to a song put in the fine details.
"I've never heard anyone play the fiddle like that". Well, it was the devil, after all - lol! Wasn't he great? Perfect enunciation in that rapid-fire delivery. The reason Charlie got that delighted crowd chuckle at the line "you son of a bitch" is because it was changed to "you son of a gun" for radio play.
Actually, the original version got airplay for a long while. The edited version came out on the Urban Cowboy soundtrack (don't remember if the movie itself used the edited version, I only saw it once) and radio switched to that variant. The FCC let some things slide a little bit, but then they likely got few complaints - it was the devil getting the what for, after all.
Beth . I love the way you break down the vocals and the instruments. You are very knowledgeable. But what's also love your reaction the music . You throughly love it. Awesome job
It surprises me that you have never heard of The Charlie Daniels Band or the story of how a boy named Johnny won a golden fiddle off of the devil himself. Then again I remember that I live in the southern US and that song is required listening by the time you are five.
There was no one like Charlie Daniels, he was amazing. I saw him in person. Amazing concert. This is true country fiddle playing
He was an amazing "fiddle" player, he's played it so intensely before in concert that he's broken the strings on his bow.
Bows are made of horsehair not strings. They will fray as you play aggressively.
@@rogerwelsh2335 Yes but I didn't want to say he broke the horsehair?
One of the finest showmen ever. Encore after encore. Always the best show you were going to see that year. Saw them at the Denver Coliseum, Cheyenne Frontier Days and Red Rocks Ampitheatre.
Great reaction Beth! I have always loved Charlie Daniels and bluegrass music also. Would you react to Alison Krauss - Jacob's Dream. Alison started in Bluegrass and has a fantastic voice. Until recently, she held the number one spot for female Grammy winners with 27. Beyonce passed her in 2020 or 2021. The song Jacob's Dream is great story telling and based on a true event
Thank you.
I am so glad you like this. Charlie has always been one of my favorites. It was a sad day when I found out he died.
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another Charlie Daniels song you might be interested in is "Uneasy Rider" I think you'll get a kick out of it.
You should check this out:ua-cam.com/video/7gHORDBZuOA/v-deo.html.
Beth if you don't know yet Leo Moracchioli from frog leap studio did a metal cover of this. Pretty awesome stuff!
As far as I'm concerned he is the Original "gangsta rapper"! No one had ever done anything like it when he did this!!! Love this song! This song came out at the same time as "Rappers Delight". which is the song they credit as the Start of Hip Hop! But this song to me...really should be the beginning of rap! But since its a white man...lol.
Country music is America's favor genre followed by rock. Country is also pretty big all around the world. Country can take you as high as stadium rock and low as the blues.
I am so glad you liked this video. Charlie was darn good. We lost him a few years ago. He was good with multiple instruments. Good voice too.
I loved this song as a kid. Imagine how blown away I was when I found out many years later that there's a sequel - "The Devil Comes Back To Georgia". If you enjoyed this one, it might be worth looking into...
What?!?
Was lucky enough to meet Charlie several times during my life and got to know him. I've got a picture of me on his knee as a child and a guitar he autographed for me. Such a sweet man and an immensely talented musician. He will be missed.
Country fiddle at it's finest. Saw Charlie with Marshall Tucker Band. Great concert. Marshall Tucker plays similar style country rock. LOL no dear - that is not a violin, it's called a fiddle down south in the US 🙂
I saw “The Tucker Boys” in Santa Barbara 4 summers in a row back in 70’s… Charlie was a guest musician all 4 times!
Only difference between the two is the person playing it. In Charlie’s hands… that’s a damn FIDDLE
Have seen Charlie more than once over the decades. Never disappointed. Charlies bands have always been the best in the business. Listen to some of his other stuff from the 70's and 80's and musicianship of the band in those days is off the charts.
Yea, the man played hard, went through bowstrings and violin strings like crazy. I remember seeing a video of him playing, something like half the bowstrings were snapped, and he just kept on going.
We watched Charlie play at the Fox Theater in Atlanta Georgia just a few years before he passed away. You'd never guess his age by watching his performance, as high energy and precise as ever, a true professional.
Absolutely country western rap. There's a long "spoken song" heritage in country music. As good as Charlie was at fiddle, he was a better guitar player, and was a studio musician. Yes, Beth, the harmonies were really tight, thanks to Tommy Crain, Charlie's guitar player, who was always an inspiration to me as I learned to harmonize as I played guitar for lead singers.
Young people think "rap" is a new thing, but blues and country-western have long histories of using the technique.
I needed a ginger fix. Thanx for being here. The first thing I remember from Charlie Daniels was a song called "Uneasy Rider", a story about a road trip gone awry. Keep up the good work.
If you appreciate truly great musicianship, check out the late, great Roy Clark.
Damn right! One of the greatest guitar players of all time.
Roy Clark was a guitar virtuoso
YES
This song was my introduction to The Charlie Daniels Band, and I became an instant fan. This became my signature song when I started doing karaoke years later. I had the pleasure of meeting Charlie on two occasions, and he was a very friendly guy. I was so sad to hear about his passing.
I remember this song because in 1981 (I was 13), I and many of my friends joined Columbia House with their cheap as hell cassette tapes. It was such a scam. Anyway, Charlie Daniels I believe had a greatest songs cassette. Other than this song, The Devil went down To Georgia, is one song about the legend of woolly swamp. I really liked that one too.
I'm a couple years younger than you, but I remember (and bought into) that scam too! Vulture bastards!
The album is 'The Charlie Daniels Band: A Decade of Hits'. I had it on cassette, then CD when I started getting into those, and now I have it on digital. I ADORE that album, and it's still in rotation on multiple playlists on my phone.
Charlie Daniels was not only a great multi-instrumentalist musician and storyteller, he was also an all-around great person. Growing up for a time in Mt. Juliet TN (his hometown), I got to see him perform concerts several times at my middle school. He was very involved in the community and also worked with several charitable organizations.
Vassar Clemmons was also a local resident and maintained a recording studio in Mt. Juliet for several years. He spoke to a small group of us at that same middle school and played fiddle for us. It's a point of pride for me that the first fiddle I ever tried to "play" was his.
Oh, pro tip: the only difference between a FIDDLE and a VIOLIN is [a] who you're talking to about it, and [b] what kind of music you're playing on it.
So glad you got to Charlie on your channel.
You should react to Marty Robbins - "El Paso"
Followed by Faleena. That way she gets the whole story.
Love that song!!!!
"Big Iron" would be even better.
one of my favorite songs since it came out. thanks so much charlie!!! i'll never forget you for this pleasure!!
I'd love to see you react to the sequel The Devil Went Back to Georgia by Mark O'Connor, Charlie Daniels, Marty Stuart, Travis Tritt, and Johnny Cash. The fiddle work that Mark O'Connor and Charlie Daniels in that song shows off their high level of skill. Alison Krauss is another top notch fiddle player. If you want a great violinist, Lindsey Stirling is the way to go.
Don't forget about Mean Mary...
Your gonna love listening to more Charlie. Truly a great! My first concert. Long time fan.
The Devil isn't only in Georgia anymore, it's in the entire country.
Yeah, MAGA supporters are all over.
I was eight years old in Wichita, Kansas when Charlie Daniels played at the local amusement park called joy land. That was the loudest concert I’ve ever been to! I will never forget how loud that was.
he's not playing violin, he's playing a fiddle
I agree.
Charlie Daniels is the greatest fiddle player this world has ever seen and NOBODY will ever be able to match his skill and talent with the fiddle
in fact you DO expect that audience reaction, the classic country sound, tho, as recorded it was current.. excellent musicianship, classically good songs,, very unlike the mush that drips from the speakers with today's country "music"...
It was the tune that kick-started my love for Americana back about 25 years ago. Absolutely benchmark stuff and I'm so glad you enjoyed it too
Here's a suggestion: 1. Introduce song. 2. Listen to song. 3. React to song.
I’m from the UK and never really got into country but my dad got me to listen to this song and have just loved it ever since! It’s such a good musical masterpiece
Had the privilege a few years back to share a stage with Charlie Daniels and play his charity festival here in Tampa about 10 year ago. He was A Country Santa Claus! Speaking to him backstage I shook his hand and said “Pleasure to meet you Mr Daniels” and he replied “No son, call me Charlie!” Sweet man! RIP!
When it comes to the fiddle, Charlie was the best that's ever been. Truly one of a kind, and one of the great storytellers.
I'm thrilled that you got a chance to listen to this song. Like some others, I also remember when this song came out - I wasn't quite a teenager yet and still put a lot of faith in labeling music (I didn't like "country" except for some Alabama and Statler Brothers and Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn and of course Lynyrd Skynyrd and Eagles and anyway ...) but hearing this on pop/rock stations, I liked it right away, partly because of the fiddle (!), partly because of the story, and maybe just a little because of the bad word! (although in those days, it was pretty common for radio stations to play the version where he said "son of a gun")
I love the wide variety of music that you react to - you find music that's right in my wheelhouse and music I've never heard of and music I need to listen to. These are great videos and I hope you keep doing them, I always look forward to new ones to see if you've found a song I love!
Was privileged enough to be able to see him in concert twice.
He was better than video could possibly show.
I got to see Charlie Daniels Band live. It was an amazing concert. My favorite song by them is Reflections. R.i.p. Charlie Daniels, you were one of the greats. You are missed, but your music lives on.
Good morning from Mount Juliet Tennessee home of Charlie Daniels, glad you enjoyed the harmonies and the musicianship would you believe these guys just a couple years before were playing Jazz- Rock in the vein of the Allman Brothers check out some of their songs such as Saddle Tramp in the early to mid 70s
Always such a delight to watch you have a really great time.
I had the pleasure of seeing Charlie Daniels back in mid 2000s. He still had it and put on an incredible show.
My favorite thing about Charlie Daniels is the confidence he has to play the devil's performance, and then play the performance of the person who beats him. Just a great song with a great story, and one of the best all-time violin/fiddle pieces ever.
Saw him 3 times, including front row once, some of the best shows I’ve ever seen.
So now many years ago now I had the pleasure of seeing him live in the county fair it was amazing
Had the pleasure to see him twice before he passed away still just as good as what you just saw in the video
I was lucky to see Charlie Daniels in concert back in 1997. SO amazing. He is known for this song primarily but his catalogue us full of tons of amazing songs. He was a world class Fidel player. RIP Charlie.
Charlie Daniels, and this song in particular, transcended beyond just country music. In the day, this and a few of his other songs, were often heard on rock and top 40 radio stations as well.
This song is an absolute beast, I love the story, I love the fiddle playing, everything
Such respect for Charlie Daniels! Thank you! Most folks from these younger generations spend their energy trying to cancel folks like him rather then pointing out his obvious talents.
It was in late 70s in a small 900 seat house in Schenectady, New York, where I heard this song for the very first time.
This show was recorded at another local venue about twenty-five miles North of where I'd seen him the first time,
It's the player that makes the difference between a violin and a fiddle.
Got to see him live! What a show!!