Johnny went down into hell one night He was hunting for the devil's throne He beat around his name too long Figured he'd claim his own The flames were licking the cavern walls The air was thick with sin But he grinned and tuned his fiddle tie Said devil let's begin He laughed and said you're foolish son You'll burn before you win But he roused up that bow and said We'll see who melts in sin I ain't afraid of fire or brimstone You can damn me if I lose But I'm the best that's ever lived Oh boy so go on light that fuse Johnny was a hillbilly redneck Meaner than a dog on myth He said I beat every fiddle of breathing Ain't nothing left on earth worth a test So he loaded up his moonshine And he swore one drunken yell If the devil's still picking I'll find his ass I'm heading straight to hell Johnny went down to hell He wasn't running scared Said I came to take your fiddle boy If you still got one spare The devil grinned and said Hot damn I've waited for this day But I ain't playing country tunes down here We melt the strings away So the gates swung wide The brimstone popped And demons poured like beer The devil stood there smiling With the gobo slick and clear Boy you talk big for a mortal man But my fire's burned for years Johnny spit and grinned I'll smoke your ass and drink your flaming tears Johnny went down to hell He wasn't running scared Said I came to take your fiddle boy If you still got one spare The devil grinned and said Hot damn I've waited for this day But I ain't playing country tunes down here We melt the strings away The devil drew his bow across The pit began to roar The walls of hell was shaking Like a diesel engine's core But Johnny's fire was meaner still In that fiddle scream pure sin He bent the notes till angels cried And the devil's flame grew thin Smoke rolled up from johnny strings Ashes on his boots He said hell's just another honky-tonk And I'm the king of roots The devil dropped that golden bow And kicked throught the flame Johnny took it tipped his hat said Now you know my name Johnny went down to hell And he played that fire crane He left the devil staring dumbstruck In the glow of gasoline He said keep your crown and kingdom I just came to raise some hell You'll hear my fiddle ringing From the hollers down in hell