Laura Veirs - Devil's hootenanny

I was walking through the snow When I saw a distant glow Of a farmhouse nestled down beneath the trees With a guitar on my back I thought it sure can't hurt to ask If I could stay the night And sing a pretty song for free I walked up to the house And then I knocked hard on the door That old dark piece of wood She fell right in there on the floor And as she did a fire burst out on all sides I wondered what the hell was going on inside Then the music that I heard It was bizarre, it was absurd Like no banjo fiddle bass I'd ever seen I stepped into a room of flames Shook my head and looked again It was the kind of company to make you scream It was a devil's hootenanny An old-time fire band A drunken whiskey choir singing Round me you understand And then they said, "We've been searching near and far For a thing like you to sing and play guitar"Well I opened up my case And all the blood rushed to my face I sang a fragile note, picked a minor tune Well those devils yelled and clapped And all their asses they did slap Before too long we were arm and arm beneath the moon Cuz that old house burnt on down There were cinders on the ground I snuggled up inside, closed my eyes I was sleeping sound And I dreamt of summer nights down by the sea With a devil's banjo playing on my knee