Released: 2020
Chris Stapleton’s ‘Devil Always Made Me Think Twice’ is a gritty country song that tells a tale of a man’s struggle with temptation and his own vices. The song highlights the internal battle between good advice and bad influences, and the allure of the forbidden. It’s a classic country theme, with a Stapleton twist.
The song starts with the protagonist admitting his penchant for smoke and whiskey. These are his vices, his ways of unwinding. He’s not advocating for a destructive lifestyle, but rather acknowledging his own weaknesses. The phrase ‘killin’ my mind’ is a colloquial way of saying he’s trying to escape his thoughts or reality, but he never goes too far.
The second verse introduces a love interest, a woman who’s ‘trouble’. In country music, a ‘trouble’ woman often represents a seductive, irresistible force that the singer knows will lead to heartache, but he can’t resist. The ‘shovel’ and ‘grave’ imagery suggest he’s digging his own pitfall by pursuing her.
The chorus is a powerful confession. Despite his mother’s good example and his father’s advice, and even Jesus trying to guide him, the protagonist admits he’s often swayed by the devil’s influence. The ‘devil’ here symbolizes temptation and the allure of the forbidden, making him ‘think twice’ about his choices.
The song then moves to a future scenario, where the protagonist imagines being denied entry to heaven due to his sins. The phrase ‘six feet under’ is a common euphemism for death, and the ‘gate’ refers to the gates of heaven. The line ‘Son, you’re just a little too late’ implies regret over not changing his ways sooner.
The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, emphasizing the protagonist’s struggle with his vices and the devil’s influence. The repetition of ‘Devil always made me think twice’ underscores the constant battle between temptation and morality that the protagonist faces.
