Get ready to head down to the crossroads for one of the most legendary "deal with the devil" stories in American folklore. This week we're exploring the myth of Robert Johnson—the Mississippi Delta blues guitarist who allegedly sold his soul for supernatural musical talent at the intersection of highways 49 and 61.

Born around 1911, Robert Johnson was reportedly such a terrible guitarist that fellow musicians wouldn't let him touch their instruments. But after mysteriously disappearing for three years, he returned with skills so extraordinary that witnesses swore it sounded like three people playing at once. In his tragically short life, Johnson recorded only 29 songs before dying under mysterious circumstances at age 27, making him the founding member of the infamous "27 Club."

But there's so much more to this story than supernatural guitar lessons. We'll dig into how this tale became the quintessential American devil legend, explore the racist origins of calling blues "the devil's music," and examine the darker historical context behind songs like "Crossroad Blues" and "Hellhound on My Trail"—which may reference sundown towns and the ongoing terror faced by Black Americans in the Jim Crow South.

From Haitian Vodou and Papa Legba to the birth of American blues culture, we'll trace how crossroads became synonymous with devilish dealings and why Robert Johnson's story continues to influence musicians like Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, and Led Zeppelin.

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**This week, we're diving into the groovy world of "The Devil and Daniel Mouse," a delightfully strange 1978 Canadian animated Halloween special that's pure 1970s magic. Originally aired on CBC on October 22, 1978, this 25-minute Nelvana production takes Stephen Vincent Benét's classic tale "The Devil and Daniel Webster" and reimagines it with anthropomorphic animals in the world of rock music.**

**The story follows Jan and Daniel Mouse, a struggling folk duo whose old-fashioned sound just isn't cutting it anymore. When the smooth-talking record producer B.L. Zebub (subtle, right?) offers Jan fame and fortune, she signs a contract in blood without reading the fine print. Soon she's the lead singer of "Funky Jan and the Animal Kingdom," topping the charts with her supernatural band of conjured animals. But when the Devil comes to collect her soul at midnight, it's up to Daniel—who's definitely not a lawyer—to defend her in a supernatural courtroom filled with ghostly music industry souls.**

**With music by John Sebastian of The Lovin' Spoonful and animation that screams vintage 1970s, this Halloween special later inspired Nelvana's cult classic feature film "Rock & Rule." Join us as we explore this wonderfully weird piece of Canadian animation history that asks the eternal question: can a song from the heart really beat the Devil every time?**

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
Check out the other podcasts in the Banana for Scale family of podcasts:

• Every Minute of Everything Everywhere All at Once
• The Exorcist Minute

We cover the 1941 film All That Money Can Buy (also known as The Devil and Daniel Webster), based on the short story The Devil and Daniel Webster!

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
Check out the other podcasts in the Banana for Scale family of podcasts:

• Every Minute of Everything Everywhere All at Once
• The Exorcist Minute