Hellhound on My Trail

"Hell Hound on My Trail"
Original 78 record label
Single by Robert Johnson
Released	September 1937 (1937-09)
Format	10-inch 78 rpm record
Recorded	Dallas, Texas, June 20, 1937
Genre	Blues
Length	2:35
Label	Vocalion (3623)
Songwriter(s)	Robert Johnson

"Hellhound on My Trail" (originally "Hell Hound on My Trail") is a blues song recorded by Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson in 1937. It was inspired by earlier blues songs and blues historian Ted Gioia describes it as one of Johnson's "best known and most admired performances—many would say it is his greatest".

According to legend, Johnson sold his soul to the devil in a Faustian deal at the crossroads in return for his musical talent. This song fuels the mystery and lore surrounding him as it suggests a man in the grip of evil, and his deal with the devil has become part of popular culture.

Prior to Johnson's song, the phrase "hellhound on my trail" had been used in blues songs.Sylvester Weaver's "Devil Blues", recorded in 1927 contains: "Hellhounds start to chase me man, I was a running fool, My ankles caught on fire, couldn't keep my puppies cool" and "Funny Paper" Smith in his 1931 "Howling Wolf Blues No. 3" sang: "I take time when I'm prowlin', an' wipe my tracks out with my tail ... Get home and get blue an' start howlin', an' the hellhound on my trail". The Biddleville Quintette's 1926 religious recording "Show Pity Lord" opens with a religious testimony declaring that "The hell hound has turned back off my trail".

Blues writers, such as Elijah Wald, see Johnson following Johnny Temple (1935 "The Evil Devil Blues") and Joe McCoy (1934 "Evil Devil Woman Blues") in adapting Skip James's 1931 song "Devil Got My Woman". The emotional intensity, guitar tuning and strained singing style of "Hell Hound on My Trail" are also found in James' performance. In the 1980s, however, another James record "Yola My Blues Away" (1931) became widely available on reissue recordings. "Devil Got My Woman" shares the tuning and vocal styles that Johnson displayed, but the "Hellhound" melody is closer to "Yola" than to "Devil". From the latter, Johnson took the device of repeating the end of lines with an attached musical phrase. Additionally, he used the lyrics of one of the verses from "Come On In My Kitchen". Blues historian Edward Komara concludes "It is probable that Johnny Temple used the "Devil" attachment phrases and lyrics while teaching "Yola" to Johnson".