# Pay the Devil

> Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pay_the_Devil
> Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Pay_the_Devil.md
> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_the_Devil
> Source revision: 1300231184
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2012}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = Pay the Devil
| type       = Album
| artist     = [Van Morrison](/source/Van_Morrison)
| cover      = Pdevil.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 6 March 2006
| recorded   =
| venue      =
| studio     =
| genre      = [Country](/source/Country_music)
| length     = 45:44
| label      = [Lost Highway](/source/Lost_Highway_Records)
| producer   = Van Morrison
| prev_title = [Magic Time](/source/Magic_Time_(Van_Morrison_album))
| prev_year  = 2005
| next_title = [Live at Austin City Limits Festival](/source/Live_at_Austin_City_Limits_Festival)
| next_year  = 2006
| misc       = {{Singles
 | name        = Pay the Devil
 | type        = studio
 | single1     = Playhouse
 | single1date =
}}
}}
{{Music ratings
|MC = 75/100<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/pay-the-devil/van-morrison|title = Pay the Devil by van Morrison| website=[Metacritic](/source/Metacritic) }}</ref>
|rev1 = ''[Allmusic](/source/Allmusic)''
|rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r819860|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]</ref>
|rev2 = ''earvolution.com''
|rev2score = (unrated)<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.earvolution.com/2006/03/van-morrisons-pay-devil-belfast-cowboy.asp |title=earvolution.com review |access-date=6 August 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080620203813/http://www.earvolution.com/2006/03/van-morrisons-pay-devil-belfast-cowboy.asp |archive-date=20 June 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
|rev3 = ''[Entertainment Weekly](/source/Entertainment_Weekly)''
|rev3Score = B+<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070208140100/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1169374,00.html Entertainment Weekly review]</ref>
|rev4 = ''[The Independent](/source/The_Independent)''
|rev4score = (unrated)<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/reviews/album-van-morrison--none-onestar-twostar-threestar-fourstar-fivestar-468205.html The Independent review]</ref>
|rev5 = ''livedaily.com''
|rev5score = (unrated)<ref>[http://www.livedaily.com/news/9701.html livedaily.com review] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080724072100/http://www.livedaily.com/news/9701.html |date=24 July 2008 }}</ref>
|rev6 = ''The Music Box''
|rev6score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>[https://www.musicbox-online.com/reviews-2006/vandevil.html The Music Box review]</ref>
|rev7 = ''[No Depression](/source/No_Depression_(magazine))''
|rev7score = (unrated)<ref>[http://archives.nodepression.com/2006/03/van-morrison-pay-the-devil/ No Depression review] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111008061110/http://archives.nodepression.com/2006/03/van-morrison-pay-the-devil/ |date=8 October 2011 }}</ref>
|rev8 = ''[Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone)''
|rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20071001091937/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/vanmorrison/albums/album/9391412/review/9544347/pay_the_devil Rolling Stone review]</ref>

}}<!-- Automatically generated by DASHBot-->

'''''Pay the Devil''''' is the thirty-second studio album by Northern Irish singer-songwriter [Van Morrison](/source/Van_Morrison). It was released in 2006 by [Lost Highway](/source/Universal_Music_Group_Nashville). The album features twelve cover versions of American [country and western](/source/country_and_western) tunes and three original compositions. It debuted at No. 26 on [The Billboard 200](/source/The_Billboard_200) and peaked at No. 7 on Top Country Albums;<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/59069/chart-beat |title=Chart Beat:Pay per Van|magazine=billboard|date=16 March 2006|accessdate=2008-08-06}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://countrymusic.about.com/od/charts/a/blcharts032506.htm|title=On the charts-Billboard country singles and albums|publisher=countrymusic.com|date=25 March 2006|accessdate=2008-08-06|archive-date=13 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013063251/http://countrymusic.about.com/od/charts/a/blcharts032506.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> it was listed at No. 10 on Amazon Best of 2006 Editor's Picks in Country in December 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?docId=1000033231|title=Best of 2006: Editors' Pick in Country|publisher=amazon.com|accessdate=2008-08-07}}</ref>

A deluxe edition of ''Pay the Devil'' featuring a video of five of the tracks taped during the performance at the Ryman was released on 27 June 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.losthighwayrecords.com/artist/releases/release.aspx?pid=1684&aid=248 |title=Van Morrison-Pay the Devil |publisher=losthighwayrecords.com |accessdate=2008-08-06}}</ref><ref name="Beautiful Day">{{cite web|url=http://corkuniversitypress.typepad.com/beautiful_day_40_years_of/van_morrison/|title=Beautiful Day: Van Morrison|publisher=corkuniversitypress.typepad.com|accessdate=2010-06-02|archive-date=7 May 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100507183159/http://corkuniversitypress.typepad.com/beautiful_day_40_years_of/van_morrison/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Songs==
The songs on the album consist of twelve cover songs and three originals. The cover songs are chosen from old-time country songs recorded during the 1950s and 1960s by well-known country artists such as [Hank Williams](/source/Hank_Williams), [Webb Pierce](/source/Webb_Pierce), [Merle Haggard](/source/Merle_Haggard) and [George Jones](/source/George_Jones). Morrison's three originals are written and sung to blend with the classic country cover versions.

Erik Hage described Morrison's version of "Till I Gain Control Again" written by [Rodney Crowell](/source/Rodney_Crowell): "There's a sense of fragility and defeat, and it is moving in a way that a Van Morrison song rarely moves the listener. The singer sounds utterly broken down and shaken: 'hold me now, hold me now' he unsteadily repeats 'until I gain control again'. Even Morrison's most emotional material in the past never projected such pretty frailty."<ref>Hage, (2009), p. 142</ref>

==Promotion==
Morrison previewed some of the ''Pay the Devil'' material at his live shows in the previous year.  He promoted the new album with a seven city tour of the US in March 2006.<ref name="no depression">{{cite web|url=http://archives.nodepression.com/2006/05/van-morrison-ryman-auditorium-nashville-tn/|title=Van Morrison, Ryman Auditorium|last=Mazor|first=Barry|date=7 March 2006|accessdate=2010-06-02|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100706051513/http://archives.nodepression.com/2006/05/van-morrison-ryman-auditorium-nashville-tn/|archivedate=6 July 2010}}</ref> On 7 March 2006, the day of its release in the United States, Van Morrison Day was declared in [Nashville](/source/Nashville%2C_Tennessee) by the mayor, and Morrison appeared at the historic [Ryman Auditorium](/source/Ryman_Auditorium) that evening for the first time.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1525667/03082006/morrison_van.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070117193707/http://www.cmt.com/news/articles/1525667/03082006/morrison_van.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=17 January 2007|title=Van Morrison offers country songs|publisher=[CMT](/source/CMT_(American_TV_channel))|date=8 March 2006|author=Calvin Gilbert|access-date=2008-08-06}}</ref> He continued to promote the album throughout 2006 and appeared at the [Austin City Limits Music Festival](/source/Austin_City_Limits_Music_Festival) on 15 September 2006 where his performance was listed as one of the top ten of the festival by [Rolling Stone](/source/Rolling_Stone_magazine).<ref>{{cite magazine | url=https://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11717282/the_10_best_shows_at_austin_city_limits_| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071016075548/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/11717282/the_10_best_shows_at_austin_city_limits_| url-status=dead| archive-date=16 October 2007| title= 10 Best Shows at Austin City Limits | magazine= Rolling Stone| accessdate=2007-03-31}}</ref>

==Track listing==
#"[There Stands the Glass](/source/There_Stands_the_Glass)" (Alize Gresham, Russ Hull, Mary Jane Shurtz) – 2:16
#"[Half as Much](/source/Half_as_Much)" ([Curley Williams](/source/Curley_Williams)) – 2:36
#"[Things Have Gone to Pieces](/source/Things_Have_Gone_to_Pieces)" ([Leon Payne](/source/Leon_Payne)) – 3:11
#"[Big Blue Diamonds](/source/Big_Blue_Diamonds)" (Earl J. Carson) – 2:56
#"Playhouse" (Morrison) – 4:14
#"[Your Cheatin' Heart](/source/Your_Cheatin'_Heart)" ([Hank Williams](/source/Hank_Williams)) – 2:32
#"Don't You Make Me High" (Daniel Barker, Ken Harris) – 2:47
#"[My Bucket's Got a Hole in It](/source/My_Bucket's_Got_a_Hole_in_It)" ([Clarence Williams](/source/Clarence_Williams_(musician))) – 2:22
#"[Back Street Affair](/source/Back_Street_Affair)" (Billy Wallace) – 2:49
#"Pay the Devil" (Morrison) – 3:03
#"[What Am I Living For](/source/What_Am_I_Living_For)?" (Art Harris, Fred Jay) – 3:57
#"This Has Got to Stop" (Morrison) – 4:44
#"[Once a Day](/source/Once_a_Day)" ([Bill Anderson](/source/Bill_Anderson)) – 2:52
#"[More and More](/source/More_and_More_(Webb_Pierce_song))" ([Merle Kilgore](/source/Merle_Kilgore), [Webb Pierce](/source/Webb_Pierce)) – 2:46
#"['Til I Gain Control Again](/source/'Til_I_Gain_Control_Again)" ([Rodney Crowell](/source/Rodney_Crowell)) – 5:59

==DVD track listing (Deluxe Edition)==
Filmed at the [Ryman Auditorium](/source/Ryman_Auditorium) on 7 March 2006
#"Playhouse" (Morrison)
#"'Till I Gain Control Again" ([Rodney Crowell](/source/Rodney_Crowell))
#"Big Blue Diamonds" (Earl J. Carson)
#"This Has Got to Stop" (Morrison)
#"There Stands the Glass" (Alize Gresham, Russ Hull, Mary Jane Shurtz)

==Personnel==
*[Van Morrison](/source/Van_Morrison) – [acoustic guitar](/source/Steel-string_guitar), vocals
*Crawford Bell – vocals
*Trionagh Moore – vocals
*Olwin Bell – vocals
*Paul Godden – guitar, [steel guitar](/source/steel_guitar)
*[Mick Green](/source/Mick_Green) – guitar
*Karen Hamill – vocals
*[Bobby Irwin](/source/Bobby_Irwin) – drums
*Ian Jennings – double bass
*Bob Loveday – violin
*Leon McCrum – vocals
*[Paul Riley](/source/Paul_Riley_(musician)) – [acoustic bass](/source/acoustic_bass_guitar)
*Johnny Scott – guitar, vocals
*Nicky Scott – electric bass
*[Fiachra Trench](/source/Fiachra_Trench) – vocals, [string](/source/string_instrument) arrangements
*[Geraint Watkins](/source/Geraint_Watkins) – piano
*Aine Whelan – vocals
*[Gavyn Wright](/source/Gavyn_Wright) – string section leader

==Production==
*Van Morrison – Producer
*Declan Gaffney – Mixing assistant
*Jerome King – Assistant engineer
*Alastair McMillan – Mixing
*Walter Samuel – Engineer, mixing

==Charts==
{{col-begin}}
{{col-2}}

===Weekly charts===
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2006)
! scope="col"| Peak<br /> position
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|26|artist=Van Morrison|rowheader=true|accessdate=19 November 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|BillboardCountry|7|artist=Van Morrison|rowheader=true|accessdate=19 November 2020}}
|}
{{col-2}}

===Year-end charts===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2006)
! scope="col"| Position
|-
! scope="row"| US Top Country Albums (''Billboard'')<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2006/top-country-albums|title=Top Country Albums – Year-End 2006|magazine=Billboard|accessdate=19 November 2020}}</ref>
| 58
|}
{{col-end}}

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

==References==
*[Hage, Erik](/source/Erik_Hage) (2009). ''The Words and Music of Van Morrison'', Praeger Publishers, {{ISBN|978-0-313-35862-3}}

==External links==
*[http://www.losthighwayrecords.com/artist/releases/release.aspx?pid=1684&aid=248 Lost Highway Records-audio samples] Pay the Devil
{{Van Morrison}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Van Morrison albums
Category:2006 albums
Category:Lost Highway Records albums
Category:Albums produced by Van Morrison

---
Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pay the Devil](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_the_Devil) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_the_Devil?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.