Hear Korn's Manic Cover of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" Featuring YelaWolf | Revolver

Hear Korn's Manic Cover of "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" Featuring YelaWolf

Jonathan Davis: "Country music is some of the darkest ever"
korn FANCHER 2 2019, Nick Fancher
Korn, 2019
photograph by Nick Fancher

Korn have a long history of surprising covers — from War's "Low Rider" to Cameo's "Word Up!" Today, they added to that lineage with a shreddy, frenetic take on the Charlie Daniels Band classic "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," joined by rapper YelaWolf. The cover, which was recorded during the sessions for the band's last album, The Nothing, is available exclusively via Bandcamp. All proceeds from the track will be donated to Awakening Youth, a nonprofit organization devoted to young people faced with the loss of a parent due to divorce, addiction, death, being surrendered for adoption, or other reasons.

Korn's cover isn't the first time that a rock band has taken on the song — Primus also did so in 2003 — and there's a good reason why. "I've always said it, but country music is some of the darkest ever," Korn's Jonathan Davis commented. "Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, and, of course, Charlie Daniels all turned pain into some really powerful music that sounded alive. 'The Devil Went Down to Georgia' is a classic story, and we wanted to release it now to help others in need."
 
The Bandcamp release continues the relationship between Korn and Awakening Youth. The organization figured prominently in the documentary LOUD KRAZY LOVE about guitarist Brian "Head" Welch. Awakening Youth fulfills a mission to uplift at-risk young men and women in the wake of losing a parent. The team offers one-on-one individualized support to personally encourage and motivate and, ultimately, restore families.