"untile the devil's turned to dust", and idiom?

Question

so this is from the lyrics of a song, "...we don't drink until the devil's turned to dust...". Is the part in question some sort of (old) idiom, or is it just an artistic expression of the song writer? Thanks.

Clive · Accepted Answer

It's not an expresison I've ever heard before.
But I like it.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks Clive. So what do you think it implies? that we should never ever get to drink? because "til devil's turned to dust", well, if devil does in fact exist, will never come to be. If we were to take the words literally, that is.

Maybe more lyrics provided would be helpful?

We Don't Eat

Mister Micawber · Answer

That we don't eat until your father's at the table -- We wait for the head of the household before we begin a meal.
We don't drink until the devil's turned to dust -- We do not drink alcoholic beverages at all.

Sharkjoe · Answer

We will not celebrate before the enemy is defeated.

Anonymous · Answer

This is what I hear when I listen to it. I recognize something I know. It is just, Myself. As a human.

He is talking about the human spirit. Not religion...
This singer opens up in his song : He talks about where we comes from, the ocean, and that we forgot everything about what we are, because of the way life is going.
He's telling about what the spirit is, and the fact that we are prisonners in our own world.
He explains that we have to experience in our life on hearth, to see its beauty. He shows it with simple words : the sun, the sea, the mountain, the bay...
For what he is, he shares his kindness, even though things go wrong... because he is a human and cares, heartfully, for the others and his world.
He realizes whats important and what things can save him, so he remembers them, to save himself, and by the same way, he tries to reassure his loved ones ('I never met.... so if I were you...')
We learn that his mother educated him to respect his father and the ones who protects him.
And as for the devil, he is, in this song, 'the enemy',
You can't drink to your victory, because the enemy is all around you. You don't celebrate when the ennemy try to steal your freedom!

He wants the world to wake up, 'cause it is in a vicious circle... Consciousness : He wants the world to change.. He wants respect and understanding!
But for that. We have to trust ourselves.and each others. Trust our capacity to think with common sens.
.....
With or without the religion. We are able to do that. But first, we need to remember we can.

James is bright awake, in a world that sleeps (no') good. He is one *** big poet of our century! No interpretation at all in this song. Just the pure reality.

yes 2 years later... but it's never too late...

Isabel

Anonymous · Answer

My current theory is that James refers to the occurrence of ‘dust devils’ which happen during the heat of the day. ??

DM

"untile the devil's turned to dust", and idiom?

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