Summary

The speaker addresses a man they call “Mister Johnson” (Line 1), who is interested in making a purchase or trade. The speaker asks what the man is offering in return. They go on to describe themself in poetic and evocative terms, comparing themself to to varying degrees of light and darkness. Addressing Mister Johnson, the speaker calls his guitar the instrument of the devil. The speaker then describes themself in terms of hot and cold, using sensory imagery to confuse and seduce. Finally, they close the deal for Johnson’s soul.

Analysis

“At the Crossroads, Highways 61 and 49” establishes its premise immediately in the title. The term “crossroads” is already deeply associated with this particular legend as well as the blues tradition as a whole, but the further specificity of Highways 61 and 49, a publicly commemorated intersection in which Delta musician Robert Johnson was believed to have...