There is an old term "nv'r-do-well" that refered to men who for one reason or another alway find themselves in dire situations. They usually live transient lives, that often include past enemies or debts that could one day catch up to them.
Often, others will recognize these traits in a person. Thus the saying "trouble follows him around". Some of these men at some point recognize the cycle in their lives. When they do they adopt a life-style where they don't try to plant roots or plan for the future. When they arrive at a new home it is not with the intention of it being temporary; but the suspect something will eventually cause them to have to leave. It doesn't have to be their fault; it could lost job; cultural bias; addiction, depressions, even being duped.
These are the elements that would define a person as 'having a hellhound on their trail'. It is worse than just having a string of bad luck. General bad luck wounds the individual. Having a hellhound on ones trail ponders seemingly random string of life destroying events.
The hellhound is a what some would call being cursed. This line of belief fits with the lore of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil (where fugitively or literally.)
Given that Johnson, and many of his peers, traveled in circles that placed some weight in the powers of the occult; and that because of his lifestyle (described above) he was likely repeatedly told that he was going to hell; the meaning of his lyrics [for me] fall neatly into place.
There is an old term "nv'r-do-well" that refered to men who for one reason or another alway find themselves in dire situations. They usually live transient lives, that often include past enemies or debts that could one day catch up to them.
Often, others will recognize these traits in a person. Thus the saying "trouble follows him around". Some of these men at some point recognize the cycle in their lives. When they do they adopt a life-style where they don't try to plant roots or plan for the future. When they arrive at a new home it is not with the intention of it being temporary; but the suspect something will eventually cause them to have to leave. It doesn't have to be their fault; it could lost job; cultural bias; addiction, depressions, even being duped.
These are the elements that would define a person as 'having a hellhound on their trail'. It is worse than just having a string of bad luck. General bad luck wounds the individual. Having a hellhound on ones trail ponders seemingly random string of life destroying events.
The hellhound is a what some would call being cursed. This line of belief fits with the lore of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil (where fugitively or literally.)
Given that Johnson, and many of his peers, traveled in circles that placed some weight in the powers of the occult; and that because of his lifestyle (described above) he was likely repeatedly told that he was going to hell; the meaning of his lyrics [for me] fall neatly into place.