The devil told me

Posted by RRC on May 02, 2008 at 16:18:

In Reply to: The devil told me posted by PR on May 02, 2008 at 08:34:

: I was wondering if you had any idea as too who and when coined the phrase : "the devil told me to do it"? For as long as I can remember a personal incident took place when I was about 6-7 yrs. old - as I was chased by a candy store man (owner) for having stolen some candy from his place, as when he caught me by the arm and asked me that silly question, "who told you to steel this" and my answer was the Phrase - "The Devil Told Me".

I'd say the idea is as old as the story of Adam and Eve. If you were 7 years old in the early 70's, you might have also been influenced by The Flip Wilson Show's catch phrase "The devil made me do it." which was popular at the time.