Ah….the good old Haunted Crossroads. Every great story about selling your soul to the devil has a “crossroads.”
Some would say that is is a metaphor for being at a crossroads in your life when can clearly take one path that is good for all, and another that is good only for you. Others would argue that there are literal crossroads where the Devil likes to hang out to do his business.
Others would also point out that the song “Crossroads” is one of the most covered blues staples ever…and relates to the story of Robert Johnson selling his soul to the devil to gain talent, fame and fortune. And the way Robert’s life turned out, one might tend to believe the tale.
Or…it could just be another prize for a mobile game, struggling to remain relevant after more than 6 years.
This directly from EA via Twitter…
So, are we at a crossroads in the game?
Well…yes…kinda. Because it IS the first prize in Act II!
But before we get to the details… Let’s take a look at the real Crossroads Legend, and the man behind it… Robert Johnson.
For many, the short, tragic, and less-than prolific life of this blues artist is like many others who lived fast, died young, and left a legacy. Joplin. Hendrix, Morrison, and countless others may not have had rock careers without Johnson. Because, many believe that it is the seminal catalog of Robert Johnson that made Rock and Roll possible. Certainly Clapton, The Stones, Led Zepplin and countless other British rockers would have become who they were, without purloining some of their earliest hits from Johnson and a ton of other American blues artists. Ironically, America didn’t really appreciate American blues, until British rockers brought it back. The artists certainly got paid better in England than they did here. But, not Robert Johnson. He was long, long, dead and gone.
Perhaps it’s a lesson about selling your soul. Or maybe you would have preferred “pop songs” like “How much is that doggy in the window” and “don’t sit under the apple tree” to the hip shaking, palpitating and sexually exciting lyrics and beats that came with Rock. But, for me…I’m glad Elvis and the Stones and countless others stole from the earliest, to create blues and rock that still resounds today…long after Robert sold his soul.
Here is the Robert Johnson story...and if you google it, you will also find out that there is a REAL Crossroads in the deep south.
“Devil’s Crossroads
This is “The Crossroads,” the location where the legend says blues musician Robert Johnson sold his soul to the Devil for the ability to play a mean guitar. The Crossroads has continued to gain popularity in music (“Highway 61,” “Crossroads,” “Cross Road Blues,” “Highway 49,” etc) and in movies (“O Brother, Where Art Thou?,” “Crossroads,” etc.).
And in Clarksdale, adjacent to the Delta Blues Museum, is the Ground Zero Blues Club, a former cotton-grading warehouse from the early 1900’s. Co-owned by Morgan Freeman, you can hear some great live Delta blues and chow down on some great southern grub, all in a venue considered to be one of the top 100 bars and nightclubs in America.”
But, here? In this game? It’s pretty much just another decoration…
Act 2, Prize 1- Haunted Crossroads
Size: 6×6
Conform-O-Meter: Vanity + 100
Can be Placed: On grass|pavement|boardwalk|pier|dirt
Arrangement Bonus: 2.80% when placed in bonus area
What Does It Do: Animated when tapped. Unlocks the ability to craft more
Dialogue When Placed:
Marge:Homer, we’re lost. I knew we should have asked that last ghost for direction.
Homer: What, and have Casper think I don’t know my way around. Not this mortal. See, a haunted crossroad sign. If you can’t trust that for directions, I’m a poltergeist.
TASK: Tap the Haunted Crossroads
Marge: Okay, the signs says this way to Eternal Damnation, that way to Mind bending Terror. Any other bright ideas?
Homer:Yes, let’s just abandon our old life, settle here, and run a crossroads gas station.