Can anyone tell me...

[PatTheRat]

the origin of the saying 'Caught between the devil and the deep blue sea'. I know it means something like 'Between a rock and a hard place, but where does it come from, and what is its exact meaning?

[Quizmonster]

Meaning pretty much exactly what you yourself say it does, the earliest recorded use of the phrase in English dates to a book published in 1637. It is also listed in one of the better-known books of quotations as "a proverb dating to the 17th century"...presumably based on the original published version mentioned above.

[brachiopod]

"A rock and a hard place await for for me
Between the devil and the deep blue sea"

 - The Sisters of Mercy

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The exact meaning?

Where would you rather be? On a rock, or somewhere very hard?

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Sitting with the devil, or drowning in the deepest ocean?

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The phrases represent a stuation where the two options you have are both very bad.

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(A bit like agreeing with Bush and suffering the consequences, or DISagreeing with Bush, and suffering the consequences)

 

[LordyGeordie]

isn't it something to with pirates making you walk the plank. the 'devil' was the pirate, who was going to stab you if you didn't walk, the deep blue sea would drown you. either way you're screwed!

[Marsh]

Further background at http://www.word-detective.com/back-l2.html#devilanddeepb lue