Sympathy For The Devilion

"Sympathy For The Devil" is a profound and complex commentary on the nature of evil and humanity's role in the atrocities of history. Sung from the first-person perspective of Lucifer, the song is not a glorification of Satan but a satirical exploration of human hypocrisy and culpability. The Devil, presented as a 'man of wealth and taste,' distances himself from the crude, horned caricature of evil and instead portrays himself as a sophisticated, intellectual force who has been a constant companion and facilitator throughout human history. By recounting his presence at pivotal moments of violence and chaos—the crucifixion of Christ, the Russian Revolution, the World Wars, and the Kennedy assassinations—the song argues that evil is not an external force acting upon humanity, but an intrinsic part of it. The lyric "I shouted out, 'Who killed the Kennedys?' / When after all, it was you and me" directly implicates the listener and society at large, suggesting collective responsibility for the world's evils. The song's title is ironic; it asks for 'sympathy' for a character who embodies the dark side of human nature, challenging the listener to recognize their own capacity for evil rather than projecting it onto a mythical figure. It explores themes of moral ambiguity, the reversal of values ('every cop is a criminal / And all the sinners saints'), and the seductive nature of chaos.

A character introduces himself with an air of sophistication and worldly experience, asking to be recognized. He reveals he is a timeless being, having been present for millennia, subtly influencing humanity's darkest moments. He was there during Jesus Christ's crucifixion, ensuring Pontius Pilate condemned him, thereby sealing his fate. He then whisks the listener to St. Petersburg during the 1917 Russian Revolution, where he took part in the overthrow and execution of the Tsar and his family, noting Anastasia's futile screams. His journey through history continues as he assumes the role of a general during the Blitzkrieg of World War II, reveling in the carnage. The chorus repeats his polite, yet chilling introduction, emphasizing the puzzle of his true nature and game.

He recounts watching with pleasure as kings and queens waged the Hundred Years' War over their invented gods. In a more contemporary reference, he implicates the listener directly in the assassinations of the Kennedys, suggesting that the blame lies with humanity itself—'it was you and me.' He again presents himself as a man of 'wealth and taste' and mentions ensnaring troubadours on their way to Bombay, a reference to the hippie trail and the dangers faced by cultural wanderers. The song's bridge offers a philosophical turn, equating cops with criminals and sinners with saints, presenting a world of inverted values where everything is morally ambiguous. It is here he finally reveals his name, Lucifer, and hints at a need for restraint, as if his power is a force of nature that must be contained.

In the final verse, he issues a demand and a threat. He insists on being met with courtesy, sympathy, and refined manners. Failure to show him this 'politesse' will result in the ultimate consequence: the destruction of one's soul. The song crescendos into an ecstatic, primal chant of 'woo-woo' and Jagger's ad-libbed demands to guess his name, transforming the sophisticated narrative into a wild, hypnotic ritual. The music, with its relentless samba beat, driving piano, and searing guitar solo, builds a sense of chaotic, dark celebration, leaving the listener in the intoxicating and terrifying presence of the narrator they've come to know.

"Sympathy For The Devil" was primarily written by Mick Jagger in 1968 during a period of significant social and political upheaval. The song's main lyrical inspiration came from Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita, which Jagger's then-girlfriend Marianne Faithfull gave to him. The book, a satire of Soviet society featuring a sophisticated devil visiting Moscow, directly influenced the song's narrative perspective and the portrayal of Lucifer as a cultured gentleman. Jagger also cited the French poet Charles Baudelaire as an influence. The song's working titles were "Fallen Angels" and "The Devil Is My Name."

The track was recorded in June 1968 at Olympic Sound Studios in London for the album Beggars Banquet. The song's evolution was famously captured in Jean-Luc Godard's film One Plus One (also released as Sympathy for the Devil). The film documents the song's transformation from its original conception as a slow, folk-like, Bob Dylan-inspired tune into the vibrant samba rock classic it became. Keith Richards was instrumental in this change, suggesting the faster tempo and percussive, Latin-influenced rhythm. The final arrangement features a distinctive groove with Rocky Dijon on congas, Bill Wyman on shekere, and Charlie Watts on drums, creating its hypnotic feel. Nicky Hopkins played the prominent piano part, and Keith Richards played both the iconic, blistering guitar solo and the bass guitar, as Bill Wyman was playing the shekere. The memorable 'woo-woo' backing vocals were contributed by Richards, Brian Jones, Wyman, Watts, Marianne Faithfull, Anita Pallenberg, and others in the studio.

The song is built around the central metaphor of the Devil as a debonair, historical narrator. This character is not a literal depiction but a symbol for the dark, destructive, and often seductive aspects of human nature. By personifying evil as an intelligent and charming 'man of wealth and taste,' the song explores how atrocities are often committed not by monstrous figures, but by ordinary people under the sway of ideology, power, or moral compromise.

Each historical event mentioned is a symbol of humanity's capacity for betrayal, violence, and chaos:

• Christ's Crucifixion: Symbolizes the ultimate betrayal and the manipulation of justice, where Lucifer 'made damn sure that Pilate / Washed his hands and sealed his fate.' This highlights the role of human cowardice and complicity in tragedy.
• Russian Revolution & WWII: Representing ideological fervor and mass violence, the narrator claims to have 'held a general's rank / When the blitzkrieg raged / And the bodies stank,' symbolizing how evil integrates itself into the very fabric of human power structures and conflict.
• The Hundred Years' War: This reference to prolonged, religiously-justified conflict ('fought for ten decades / For the gods they made') symbolizes the absurdity and destructive pride inherent in human belief systems.
• The Kennedys' Assassinations: This contemporary reference shifts the blame from a single figure to a collective 'you and me,' symbolizing modern society's shared responsibility for its own violence and chaos.
• The final plea for 'courtesy,' 'sympathy,' and 'taste' is deeply ironic. It symbolizes the Devil's demand for acknowledgment—a recognition that the evil he represents is not a force to be crudely fought but a sophisticated part of the human condition that must be understood to be restrained. To ignore or disrespect this dark potential is to allow it to 'lay your soul to waste.'

The emotional atmosphere of "Sympathy For The Devil" is a complex blend of menace, sophistication, and wild abandon. The song creates a pervasive sense of tension and unease right from its opening percussive beat. Mick Jagger's vocal performance is key to this landscape; he begins with a tone of suave, almost predatory charisma, presenting the Devil as a charming and intelligent socialite. This creates an unsettling juxtaposition with the horrific historical events he casually claims responsibility for.

As the song progresses, the emotional tone shifts and intensifies. The steady, hypnotic samba rhythm creates a feeling of an unstoppable, ritualistic dance, pulling the listener into its dark celebration. The introduction of the 'woo-woo' backing chants adds a layer of primal, collective hysteria. The emotional climax arrives with Keith Richards' guitar solo—a blistering, chaotic, and aggressive outburst that feels like the sophisticated mask of the narrator has been torn away, revealing the raw fury beneath. The song's outro, with Jagger's desperate, howling ad-libs, dissolves the initial politeness into a state of defiant, ecstatic chaos, leaving the listener with a feeling of exhilarating fear and moral ambiguity.

"Sympathy For The Devil" is one of The Rolling Stones' most iconic and culturally significant songs, cementing their reputation as rock and roll's 'baddest boys.' Upon its release on the 1968 album Beggars Banquet, the song immediately generated controversy. Coming after their album Their Satanic Majesties Request, the track fueled media-driven rumors and accusations from religious groups that the band members were devil worshippers and a corrupting influence on youth. This controversy, however, only enhanced their rebellious image and the song's mystique.

The song's dark themes and challenging perspective were highly influential, particularly on the development of heavy metal, with many later bands adopting occult imagery. It has been covered by numerous artists, including Guns N' Roses, Ozzy Osbourne, and Jane's Addiction, demonstrating its enduring appeal. The track is a staple of the Stones' live concerts, often accompanied by dramatic visuals. Its use in films and television has further cemented its place in popular culture. The song's creation was famously documented in Jean-Luc Godard's 1968 film One Plus One. A widespread misconception is that this song was playing during the infamous killing at the Altamont Free Concert in 1969; in reality, the song had been played earlier, but was stopped and restarted due to fighting in the crowd, adding to its turbulent legacy.

The 50th Anniversary Edition of the song is associated with the 4K restoration of Godard's film, which brought renewed attention to the song's creation and cultural context. It remains a landmark track, praised for its lyrical depth, musical innovation, and fearless confrontation of humanity's dark side.

The song's rhythmic and rhyming structure are key to its hypnotic and menacing effect. Lyrically, it employs a relatively simple AABB rhyme scheme in its main verses, which gives the narrative a storytelling, almost ballad-like quality (e.g., 'taste'/'waste,' 'pain'/'fate'). This straightforward structure makes the dark, complex subject matter more accessible and memorable.

The rhythm is the song's most defining feature. Rejecting a standard rock 4/4 backbeat, the song is built on a vibrant and complex samba rhythm. This choice, driven by prominent congas, shekere, and drums, creates a propulsive, dance-like groove that is both infectious and unsettling. The tempo remains steady throughout, which, as Mick Jagger noted, gives it a 'tremendous hypnotic power.' The interplay between the lyrical rhythm and the musical rhythm is crucial; Jagger's vocal delivery often floats over the beat with a relaxed, conversational cadence in the verses before locking into more intense, rhythmic chants and howls in the chorus and outro. This contrast between the sophisticated, lyrical storytelling and the primal, percussive energy drives the song's central theme of a civilized veneer masking underlying chaos.

"Sympathy For The Devil" employs a range of innovative stylistic techniques, both literary and musical, that contribute to its power.

Literary Techniques:

• First-Person Narrative: The song is told from the unique perspective of Lucifer, which forces the listener to engage with the themes of evil and culpability in a personal and unsettling way.
• Rhetorical Questioning: The recurring phrase 'Hope you guess my name' is a taunting rhetorical device that engages the audience directly, challenging them to understand the 'nature of my game.'
• Historical Allusion: The lyrics are dense with references to specific historical events, lending the Devil's narrative a sense of authenticity and timelessness, grounding the abstract concept of evil in concrete human actions.
• Irony and Paradox: The central theme is built on irony—a polite, sympathetic devil—and paradox, such as 'every cop is a criminal / And all the sinners saints,' which blurs moral lines and challenges conventional dualities.

Musical Techniques:

• Samba Rhythm: The song's foundation is a hypnotic samba beat, unconventional for a rock song at the time. This rhythm, driven by congas and shekere, creates a feeling that is simultaneously a dark ritual and a celebratory dance, underpinning the seductive nature of evil.
• Progressive Arrangement: The track builds continuously, starting with percussion and piano and gradually adding layers: bass, vocals, the 'woo-woo' chorus, and finally the explosive guitar solo. This creates a powerful crescendo that mirrors the escalating chaos of the lyrics.
• Vocal Delivery: Mick Jagger's vocal performance shifts from a suave, spoken-word style in the verses to snarling, aggressive ad-libs in the outro. This dynamic range captures the Devil's dual personality as both a sophisticated gentleman and a primal force.
• Iconic Guitar Solo: Keith Richards' lead guitar solo is notable for its raw, dissonant, and chaotic energy. It avoids melodic prettiness in favor of a jagged, fiery burst that perfectly embodies the song's violent and anarchic spirit.

What is the inspiration behind The Rolling Stones' 'Sympathy For The Devil'?

The primary inspiration was Mikhail Bulgakov's satirical novel 'The Master and Margarita,' which Mick Jagger's girlfriend, Marianne Faithfull, gave him. The book's portrayal of a sophisticated Devil visiting Soviet Moscow influenced the song's narrative voice. Jagger also cited French poet Charles Baudelaire as an early influence on the idea.

What is the meaning of the song 'Sympathy For The Devil'?

The song is not a celebration of Satanism but a commentary on humanity's capacity for evil and chaos throughout history. By having the Devil narrate historical atrocities from his perspective, the song suggests that evil is an intrinsic part of human nature, and we are all complicit ('it was you and me').

Who played the famous guitar solo on 'Sympathy For The Devil'?

The iconic, raw, and dissonant guitar solo was played by Keith Richards. He also played the bass guitar on the track, as Bill Wyman was contributing to the song's distinctive percussion by playing the shekere.

Who are 'the Kennedys' mentioned in the lyrics?

The lyric 'I shouted out, "Who killed the Kennedys?"' originally only referred to President John F. Kennedy. However, Robert F. Kennedy was assassinated on June 5, 1968, during the song's recording sessions, prompting Mick Jagger to change the line to the plural 'Kennedys' to include both brothers.

How did 'Sympathy For The Devil' change from its original version?

The song was originally written by Mick Jagger as a much slower folk song, in the style of Bob Dylan. It was Keith Richards' idea to change the tempo and arrangement into the frantic, percussive samba that defines the final version. This transformation was captured in Jean-Luc Godard's film 'One Plus One.'

What are the 'woo-woo' background vocals in the song?

The memorable 'woo-woo' chants were a spontaneous addition during the recording sessions. Producer Jimmy Miller and Keith Richards' girlfriend Anita Pallenberg started it, and soon the entire group in the studio, including band members and guests, joined in, creating the song's signature primal, chorus effect.

Was the song responsible for the death at the Altamont concert?

This is a common misconception. While 'Sympathy for the Devil' was played earlier in the concert and was interrupted by fighting, the song playing when Meredith Hunter was killed by a Hells Angel was actually 'Under My Thumb.' The event, however, became darkly associated with the song's menacing reputation.