The Rolling Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil” Lyrics Meaning
On “Sympathy for the Devil”, Mick Jagger takes on the role of Lucifer, the devil. The tune was very controversial when it first came out, as some people interpreted it as proof that The Rolling Stones were in fact devil worshippers. And this was a game the band played along with, to some extent, as sort of a marketing shtick.
But coming to such a drastic conclusion based solely on this song, as Jagger himself has suggested, is a stretch or over-exaggeration. For the most part what it does read is as if he is reveling in a particular role, even if it is one which some people would naturally be offended by.
Moreover there is nothing in the wording which comes off as if he is trying to invoke “sympathy for the devil” per se. Rather he goes about delineating certain, shall we say evil points in history where he, the devil, was involved. For instance, he cites the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He also references the Russian Revolution of 1917, an event which ultimately left millions of people dead.
Jagger, in the role of Lucifer, also seems to imply that he was prominently involved on the Nazi side of World War II, thus having a hand in the atrocities such an association entails. Additionally it should be noted that he brings up the assassination of the highly-regarded Kennedy brothers in the 1960s, this time around though implying that the listener was involved as well as himself.
A Song that Celebrates the Devil?
But what some people likely deem as the offensive element of this song, beyond its focus on Lucifer, is once again the singer seemingly taking glee in his presentation. Indeed the devil is introduced as “a man of wealth and taste”, definitely not an entity to be disdained. And by the end of the song we basically have The Rolling Stones encouraging the audience to dance. So in a way, it can be accurately said that this track serves as a celebration of the devil or at least his character and accomplishments, so to speak.
But that is not to say that it is a celebration of evil. You ever heard the saying ‘the greatest trick the devil ever pulled is making the world think he doesn’t exist’? Well according to Keith Richards’ explanation of the lyrics, The Rolling Stones do not want you to forget that the devil exists. Indeed going back the aforementioned Kennedys’ assassination and how the singer involves the listener in that act also, the overall implication may very well be that he does not want them to forget his (the devil’s) ever-influential presence.
Conclusion
Based on the understanding above, perhaps a more accurate name for this song would be ‘acknowledgement of the devil’ or arguably even, from the singer’s perspective in particular, ‘admiration of the devil’. But all research considered, it would be a bit far-fetched to believe that The Rolling Stones intended this song to actually encourage people to engage in formal devil worship.
Writing of “Sympathy for the Devil”
This song was written by Rolling Stone mainstays Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.
Mick Jagger is recognized as the primary writer of this song. Originally it was entitled Fallen Angels. The title was even later changed to The Devil Is My Name before finally settling on “Sympathy for the Devil”.
The beat of this song was derived from a samba rhythm. Samba is a musical style which originated in the Black communities of Brazil. Jagger has acknowledged that due to its origins, it “has a very sinister” feel as far as “White people” are concerned. However, according to him, the main reasons he chose this style is because “it is a very good vehicle for producing a powerful piece” and also makes for “good dance music”.
Inspiration
And he had a couple of primary inspirations in writing the tune. One, in a roundabout way, were the works of a 19th century French poet by the name of Charles Baudelaire (1821-1867). And second is a novel entitled “The Master and Margarita” (1966) by a Russian writer named Mikhail Bulgakov (1891-1940).
Jagger was further inspired by French literature in general. And in composing this classic, to some extent he was trying to emulate the style of Bob Dylan, one of the most-influential musicians of the 1960s.
“The Master and Margarita” was actually given to Mick Jagger by Marianne Faithfull. Some readers will recognize Faithfull as a musician herself and more specifically, in relation to The Rolling Stones, as the woman whom Mick dated throughout the late-1960s.
Marianne also provided background vocals to “Sympathy for the Devil”. So did actress Anita Pallenberg (1942-2017), who was dating Keith Richards at the time.
Another possible influence on this song is a 1938 track entitled “Me and the Devil Blues” by the legendary rock-and-roll pioneer Robert Johnson (1911-1938). In fact according to legend, Johnson may have been the first modern American musician to have made a deal with the devil in the name of achieving career success.
Visuals for “Sympathy for the Devil”
Coming out in the late-1960s, as with most songs of that era, there is no official music video to “Sympathy for the Devil”. The first time this cut was performed live was at an event called The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus, which transpired on 11 December 1968. Said performance made headlines in November of 2020 when a video recording of it was made public for the first time.
“Sympathy for the Devil” was recorded in early June, 1968. At the time French filmographer Jean-Luc Godard was recording a film about The Rolling Stones entitled “One Plus One” (which would itself later be renamed “Sympathy for the Devil”).
An Ill-fated Concert
On 6 December 1969, The Rolling Stones headlined an event called the Altamont Speedway Free Festival which was held in at the Altamont Speedway, a venue in northern California. Said event attracted 300,000 attendees. And while The Stones were performing “Sympathy for the Devil”, the third song on their setlist, a fight broke out near the front of the stage. By the time all was said and done, an 18 year-old attendee was fatally stabbed by one of the security guards. And for the record, the security detail for the event was entirely handled by the Hells Angels biker gang. However, contrary to popular conception said individual, Meredith Hunter, was not killed during this song but rather “Under My Thumb”, the seventh tune on the Stones’ playlist.
Another musical act which performed at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival was Santana, the famous rock band fronted by Carlos Santana. And Carlos himself went on to explain that The Rolling Stones’ were, from his perspective, playing with fire in regards to the lyrics of this song since the devil is “for real”. Moreover he described their set at that ill-fated concert as being laced with a “demonic presence”. And Santana basically went on to disassociate themselves from the entire event.
Who was Meredith Hunter and how did he die?
Meredith Curley Hunter was an African American 18-year-old who was murdered during a performance by The Rolling Stones at the 1969 Altamont Free Concert. Hunter, also nicknamed Murdock, was noted for his big Afro and flashy dressing style. He, together with his girlfriend, Patty Bredehoft, his friend Ronnie Brown and Ronnie’s girlfriend Judy, journeyed from Berkley to North California, to attend the Altamont Speedway Free Concert.
Prior to this, his sister had warned him about racism in that area, prompting Hunter to carry along a revolver for protection. While the Rolling Stones performed “Under My Thumb”, Hunter climbed a speaker box near the stage. A number of Hells Angels members, who had been working as security guards for the event, chased him down. In the process, one of them punched him in the head and drove him back into the crowd. Within a few moments, an upset Hunter returned to the stage, this time pulling a revolver from his lime-green jacket and pointing it into the air.
Hells Angel member Alan Passaro immediately ran towards Hunter from the side. He deflected the gun with his left hand and then stabbed him multiple times with his right hand. Witnesses reported that Hunter was severely beaten and stomped by Hells Angel members when he fell to the ground.
The incident was filmed and featured in the documentary, Gimme Shelter by the Maysles Brothers. Alan Passaro was charged with Hunter’s murder but later acquitted on the basis of self-defense.
The Kennedy Brothers’ Assassination Reference in “Sympathy for the Devil”
This song features a reference to the assassinations of John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) and his brother Robert F. Kennedy (1925-1968). At the time Mick Jagger wrote the lyrics, RFK was still alive. However his brother, US President John Kennedy, had already been assassinated in November of 1963. So the original phrase of ‘who killed Kennedy’ was changed to “who killed the Kennedys?”
Guns N’ Roses’ Cover of “Sympathy for the Devil”
Amongst the acts that have covered this song are American rock band Guns N’ Roses. They did so as part of the soundtrack for Tom Cruise’s 1994 film “Interview with the Vampire“. And whereas The Rolling Stones’ original was not released as a single, Guns N’ Roses’ rendition was. And it went on to storm the charts in many countries.
Despite bringing success to Guns N’ Roses, the song also almost destroyed the band. And why? It played a significant role in making Slash leave the band. From the onset, Slash was reportedly against the idea of covering “Sympathy for the Devil” because he felt the original was too brilliant to be covered.
However, according to his 2007 autobiography titled “Slash”, his original guitar work for the cover wasn’t embraced by Axl Rose. Axl apparently wanted the track’s guitar leads to sound just like in the original. Slash didn’t want that. So the disagreement ended up putting a major strain on the band. Actually prior to that, he and Axl were no longer seeing eye to eye. And the whole confusion about covering this classic song was apparently the last straw.
Slash simply felt enough was enough and he accordingly quit the band. Slash has since famously referred to the band’s cover of “Sympathy for the Devil” as “the sound of the band breaking up”.
Notable Usage
Pop media franchises in which this song has been referenced include “V for Vendetta”, “Cowboy Bebop” and “Will and Grace”. It also played a prominent role in the famous 1971 “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” as well as the movie version of the book that came out in 1998.
When did The Rolling Stones release “Sympathy for the Devil”?
The song’s actual official release date, via Decca Records, is listed as 1 February 1969. It is the opening track on the band’s 10th studio album, “Beggars Banquet”.
The Rolling Stones re-released “Sympathy for the Devil” as what they dubbed a “maxi-single” in 2003. In other words, alongside the original recording were respective remixes by the following artists:
- English musician Fatboy Slim
- The famous production duo The Neptunes
- Full Phatt
One of the Greatest
On Rolling Stone magazine’s iconic list of the “500 Greatest Songs of All Time”, this song appears. As of 2020, the song is placed at the 32nd position on the list.
Famous References in “Sympathy for the Devil”
In addition to the assassinations of the Kennedy brothers, below other notable historic events The Stones mention in the song:
Bible References
In verse 1, the narrator mentions two notable incidents from the Bible. The first one is from the lines:
“I was ’round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain”
This refers a time during Jesus Christ’s crucifixion when he appeared to lose faith in God. According to Mark chapter 15 verse 34, while on the cross, Jesus (who was in severe pain) cried out to God, asking why He had forsaken him. Here, the narrator of “Sympathy for the Devil” is implying that he (the devil) was behind this. In Christianity, the devil is believed to have the power to make followers of God doubt or lose their faith in Him. The Devil often does this by putting the believers through so much torment that begin doubting God.
The other notable Bible incident the song’s narrator mentions in this verse is the role Pontius Pilate played in the death of Jesus Christ. He does this with the following lines:
“Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate”
The role Pilate played in the death of Jesus and what the washing of his hands means
Pontius Pilate was appointed by Roman Emperor Tiberius to serve as the prefect of Judaea between 26 and 36 AD. As part of his duties, he had the power to act as a supreme judge, meaning he was authorized to order the execution of a criminal. This is why the Jewish leaders handed Jesus over to him so he could order for his crucifixion.
In the trial of Jesus, Pilate was faced with a conflict of interest between the Sanhedrin Jewish Council and the Roman Empire. While he did not think of Jesus as a criminal as presented by the Jewish elders, the accusation brought against him for declaring himself ‘King of the Jews’ was regarded as an act of treason in Roman law. Pilate took it upon himself to summon Jesus privately, having been warned by his wife not to get involved with the execution. After Pilate questioned Jesus and found him innocent, he attempted to free him, however the Jews retorted that he should free Barabbas instead and crucify Jesus.
As the Gospel of Matthew describes, Pilate washed his hands in front of the crowd saying that he was innocent of Jesus’ blood. This was his symbol to indicate that he was not willing to be involved in the crucifixion of an innocent man. It was his attempt to dump the responsibility of the crucifixion of Jesus on the Jewish crowd who were demanding for him to give that order. Unfortunately, Pilate’s attempt to fully disassociate himself from the death of Jesus was quite futile.
The Russian Revolution of 1917
In Verse 2 of “Sympathy for the Devil”, the narrator (the Devil) once again apparently claims to have been responsible for the infamous “Russian Revolution of 1917”.
“I stuck around St. Petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the Czar and his ministers”
The lyrics above are a clear reference to the “Russian Revolution of 1917”. This Revolution marked a period of social and political revolution across the Russian Empire. It began in 1917 with the obliteration of the monarchy, and culminated with the Bolshevik establishment of the Soviet Union in 1923, after the Civil War.
The revolution started amidst the First World War, with the February Revolution which took place in and around Petrograd. Following the country’s major military losses during World War I, much of the army were ready to revolt. Members of the Duma took advantage of the chaos and assumed power. They subsequently formed the Russian Provisional Government. Emperor Nicholas II relinquished his throne as a result of the army leadership’s inability to stop the revolution.
Meanwhile, grassroots community assemblies known as Soviets who were led by socialists ruled alongside, as they were supported by lower classes. In 1917, the chaos erupted into the October revolution led by the Bolshevik. They successfully overthrew the Russian provisional Government, handing all authority to the Soviets.
The Bolsheviks then established the federal government to transform Russia into a socialist state which practiced soviet democracy. They eventually ended the country’s participation in World War I after signing the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk with Germany in 1918.
The 1918 Execution of the Romanov Family during World War I
In the same Verse 2, the Devil once again one Anastasia screaming in vain. This refers to the brutal execution of Russia’s Nicholas II and his entire family by the Bolsheviks in 1918. Anastassia was the young daughter of Emperor Nicholas II who was brutally murdered with her entire family.
“Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank, held a general’s rank
When the Blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank”
On the night of 16 to 17th July 1918, the Romanov family, the last Russian Imperial family were shot and bayoneted to death. This horrible act of evil was perpetrated by a group of communist revolutionaries under the instruction of Yakov Yurovsky. The family which consisted of Emperor Nicholas II, his wife Empress Alexandra, and their children, Olga, Maria, Tatiana, Anastasia and Alexei were executed in the wake of World War I. The family was executed alongside their palace servants.
They were imprisoned in the Alexander Palace, after the February Revolution, and were later moved to a house in Yekaterinburg where they were executed.
The youngest daughter of the family, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, was only 17 at the time of her family’s execution. The young girl is said to have crouched against the wall together with her sister Maria, covering their heads until they were shot dead.
Following her death, there were several rumors that she escaped due to the fact that her burial location remained unidentified during the period of Communist rulership. At least ten different women claimed to be her, with the most notable being Anna Anderson whose death and DNA tests confirmed that it was all a lie.
The remains of the executed bodies were not found until 1979 and 2007, when Alexander Avdonin discovered two unmarked graves in Porosenkov Log. Their identities were later confirmed through forensic and DNA analysis and finally acknowledged by the Soviet Union in 1989.
The European Wars of Religion Reference
Finally in Verse 3, the narrator (the Devil) appears to reference the infamous Wars of Religion. These wars lasted for about 10 decades and claimed millions of lives in Europe. According to the Devil, he “watched with glee” while it unfolded. Apparently, he was responsible for that too!
“I watched with glee while your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades for the gods they made”
The European Wars of Religion were a succession of wars that took place in Europe between the 16th, 17th and early years of the 18th centuries. The wars which disturbed the political and religious order prevalent in the Catholic countries of Europe, were triggered after the Protest Reformation started in 1517.
Several historians have disagreed with the description of the wars as based on religion, since that was not the primary or only factor leading to these conflicts. The other major motives for the wars included territorial ambitions, revolts, as well as Great Power conflicts.
The wars started with the 1522 Knights’ Revolt, followed shortly by the German Peasants’ war which lasted from 1524 to 1525 in the Holy Roman Empire. It became more intense following the Counter-Reformation by the Catholic Church against Protestantism in 1545.
The climax of the wars took place during the Thirty Years’ War (1618 -1648) which wiped out at least one-third of Germany’s population. By this time, Catholic France had come into an alignment with Protestant forces against the Habsburg monarchy. By 1648, the wars were largely resolved through the Peace of Westphalia which recognized three distinct Christian traditions in the Holy Roman Empire, namely Calvinism, Lutheranism and Roman Catholicism.
I think that your interpretation and understanding of sympathetic agreement may stray more toward empathy than sympathy.
To me, sympathy denotes a self-same path, rather than a reconciled or appreciative strangeness.
Sympathy for the Devil may be taking the same path, having the same feelings, throughout, rather then some confluence of different courses
Man is the devil. We create what is so we must have sympathy for the evil we…WE…have created
I think he is conveying that the atrocoties mentioned are humanity at it’s worst; ie; “the devil” is merely a convenient scapegoat for the most heinous things man does. There is the line “while your kings and queens fought…for the gods THEY MADE”. Obviously the religion he refers to is CREATED by humans, fought over by humans, which is, in an of itself, evil. To me it implies the singer is stating that ” true evil/ the devil” actuality lies in humanity and our ability to engage in the worst possible things imaginable, and we should keep a watch on that part of ourself that could be capable of doing these horrific things. But, art is interprative and personal, so that is what I get from it. Take care everone.
As pertaining to the dissection of good vs. evil, I believe you must take account both sides as well the axioms that inhabit specifically those areas in between. It’s defeating to many as it dawns upon one’s soul , and human history clearly indicates that destruction and death seems the only lesson our species truly understands. Although not all but many understand certainty exists a far better way. Yet this discord within , along with complexities we all face , it’s a beast that cannot be contained. Just like the devil in need of some restraint. The Rolling Stones are an amazing show to view in a live concert. And their a true testament to life’s ups and downs. The world’s greatest rock and roll band. Peace and love to all
Lucifer was exhausted from Heaven as a bolt of lightning- Luke 10:18. Starting a war with God in Heaven, taking 1/3 of the population, who to this day are the demons that roam the earth. They, (Demons) fear God and the mention of his name-how can WE not? Satan uses our weaknesses and fears to his advantage and try our faith in God. We must take pain and suffering as a reward, (if you’re a believer), after all, Christ suffered immensely, is the servant greater than the Master? It’s not about us. We are all sheep in this cruel world. We definitely need a Shepherd.
I, personally like this song, however, I find it vexing to listen to it because of my relationship with Christ.
I would say your problem is with the name of the song. This song had two other names originally it was fallen angels then The devil is my name Keith and Mick finally settled on Sympathy for the devil.
I want you to know I’ve known you over 50 years and i see somethings I did not see before be careful they are trying to kill us all they keep me on a spectrum list both ends and i have no diseases please make this stop yes its me dawn and I’m here at the ywcas in Bellingham Washington i can never get thru to you and i care but you know how i can be connected to such evil i love god you know that but I’m not so good like you remember the walk in central park they gave me a spider for the cover saying rolling stones did you know that im hurting say it will be okay for the sea anemones down all our throats please know cat is driving a jazy wheel chair and im not free the free spirit i am is locked up and you know a butterfly loses the film on its wings it dies and fallen angels weep and stir amidst the dark and dreary blurr i dont hate you its the carnie tammy that tries to kill me i thought she was you but she changed into look alikes of you at the dairy queen please forgive i don’t think so I’ve almost died ten thousand times but i forgive you or they’ll kill us all i love you and that’s not backwards please be safe and tell keith they are stuffing us all for our scent glands and elasticity i wasn’t the look alike whores I’m clean and been celibate over twenty years are you alright they told me you died a few months ago i was sad
tim is andy cornelius who stayed under the mcdonalds for five years then stayed with the mansons and is huge here in bellingham abd goes to the scottish lodge with a looki alike hes on a website all hydrated and keith looks half dead i was dieing in my apt while the look alike wanted to get rich off you and say she was me screwing in the street i hope everyone is okay i dont trust that guy he uses a hoof and made my dog cooper piss and now me god bless you tete (Te-te)
Trump is the devil as he boastfully said himself.
Mick and Keith were just trying to tell the world that the Devil is real, and that IT has been influencing events on this planet for a very long time. Who knows how they know that ? Perhaps IT appeared to them and tempted them with very large success if they would just sign a “deal with the Devil”. Others, such as Bob Dylan, seem to claim that he himself made a deal with IT, and the video of him saying that are online. But you can tell that he really doesn’t like to talk about it. One thing is for sure, there will come a time when anyone who made the deal, will be looking for a way to break the contract someday. Because it is just not worth it to sell your soul for an eternity of torment just for one lifetime of wealth and fame. Personally, I would be more inclined to suffer for one lifetime and have an eternity of bliss. That makes more sense to me.