adnan Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 I truly believe that the title was a ploy by the Stones to further develop the satanic public image they were flirting with at the time. The song itself, I feel, doesn't deserve to be tarnished by being called satanic. If anything it is anti-satanic. The song begins with the devil introducing himself in a gentlemanly manner, which is purposely done to be too polite and very creepy as a result. Then the lyrics purposely provoke and disturb to ensure that the audience begins to hate the devil (examples: I shouted out, who killed the Kennedys, when after all it was you and me). After that the music becomes less controlled and slightly more desperate and a piercing guitar and louder drums and piano are joined by creepy backup vocals. This is almost a natural progression of frustration, sort of as if the devil has started to show an uglier side after seeing himself fail to control the humans witht the previous effort. Slowly his gentlemanly tone turns into a frenzied screaming falsetto that oozes desperation and frustration at not being able to grab the attention.In the end, I honestly believe the song is as satanic as Mickey Mouse and actually is attempting to disturb the listener and cause him to despise the devil, as the evil voice becomes more and more persuasive throughout the song. To me, there is no "Sympathy" for the devil, except in the title. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ohdistortedsmile1789 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Dude, they weren't trying to persuade anyone in any way with this song, it paints a vivid and dark picture and does a good job of it. I wouldn't give a fuck if they were Satanic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axl_rose_gnr Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 I never said it was Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildrose Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Yes, and...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adnan Posted April 21, 2006 Author Share Posted April 21, 2006 All of you (except maybe ODS) don't seem to understand how controversial this song was and still is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axl_rose_gnr Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 All of you (except maybe ODS) don't seem to understand how controversial this song was and still is.and I was joking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wildrose Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 All of you (except maybe ODS) don't seem to understand how controversial this song was and still is.Is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnar Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 My interpretion is that it's written about mankind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ohdistortedsmile1789 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 A song from the point of view of Satan is interesting, so they did it. That's all there is too it. And I don't think they would let controversy curtail their art. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest zipgunboogie Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Her Satanic Majasties Request Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ohdistortedsmile1789 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Her Satanic Majasties RequestI think it's "His".Anyway, I've wanted to hear that album for a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adnan Posted April 21, 2006 Author Share Posted April 21, 2006 A song from the point of view of Satan is interesting, so they did it. That's all there is too it. And I don't think they would let controversy curtail their art.Exactly the point of this post... It was a superb, innovative song that was well ahead of its time which got unfair treatment due to a title that implied different to the content of the song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnar Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 (edited) Her Satanic Majasties RequestI think it's "His".Anyway, I've wanted to hear that album for a long time.Actually, it's ''Their''. Edited April 21, 2006 by Gnar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ohdistortedsmile1789 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 (edited) A song from the point of view of Satan is interesting, so they did it. That's all there is too it. And I don't think they would let controversy curtail their art.Exactly the point of this post... It was a superb, innovative song that was well ahead of its time which got unfair treatment due to a title that implied different to the content of the song.I think you care about public/critical opinion more than I do, I don't really care how it's thought of, because it's my favorite song from The Stones and nothing could taint or change that.Gnar-Oh so that's it, thanks. Edited April 21, 2006 by Ohdistortedsmile1789 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Volitan Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Dude, I don't think the song has a message. They were probly a little baked and just started writing down stuff, and that's what came out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ohdistortedsmile1789 Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Dude, I don't think the song has a message. They were probly a little baked and just started writing down stuff, and that's what came out.Now that's a stretch in the opposite direction. It was obviously well thought out and it's thematically quite sound, I couldn't just "start writing down stuff" and come up with that song. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnar Posted April 21, 2006 Share Posted April 21, 2006 Dude, I don't think the song has a message. They were probly a little baked and just started writing down stuff, and that's what came out.It has a message; that humans are evil. I've read Jaggers explanation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laval Posted April 22, 2006 Share Posted April 22, 2006 (edited) There's a great movie call SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL by JEAN-LUC GODARD!!! WORTH SEEING... THE ATHESIT PRAYERMEMBER OF THE FRENCH NEW WAVE Edited April 22, 2006 by laval Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adnan Posted April 22, 2006 Author Share Posted April 22, 2006 A song from the point of view of Satan is interesting, so they did it. That's all there is too it. And I don't think they would let controversy curtail their art.Exactly the point of this post... It was a superb, innovative song that was well ahead of its time which got unfair treatment due to a title that implied different to the content of the song.I think you care about public/critical opinion more than I do, I don't really care how it's thought of, because it's my favorite song from The Stones and nothing could taint or change that.Gnar-Oh so that's it, thanks.You're right. I'm one of those people who gets pissed off at misunderstandings of great art. It's annoying when a band can't play it at the Battle of the Bands, or parents don't allow it to be played etc. Because of some madhat misinterpretation of the whole thing. You may not care about what people think about it, but many others, including me, care quite a bit about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevGNR666 Posted April 22, 2006 Share Posted April 22, 2006 it certainly showed that jagger was no dumbass and that he'd been doing a little workout with the history books...the song's meaning's rather simple i think- everyone has the devil inside them- the indulgent BLAKIAN TYGER of experience that longs for that "evil" side to balance out the "good" and therefore you must have sympathy for it. ...and every cop is a criminal...all the sinners saints.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnUlmer Posted April 22, 2006 Share Posted April 22, 2006 (edited) *Sigh*...This song is told from the perspective of the Devil for irony. He's saying have sympathy for him because humanity has done far worse things as a collective whole. The irony extends further because all the events mentioned were human tragedies. "I killed the Czar and his ministers, Anastasia screamed in pain." This is a reference to the Russian revolution, for example. "...and the furnace stank."- The holocaust.And "him" when referring to the Devil is not capitalized.For more explanation:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sympathy_for_the_Devil Edited April 22, 2006 by JohnUlmer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ohdistortedsmile1789 Posted April 22, 2006 Share Posted April 22, 2006 *Sigh*...This song is told from the perspective of the Devil for irony. He's saying have sympathy for him because humanity has done far worse things as a collective whole. The irony extends further because all the events mentioned were human tragedies. "I killed the Czar and his ministers, Anastasia screamed in pain." This is a reference to the Russian revolution, for example. "...and the furnace stank."- The holocaust.And "him" when referring to the Devil is not capitalized.Good shit Johnny.It's "When the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank" by the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnUlmer Posted April 22, 2006 Share Posted April 22, 2006 *Sigh*...This song is told from the perspective of the Devil for irony. He's saying have sympathy for him because humanity has done far worse things as a collective whole. The irony extends further because all the events mentioned were human tragedies. "I killed the Czar and his ministers, Anastasia screamed in pain." This is a reference to the Russian revolution, for example. "...and the furnace stank."- The holocaust.And "him" when referring to the Devil is not capitalized.Good shit Johnny.It's "When the blitzkrieg raged, and the bodies stank" by the way.My bad. I haven't listened to it in a while. *Scurries off to play it.*http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=509 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adnan Posted April 22, 2006 Author Share Posted April 22, 2006 Guys, I'm aware of all these theories/explanations. I was just providing my own while explaining how idiotic people's reactions to the song and the title itself are/is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JohnUlmer Posted April 22, 2006 Share Posted April 22, 2006 Guys, I'm aware of all these theories/explanations. I was just providing my own while explaining how idiotic people's reactions to the song and the title itself are/is.I know, dude. I'm just saying I don't think it's been controversial for about thirty years (maybe even longer) and it's considered a classic rock song now. I haven't heard anyone complain about its title. Even my fundamentalist Christian mother doesn't worry about it. I wasn't being bitchy with you btw, I was responding to another guy in this thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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