Yow, yow
Yow
Mm-huh
Mm-uh

Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and faith
And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game

Stuck around St. Petersburg
When I saw it was a time for a change
Killed the Czar and his ministers
Anastasia screamed in vain
I rode a tank, held a general's rank
When the Blitzkrieg raged and the bodies stank

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
Oh, yeah
Ah, what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
Oh, yeah

I watched with glee while your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades for the gods they made
I shouted out, "Who killed the Kennedys?"
Well, after all, it was you and me
Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reach Bombay

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
Oh, yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
Oh, yeah
A-get down, baby

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
Oh, yeah
But what's confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
Mm, yeah

Just as every cop is a criminal
And all the sinners saints
As heads is tails, just call me Lucifer
'Cause I'm in need of some restraint
So if you meet me, have some courtesy
Have some sympathy and some taste
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, mm, yeah

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name
Mm, yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game
Mean it
Get down

Woo-hoo
Ah, yeah
Get on down
Oh, yeah
Mm
Bum, ba-bum, bum, bum, ba-bum
Ba-bum, bum, bum, ba-bum
Bum, ba-bum, bum, bum, ba-bum
Bum, dum, bum, bum, ba-dum, da
Yeah
Ah, yeah

Tell me, baby, what's my name?
Tell me, honey, can you guess my name?
Tell me, baby, what's my name?
I'll tell you one time, you're to blame
Ooh-hoo, ooh-hoo
Ooh-hoo, alright
Ooh-hoo-hoo, ooh-hoo-hoo
Ooh-hoo-hoo, ah, yeah
Ooh-hoo-hoo, ooh-hoo-hoo
Ah yes, what's my name?
Tell me, baby, what's my name?
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name?

Ooh-hoo-hoo, ooh-hoo-hoo
Ooh-hoo-hoo, ooh-hoo-hoo
Ooh-hoo-hoo, ooh-hoo-hoo
Ooh-hoo-hoo, ah, yeah

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Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by goodnews, serious, hades735

Sympathy for the Devil Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Abkco Music Inc.

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Sympathy for the Devil song meanings

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242 Comments

+38
Song Meaning
I think this song is sung in the point of view of the Devil, and is saying to stop blaming the Devil for everything bad. There are alot of references, including the crucifixion of Jesus, world war 2, and the assasination of John F. Kennedy. But who crucified Jesus? Man. Who started WWII? Man. What killed J.F.K? Man. This song is saying that the Devil didn't cause these things, he just "watched" while man did all the work. That's why this song is called "Sympathy for the Devil". It isn't saying to really have sympathy for him, it is saying that maybe we should stop blaming him for all bad things, and maybe start taking a look at ourselves

I think this song is sung in the point of view of the Devil, and is saying to stop blaming the Devil for everything bad. There are alot of references, including the crucifixion of Jesus, world war 2, and the assasination of John F. Kennedy. But who crucified Jesus? Man. Who started WWII? Man. What killed J.F.K? Man. This song is saying that the Devil didn't cause these things, he just "watched" while man did all the work. That's why this song is called "Sympathy for the Devil". It isn't saying to really have sympathy for him, it is saying that maybe we should stop blaming him for all bad things, and maybe start taking a look at ourselves

Reason:

serg340on December 29, 2010 Link
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@serg340

Absolutely agree. This song is all about man. Pilot, kings and queens, rulers, politicians, war mongers, you and me. It's all laid out right there in the lyrics. I don't for a second think that Mick Jager / Keith Richards intended any religiosity in any direction, but for me as a Christian and member of the human race I appreciate the song for pointing out the power that man has to destroy. It's easy to blame someone, be it the devil, God or any man, but the fact is we all have power over our actions (free-will) and it is us humans who enable all the terrible things to happen through our actions and apathy.

andrew1839on May 22, 2014

@serg340 That's exactly what I think. It is the evils of mankind that we care calling the devil.

asortofdreamon December 28, 2014

@serg340 I just stumbled upon your comment, good thoughts. Been a while since you posted you comment. I agree, but I would like to expand a little. It is also look into the very nature of nature of evil it self. It boasts of its conquests, power, threatens anything the will try to stand against it and will lie without hesitation. Of course these are all human traits, yet sometimes it seems that evil does take on a life all its own.

NobleHeadon February 14, 2015

@serg340 Either you believe in the Devil or you don't. If you do, you can't assign some evil to him, and some to man. You can't have it both ways--once you believe in the Devil, you've written humanity a free ticket.

DorianModeon February 28, 2015

@serg340 Please allow me to introduce myself ....I'M A MAN.... of wealth and taste.

It is the evil in MAN! They tell you in the 1st verse.

uhmanon February 21, 2018
+17
Song Meaning
The song taunts us over and over with "What's my name?" even after the narrator tell us to just call him Lucifer. His name is God. Not Lucifer, not Satan, but God. I used to think this verse was just bad grammar: As heads is tales Just call me Lucifer But the anwer is right there--cop is to criminal as God is to Lucifer. God in a bad mood is Satan. God in a bad mood lays our souls to waste: Just call me Lucifer, Cause I'm in need of some restraint. God in a good mood plays games with us: What's puzzling you Is the nature of my game. What's confusing you Is just the nature of my game. What a masterful song!

The song taunts us over and over with "What's my name?" even after the narrator tell us to just call him Lucifer. His name is God. Not Lucifer, not Satan, but God. I used to think this verse was just bad grammar: As heads is tales Just call me Lucifer But the anwer is right there--cop is to criminal as God is to Lucifer. God in a bad mood is Satan. God in a bad mood lays our souls to waste: Just call me Lucifer, Cause I'm in need of some restraint. God in a good mood plays games with us: What's puzzling you Is the nature of my game. What's confusing you Is just the nature of my game. What a masterful song!

Reason:

DorianModeon March 09, 2012 Link
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@DorianMode

I always took the song at face value, but I think you just nailed it.

proxxieon November 14, 2012

that is a fascinating take on it

needreon April 08, 2013

I like this interpretation best.

Also other things that suggest it is God and not Satan:

What's puzzling you
is the nature of my game.
When bad things appear to happen to religious people, they say God "moves in mysterious ways" or that "we cannot understand his reasons".

And all the sinner saints,
The Bible often shows a lot of sympathy for sinners, even seeming to encourage sin sometimes, check out Luke 7: 36-50.
Also the Bible is often known for speaking in contradictory terms.

Also, the first verse,
"And I was 'round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate"
is more reminiscent of God than Satan.

Gbardon September 20, 2013

I freakin love that interpretation. Well done.

Puploveron March 05, 2014

@DorianMode Love this interpretation!! I think you're right and can't even believe I have a higher respect for how this song was even written! Masterful is rgt!!!!

jason10983on December 02, 2014

@DorianMode It is a Satanic mockery of the Christian God to call him Satan's other half. God is not evil and does not lay souls to waste. If the songwriter is referring to God here it's NOT with any understanding of the Christian religion.

asortofdreamon December 28, 2014

@DorianMode Yep, and we should have sympathy for the devil because he and God are one and the same. God created the world, including war and injustice.

aristotelianon May 15, 2015

@DorianMode I agree the 1st verse.... I'm a MAN of wealth and taste. GOD created man in his image.

uhmanon February 21, 2018

@DorianMode So... You don't think the whole opposite thing could be because his name "Lucifer" means "light bringer"? And he's the Prince of Darkness?

Lucifer is his birth name, it was changed to "Satan" (or "Shaitan") meaning "adversary", which is more suitable and less ironic than "Lucifer".

Rather than all this clueless theology?

The name of the Christian god btw is either "Yahweh" / "Jehovah" or "El" / "Elohim".

greenaumon December 28, 2019

@DorianMode Yes!! I GET it now! I always liked this song better than "Gimme Shelter" which was dated, and referenced mostly Vietnam (although the soul singer doing the backing vocals was Astounding.) "...fought for ten decades over the Gods they made" gives it all away. Even Catholics and Protestants were burning each other at the stake in the Middle Ages and beyond. Interesting factoid: they had to change the song from "Kennedy" to "Kennedys" after RFK was assassinated in 1968.

drpoundsignon March 14, 2020

@DorianMode, You are lost in your understanding of God (love) and Satan (pride).

ken1173066on January 10, 2023
+7
General Comment
It's not Lucifer speaking in this song, it's God. Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails This song is saying that God is the real devil. It's a maltheistic song. So if you meet me Have some courtesy Have some sympathy, and some taste Use all your well-learned politesse Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah It's telling you to worship this evil totalitarian or you will suffer. The title "Sympathy for the Devil" is because people generally worship God and sympathize with him despite monstrous deeds. "Devil" is not a literal term. I don't actually believe God is this, just what I think the song is saying. I don't agree with it, but this is what I think it's saying

It's not Lucifer speaking in this song, it's God. Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails This song is saying that God is the real devil. It's a maltheistic song. So if you meet me Have some courtesy Have some sympathy, and some taste Use all your well-learned politesse Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah It's telling you to worship this evil totalitarian or you will suffer. The title "Sympathy for the Devil" is because people generally worship God and sympathize with him despite monstrous deeds. "Devil" is not a literal term. I don't actually believe God is this, just what I think the song is saying. I don't agree with it, but this is what I think it's saying

Reason:

PickleJelloon January 16, 2010 Link
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@PickleJello

What does 'maltheistic' mean?

Benioffon April 03, 2010

Basically, it means "God is evil."

PickleJelloon April 08, 2010

lol, you gave such a great explination, but fell short on the last reply. "God is evil" is a bit ridiculous. This might as well be an athiest or agnostic standpoint. Mack Jagger has stated that he was ambivalent to religion.

All polytheistic religions prior to Judeism and Christianity never believed in a god of "Evil" or devil. They worshiped gods for war and hunger and everything else "bad," but they weren't looked at negatively. They were still gods and in their eyes, better than humans. The Monotheistic religions created an evil force that apposed their only, all-mighty god. This made everything black & white (good vs. evil), instead of looking at the full spectrum of life.

tukoon April 26, 2010

@tuko Your pretentiousness is unbearable.
1. That is not what "atheism", nor "agnosticism" means. Neither of these concepts are even slightly related to a concept of an "evil god". You need a dictionary.
2. Zorastrianism had an "evil" god, as counterpart to the "good" god.

Learn to use Wikipedia, you unbelievably pompous fool. Or just don't speak unless you're sure you know a thing to be true.

dream10827on May 29, 2018
+6
General Comment
I think the meaning of this song is pretty obvious. This is clearly not a Satanic song. It's a cautionary tale. Evil is everywhere. It's a constant. Those who try to just go along with everything and ignore the fact that evil exists and do nothing about it are going to be consumed by the devil (Have some sympathy, and some taste/Use all your well-learned politeness/Or I'll lay your soul to waste). He is out to destroy us. To take us over. To remove our good. If we are apathetic to it or if we go along with it to save ourselves in the natural world, he will destroy our souls. We have to learn to recognize him (hope you guessed my name). He puts on a great disguise. We must sift through all the B.S. if we want to outsmart him.

I think the meaning of this song is pretty obvious. This is clearly not a Satanic song. It's a cautionary tale. Evil is everywhere. It's a constant. Those who try to just go along with everything and ignore the fact that evil exists and do nothing about it are going to be consumed by the devil (Have some sympathy, and some taste/Use all your well-learned politeness/Or I'll lay your soul to waste). He is out to destroy us. To take us over. To remove our good. If we are apathetic to it or if we go along with it to save ourselves in the natural world, he will destroy our souls. We have to learn to recognize him (hope you guessed my name). He puts on a great disguise. We must sift through all the B.S. if we want to outsmart him.

Reason:

thecaterpillaron March 12, 2011 Link
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@thecaterpillar

so well said

TiaMaria1on April 21, 2013

i don't think its obvious to tell the meaning of the song is because songs could have different meanings to people in different situations but i do agree that it is definitely not a satanic song. i do like your interpretation though

matt1999on May 16, 2013
+5
General Comment
I understand this as an admonishment that evil is nothing new and can disguise itself in many forms, as it has thru history.Even Christ faced this dilemma (of course, HE recognized it for what it was) Sympathy is thinking like the devil, the ultimate enemy, to effectively recognize and resist. It's a warning to those who are naive and accept everything at face value. Writing this in the first person further drives home the point of entering the mind of the ultimate enemy. I find this song almost too profound for a robot, take- everything-literally Christian to comprehend.Few ever get past the knee-jerk reaction because it portrays the devil in the first person. mmmmmm......... makes ya think, huh?

I understand this as an admonishment that evil is nothing new and can disguise itself in many forms, as it has thru history.Even Christ faced this dilemma (of course, HE recognized it for what it was) Sympathy is thinking like the devil, the ultimate enemy, to effectively recognize and resist. It's a warning to those who are naive and accept everything at face value. Writing this in the first person further drives home the point of entering the mind of the ultimate enemy. I find this song almost too profound for a robot, take- everything-literally Christian to comprehend.Few ever get past the knee-jerk reaction because it portrays the devil in the first person. mmmmmm......... makes ya think, huh?

Reason:

Laursauruson July 08, 2002 Link
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@Laursaurus
+4
General Comment
The man who wrote the article that a link was given to in the previous comment is a false prophet. The man is proclaiming hate, telling people to condemn these songs and singers for their lyrics, calling them prophets of Satan. The author of the article is saying that we are all weak minded and able to be swayed by these "satanic" lyrics if we listen to them. He says we should listen to christian songs only. The author is wrong. We sould be able to listen to whatever we want. We shouldn't be limited to only Christian music. This author is a prime example of why people are driven from Christianity. The author used misquoted lyrics in his article, the System of a Down lyrics read this: Father, Father, Father, Father, Father/ Into your hands/I/commend my spirit, Father, into your hands, Why have you forsaken me, In your eyes forsaken me, In your thoughts forsaken me, In your heart forsaken, me oh, not: Father (******) Brother (******) Father/ Into your hands/I/commend my spirit, Father, into your hands, Why have you forsaken me, In your eyes forsaken me, In your thoughts forsaken me, In your heart forsaken, me oh, In closing, I do not believe you should listen to this false prophet. Christ taught compassion, not hate.

The man who wrote the article that a link was given to in the previous comment is a false prophet. The man is proclaiming hate, telling people to condemn these songs and singers for their lyrics, calling them prophets of Satan. The author of the article is saying that we are all weak minded and able to be swayed by these "satanic" lyrics if we listen to them. He says we should listen to christian songs only. The author is wrong. We sould be able to listen to whatever we want. We shouldn't be limited to only Christian music. This author is a prime example of why people are driven from Christianity. The author used misquoted lyrics in his article, the System of a Down lyrics read this: Father, Father, Father, Father, Father/ Into your hands/I/commend my spirit, Father, into your hands, Why have you forsaken me, In your eyes forsaken me, In your thoughts forsaken me, In your heart forsaken, me oh, not: Father (******) Brother (******) Father/ Into your hands/I/commend my spirit, Father, into your hands, Why have you forsaken me, In your eyes forsaken me, In your thoughts forsaken me, In your heart forsaken, me oh, In closing, I do not believe you should listen to this false prophet. Christ taught compassion, not hate.

Reason:

Gilthanison June 20, 2002 Link
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@Gilthanis

@Gilthanis There's a problem with this post and others like it there is NO GOD. Nothing means anything until we as people give it meaning

raynedurandon December 17, 2014
+4
General Comment
This song is a direct shot at people with religious beliefs. It was meant for certain people not to get. In short, it is saying, to blame all the bad things in the world on a "character", is naive and uneducated. The only thing that would be more rediculous than this belief, would be the actual belief that Mick Jagger is actually the devil. This song, not only is extremely cleverly written, and disguised, but has some of the best guitar licks, and rolls along with the best r&b ever written. For those who still don't get it, I'm sure think Ozzy Osbourne is the prince of darkness, Alice Cooper is the Devil's son, and Marilyn Manson is, well "mister scary". What these artists all have in common, is they get to travel world, and see first hand the atrocities caused by religion. All were brought up very religious, and began to mock this belief, after worldly education. For all you young music listeners, I was like you, and at 15 took the words to this song literally, after learning about popular music extensively, and the different bands, I was able to see through the simple lyrics of alot of songs, but believe this one is one of the most important. "Who killed the Kennedy's?" after all it was you and me, and the russian's, and the mafia, and the.................. Not some dude in a red cape.The end lyrics give it away, "I tell you one more time baby, your to blame". Meaning us, people. It's a shame that alot of people weren't sharp enough at the time to get it, and for those who didn't, John Lennon had to write a song with no hidden tongue in cheek meanings. The shame is, when he wrote that song , people got it, but stuck their heads in the sand. Though it doesn't rock like "Sympathy", it's just as important, and 200 years from now ,people will know , "Imagine ", was sending the exact same message to an ignorant and confused society.

This song is a direct shot at people with religious beliefs. It was meant for certain people not to get. In short, it is saying, to blame all the bad things in the world on a "character", is naive and uneducated. The only thing that would be more rediculous than this belief, would be the actual belief that Mick Jagger is actually the devil. This song, not only is extremely cleverly written, and disguised, but has some of the best guitar licks, and rolls along with the best r&b ever written. For those who still don't get it, I'm sure think Ozzy Osbourne is the prince of darkness, Alice Cooper is the Devil's son, and Marilyn Manson is, well "mister scary". What these artists all have in common, is they get to travel world, and see first hand the atrocities caused by religion. All were brought up very religious, and began to mock this belief, after worldly education. For all you young music listeners, I was like you, and at 15 took the words to this song literally, after learning about popular music extensively, and the different bands, I was able to see through the simple lyrics of alot of songs, but believe this one is one of the most important. "Who killed the Kennedy's?" after all it was you and me, and the russian's, and the mafia, and the.................. Not some dude in a red cape.The end lyrics give it away, "I tell you one more time baby, your to blame". Meaning us, people. It's a shame that alot of people weren't sharp enough at the time to get it, and for those who didn't, John Lennon had to write a song with no hidden tongue in cheek meanings. The shame is, when he wrote that song , people got it, but stuck their heads in the sand. Though it doesn't rock like "Sympathy", it's just as important, and 200 years from now ,people will know , "Imagine ", was sending the exact same message to an ignorant and confused society.

Reason:

viper67on June 23, 2007 Link
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@viper67

@viper67 I might agree with you about most of these guys, but for the record, Alice Cooper is still a hardcore Christian, who sees his edgier stuff as sort of an ironic advertisement for the straight and narrow. (And it's entirely to Alice's credit that this atheist is still a huge fan.)

dean111133on May 23, 2016
+3
General Comment
i really think that the line about the troubadours is a metephore - the lost of young musicians to drugs, alcohol, ect. before they really meet their potential. and it is possible that everyone is just reading too much into it.

i really think that the line about the troubadours is a metephore - the lost of young musicians to drugs, alcohol, ect. before they really meet their potential. and it is possible that everyone is just reading too much into it.

Reason:

CeeJaion October 15, 2002 Link
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@CeeJai

i set traps for the troubadors to get killed before they reach Bombay is obviously a reference to the Beatles going to India.

Johnnyzoidon April 12, 2014
+3
General Comment
Troubadours were people in the middle ages who would travel from France trying to reach out to Europe and Asia of Gods true message but were often killed by Church officials or others before they could finish their journey.

Troubadours were people in the middle ages who would travel from France trying to reach out to Europe and Asia of Gods true message but were often killed by Church officials or others before they could finish their journey.

Reason:

hawaiipt1on February 28, 2009 Link
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@hawaiipt1
+2
General Comment
This song is clearly about God being responsible for what goes on. "Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails Just call me Lucifer 'Cause I'm in need of some restraint" "I shouted out "who killed the Kennedy's?" when after all it was you and me" "Tell me baby, what's my name I tell you one time, you're to blame" it's as simple as that. People like to blame the worlds problems on a "devil" or "evil" when it is Man himself to blame.

This song is clearly about God being responsible for what goes on. "Just as every cop is a criminal And all the sinners saints As heads is tails Just call me Lucifer 'Cause I'm in need of some restraint" "I shouted out "who killed the Kennedy's?" when after all it was you and me" "Tell me baby, what's my name I tell you one time, you're to blame" it's as simple as that. People like to blame the worlds problems on a "devil" or "evil" when it is Man himself to blame.

Reason:

tukoon April 26, 2010 Link
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@tuko

lol, I put God at the top... meant to put Man.

tukoon April 26, 2010

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Sympathy for the Devil

The Rolling Stones

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