Oh wow!!! Didn’t think of it from that standpoint. Excellent point. You’re so right. People tend to say it was the devil that made me do such and such. But because of your own free will the blame should fall at your own doorstep. Self accountability is everything…
He’s speaking of free will with the line “you’re to blame”. WE cause the evil on the earth with our god given free will, yet blame the devil for it all. WE don’t accept responsibility.
@Penderyn Well it seems to me that TRUE free will would be like someone who is in their right mind, but then decides to do something very stupid, but that would be more like a temporary insanity kind of thing. But just being a sinning unbeliever/atheist is a form of insanity, and you have to admit that those people do exercise their free will on a regular basis even if they really aren't aware of what the ultimate consequences of their decisions will come to? But simply deciding to go and waste your money on useless things is using your free will, so i don't get the point being made about it not existing?
@Penderyn Never found a shred of evidence for any of the thousands of gods worshiped or the devil. Only Keiff and Mick know what they really were singing about.
@@CaptWalker Free will is quite interesting and many people smarter than I have spent countless hours pondering it's existence or lack there of. It's not as simple as you make it out to be Dave and what you point out as a form of insanity is considered by many to be the only sane conclusion considering there is zero evidence to support the view of the believer/theist.
'Sympathy for the Devil' was released in December of 1968 - only a few months after the assassination of Robert Kennedy in June of that year (also the year Martin Luther King was assassinated). Imagine when this came out and people hearing that line "I shouted out who killed the Kennedys when after all it was you and me." Another great Rolling Stones song that was very much about the times they were living in is "Gimme Shelter".
True, and there's something else. Nearly all of the rock stars from that era who were born in Great Britain have memories from their childhood of Nazi bombs dropping down on the cities where they lived. Their childhood was filled with explosions and innocent people dying - every day. Thus, the reference to the "Blitzkrieg" in the song.
@@bartstarr100 And others. The Stones are really giving 'gifts' to their fans, with their truly beautiful and amazing videos which not only provide the lyrics but beautiful art work as well.
Mick Jagger and guitarist keith richards wrote the song. This song, to me, shows that bad people don't necessarily see themselves as bad - just as we may not see ourselves as bad because of our perspectives when we do wrong. We can always fool ourselves with proper motivation
I love how the song is so historically accurate. From Jesus Christ to the czars in Russia and Anastasia screaming in pain, to the nazis to Kennedy. It’s beautifully put together.
I think he's correct that we're to blame for evil in this world. He just suggests it but we accept that and actually do it. I get it. He's absolutely evil but we embrace it. I'll give him that. The Stones got that right.
It's a timeline story, guys....the Crucifixion, the Russian Revolution, World War Two, the Kennedy assassinations, civil unrest .... how the devil was behind so many of history's dark chapters. Try reading the lyrics isolated from the music, this song is extremely literate and expertly written. ☮️
It also points out that at every one of these turns he wasn't alone. Man was there too, and the real cause of the problems. Lucifer was there, but he never said he started the problems or wanted them, he just reveled in them with us.
I think it's dope how the devil starts out all calm going through what he was involved in throughout history and as the song goes on he keeps getting more and more manic like he just couldn't contain himself any more. Genius.
People blame all their sins on the 'Devil' when they have no one to blame but themselves. THEY made the choice of what they were going to do, and use the devil as a scapegoat. What a cop out.
In the music world, there have been legends, there have been icons… And there are THE STONES ☝️🤩👍. They are LIGHT YEARS ahead of “iconic & legendary” status 🤘😝🤘
@@cameronpickard7456 … I can’t think of another band or artist who’ve been around as long or longer than The Stones have. Groups like KISS, AC/DC & the Eagles come to mind & a solo artist like Sir Tom Jones, but The Stones have been rocking on for what seems like an eternity… LONG MAY IT CONTINUE!!! 🤘😁🤘
Nobody but Dylan could write like the Stones.... the Stones are the band Dylan wanted to be in. Like a Rolling Stone is Dylan's poetic way of who the Stones are.
@@TheoZoffrok Nope. Keith Richards did play both lead guitar AND bass on this particular track. Mick Taylor hadn't even joined the band yet. Brian Jones was still there., but not contributing a lot at that point.
Such a great song, I absolutely love all the historical references "Killed the czar and his ministers, Anastasia screamed in vain" and the way he points out that he, Lucifer, had help in all these acts of evil being committed.
i can't think of too many rock songs driven by the piano. just another reason this is so unique and timeless. there's a video of them creating this song over the course of a couple of days. these guys were artists and craftmen, going through many versions, chasing that vision. keep on rockin
"so if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy and some taste" In other words, Lucifer is reminding you that it is YOU (humanity) that did all those historical tragedies in the name of your gods and people in power. Don't blame the devil for your dirty deeds. This is one of the stones semi-early hits from the album Beggers Banquet (1968) Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote it.
Mick Jagger wrote the lyrics, a brilliant look at history and how man was responsable for it, Keith Richards wrote the music, the 2 of them are the heart of the Rolling stones, but the other members were the back bone
Jagger is believed to have come up with the lyrics and melody, Richards main contribution was only at the recording stage, where a change of beat gave the song a real boost when Richards introduced a samba rhythm. They always gave a co-credit even if they had written a song predominately alone.
@@MrDiddyDee There's even a little more to this story, even though you are very close. They were all a bit burnt out after Satanic Majesty because that album took so long and they had each faced jail time and prosecution over drug busts. After Majesty was released they all went on vacation to some private beaches in Brazil. When they returned, Sympathy was written - and it's a knock out. Like nothing ever done by anyone before or since. I have to believe that sitting around the beaches of Brazil, listening to the intricate rhythms that are played there, everywhere, must have influenced them.
The lyrics were based upon Soviet author Mikhail Bulgakov's novel, Master & Margarita; book was first published in the West in 1967; Mick borrowed a copy from Marianne Faithful; the book is not about satanism and neither is the song. In the song the Devil narrates history as he sees it.
No, the “sympathy” part is in the title, but it’s only part of it. What the devil is really saying is you better RESPECT me. The song is about the power of evil in the world. The world is a dark place, don’t hide from that, don’t deny it.
Jagger’s saying WE’RE responsible for the evil in the world. But we need to blame someone else, so we made up the devil. This is the devil’s response to all that. He’s saying he was there, all along. But again, it’s man doing the deed, not him. There’s a book, “The Master and Margarita”, by Bulgakov, that Jagger was reading at the time, that has some of these same ideas. If you want to explore all that a little more. But it’s a great song, and it’s cool to see you both dig on it.
Some People ,especialy those who go to Church on sunday to ask forgiveness while swearing and lying the rest of the week , still don't understand that the Devil and God are one and the same identity....he's like a jaekle and hyde type of guy.
What the song is basically saying is the he exists within all of us. It's a real masterpiece and an iconic soundtrack to all our lives, even though it was released at the time of Vietnam in the late '60's but it's still highly relevant, even today. Most of us can control his instincts and keep them hidden, but sadly, some just can't.
This is one of the first songs that i heard from the rolling stones. The other one is paint it black check it out it's a dope song like this one. Great reaction
There was actually a 1968 French film (but filmed in London and in English) called “Sympathy For the Devil” (or “One Plus One”), directed by Jean-Luc Godard, made showing the development of the song in the studio, so you can see it. Much of the movie is avant-garde 1960s political B.S., but there are long scenes of the Stones developing the song in the studio, and it’s pretty amazing how it changes from beginning to end. This song is unique. Unusually, it’s piano, percussion, and bass guitar-based, and the guitar is used for lead and support, not rhythm. This album, ‘Beggars Banquet’, seemed to come from nowhere. They’d started as a blues band, by this time had become a pop band, but were harassed constantly by the authorities, had spent time in jail, and came out a rocking blues band, amazingly changed, and this is the beginning of one of the most creative periods any band has ever had. This album and the next three, ‘Let It Bleed’, ‘Sticky Fingers’, and ‘Exile on Main St.’, were absolute classics and made the band a legend.
...And the Devil whispered in my ear "you're not strong enough to weather the storm" so I said back to him... "At least I didn't lose my golden fiddle to some hillbilly in Georgia"
Hands down better than anything Lennon and McCartney wrote ...and before everyone jumps on me I am a Beatles fan ...but lyrically this is just way ahead of anything else ... that beat on the congas..the guitar solo and the woo woo's are perfection !:)
I love them both, as everyone does and should, but I've always given the edge to the Stones over the Beatles. Simply because the Stones were a bit edgier.
The Beatles were 100% created by the CIA and MI6. The real Paul McCartney was whacked in the late 60s because he was going to come out with this disclosure... Since then, Billy Shears has played the role of Paul. Not just the Beatles, The Doors, The Grateful Dead and others were produced by the intel agencies to corrupt society. The plan to subvert the USA has been going on for many decades.
The Beatles were all about love. Young love, love lost, hopeful love. The Stones were more about reality. Gritty, down and dirty, the pain of reality. Both are great depending on your mood at the time.
I so understand and appreciate your honesty in this comment. This is a touchy and controversial subject, as I am a Stones fan, and my older brother is a devout Beatles fan. Let’s start and agree that they are both musical geniuses. We can never prove that one is better than the other because it comes down to each person’s taste that is not quantifiable. But my argument to my brother about who is better does revolve around this song. I have always said that I think that the Beatles are too bubble gum pop music, and the Stones were kick ass music. In 1965, this song is so many years ahead of its time. No Beatles songs came remotely close to this.
Mick Jagger writes all the lyrics of their non-cover songs. Keith Richards writes all their music. They don’t get enough credit for their songwriting skill.
This is a perfect Rolling Stones song! Mick just nails the lyrics, and Keith's guitar is menacing and scary. Needless to say the storytelling is epic! I've always thought that this is the best of The Stones early period, and the album, Beggar's Banquet. Is their best.
When my baby girl was like 10. She's in college now. This song came on in the car. We did all the back ground (who, who's) through the entire song. It was so fun.
You might also like the film, "Blow" (with Johnny Depp) which begins with the Stones "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" - also a great song with incredible guitar riffs by Keith.
@@MrModel--CAPTURED-ON-FILM And in Casino. Martin Scorsese used Can't You Hear Me Knocking with Joe Pesci & the guy who played Phil Leotardo in the Sopranos.
There may or may not be a devil, but there are certainly evil people. Rather than "the Devil" making us do things, we need to stand in our shoes and take the responsibility for all our actions, even those done under the influence...of booze, or bamboozlers. I never ever knew what the lyrics were saying, and only just now, because of you, I finally do. Eternally grateful. This is one badass song, through and through. The video, the graffiti lyrics...brilliant. I will hear it more fully from now on. Peace y'all.
And as far as I know, Bulgakov's book(The Master and Margarita) was not even published in the Soviet Union at the time(it was blacklisted), so Marianne Faithfull smuggled the manuscript out of the country! Read the novel, it is one of the best, and most interesting book ever written!
Props to you for knowing this book. I studied it at university on a Russian Literature course and thought it was wild. And now we have the TV series of "Lucifer" with yet another take on the story. I always did have a sneaking sympathy for poor old Satan!
Mick even says in the song who killed the Kennedys well after all it was you and me. The devil doesn’t actually do any evil acts on earth. We do! So sympathy for the devil is really saying sympathy for mankind. Absence of good allows evil to exist. Absence of god allows the devils will to take over but it is mankind’s choice to do good or evil.
My favorite line from this song: "Just as every cop is a criminal, And all the sinners saints"! The battle of right and wrong is a daily endeavor, and at any moment, if your not doing right, your more than likely doing wrong, the choice is yours!!!
Kind of reminds me of the Leonard Cohen song, "Everybody Knows" : "Everybody knows that the dice are loaded / Everybody knows the war is over / Everybody knows the good guys lost / Everybody knows the fight was fixed...."
Satan is saying of all the bad things i have done Man isn't exactly innocent either, and has done just as bad things, so Please everybody have some sympathy on me. Great Song & Reaction!!
One of the most insidious ''tricks'', as you phrased it, is convincing those who do evil or find themselves in unfortunate situations, that they are victims, which inevitably leads them to believe whatever they do is not their fault and therefore allows them to act without consideration of others or remorse.
Yes, the individual is ALWAYS at fault. We should never consider what might have actually caused the evil. Nope, just blame the individual. That way, you comfortably "deal with the problem" while the problem just keeps getting worse. Definitely the human way to do things.
@@seraiharper5553 You're responding to a point I did not make. Assigning blame is one thing. Responding to the problem is another. BTW, when someone commits robbery, assault or murder, how would you deal with these folks?
Naw man this is an older song of theirs, 60's I believe. And their saying that the devil whispers in our ears and helps along our evil ways but all in all we are the ones who commit the evils of the world and without us and our actions the devil has no power. He works through us and if we refuse to be evil and do wrong then he doesn't exist.
@@pinzgauerbelgium No because he gave us free will, therefore our actions are our own as well as the consequences. It seems to me that to put the blame of our actions onto another entity is a cheap cop out and we should hold ourselves accountable for our actions and strive to live on a higher standard.
Mick Jagger and Keith Richard were the main songwriters in the Rolling Stones. Jagger mostly did lyrics and Richards came up with many of the classic riffs but I'm sure Richards added lyrics too."Sympathy for The Devil "was based on a Russian novel that was circulating in mid 1960s bohemian circles called "The Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov."The story concerns a visit by the devil to the officially atheistic Soviet Union. The Master and Margarita combines supernatural elements with satirical dark comedy and Christian philosophy, defying categorisation within a single genre. Many critics consider it to be one of the best novels of the 20th century, as well as the foremost of Soviet satires." The story goes that Jagger got it from his girlfriend Marianne Faithfull and this inspired the theme of the song ......
Perfect, perfect analysis. The lyrics are inspired and the guitar solo from the bowels of hell. The devil saying, "Hey, this is on you, I'm just along for the ride. Give me a break!" He has no power but what we give him. He can't make us do anything, but he's right there to whisper in our ear when our faith is wavering.
In the song it´s all about "free will"..= that´s why at the end of the song - as final conclusion - there is the line where the devil says "you´re to blame" Here in the song the devil is introducing himself as "man with wealth and taste" as allegory for all the goals people like to achieve... because people for the most part do such nasty and often horrible stuff either in order to reach the status of "wealth and taste"/ "in order to achieve their goals" or to obtain their already reached status of "wealth and taste"/"to obtain their achieved goals"...in other words = they want to be "him = the man with wealth and taste"/ they chose to be like "him"/ they chose "his pathway to become like him"....The devil said in the song explicit "he was around" basically "he was a witness" and he didn´t say "he did" all those bad things in history which are mentioned in the song. ...and therefore at one point in the song he is calling for "having some courtesy and some symphaty for him" instead of blaming him, because you chose him as "role-model" and by doing so then that "blame the devil -act" is just pure hypocrisy when then people tend to blame the devil for all the bad stuff they have done as if they couldn´t help themselves and as if they had no choice. I hate when people say things like "The devil made me/him/her do it"...No he didn´t, it was always solely your/his/her choice to chose the "devil´s pathway"...and´that´s what the song is about. I love the allegory of "the devil is offering a contract in order to get the soul as payment for a certain goal people want to achieve in return" because here it is clearly shown "going the devil´s pathway" is always a choice
Love you guys checking out these classic rock songs and appreciating with an open mind. Just as me as a white dude has always loved soul, R&,B Motown, etc.snd was raised ion it. But, totally appreciate all genres for sure.
The Rolling Stones have always felt to me like the working man's version of the Beatles. It's not high art and you know exactly what they're trying to say.
Yet the Beatles were northern working class lads while the Rolling Stones where middle class London swots. The Beatles would grind away for 12 hour sets in the dregs of Hamburg red light district surrounded by whores, pimps and drunken, defeated, bitter nazies while the dillattante Stones presented their milky souless blues to the languid hipsters of The Earling Club. 'Plastic soul man, plastic soul'.
Written after Jagger read, “The Master and the Margarita.” Great history lesson, and a lesson on the essence of the human nature. Christ calls us to lift ourselves above that base level. From Austin, Tejas, Love y’all, Asia and BJ! Love Asia’s singing!
I love your take on this! A lot of people originally associated this with Mick Jagger implying he was the devil or a minion, and I just never got that. It was more from a third person perspective of the devil. Really ballsy for its time.
At the start of the video the 'Thanks Nicky' graffiti is for Nicky Hopkins who played piano on this track. He played piano and keyboards on a lot of other 'Stones (and 'Who) songs.
Actions are very powerful. The minute one makes an action, reality changes, probable futures change. Man's actions are responsible for a lot of the suffering in the world. Not the mythical scapegoat, the devil. The song is all about our own actions. Great one.
Mick Jagger wrote most of the lyrics. He was inspired by an English translation of a Russian novel It was a satire about the devil. Your interpretation of the meaning of the song was spot on.
"Sympathy for the Devil" is credited to Jagger and Richards, though the song was largely a Jagger composition.[3] The working title of the song was "The Devil Is My Name", having earlier been called "Fallen Angels". Jagger sings in first person narrative as the Devil, who boasts his role in each of several historical atrocities and repeatedly asks the listener to "guess my name." In a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone, Jagger said, "..that was taken from an old idea of Baudelaire's, I think, but I could be wrong. Sometimes when I look at my Baudelaire books, I can't see it in there. But it was an idea I got from French writing. And I just took a couple of lines and expanded on it. I wrote it as sort of like a Bob Dylan song."[3] It was Richards who suggested changing the tempo and using additional percussion, turning the folk song into a samba.
Sympathy for the Devil was written in 1968. There's a DVD by the same title that shows The Rolling Stones in the studio working on the song. Jagger read "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakoff. This gave him the idea for the song.
I don't own any stones, mom did - my favorite band is Zeppelin and the Beatles but the Rolling Stones are 1st ballot Hall of Fame band no doubt. The mark they have left on Rock and Roll is undeniable. Legends!
2 Must Hear Classic Hits From Opposite Ends Of Their Career,, The Rolling Stones "Get Off My Cloud" (Official Lyric Video) & "Fool To Cry" (Official Promo Video A Must)..Such A Beautiful Song..Truth!!..R.I.P. Charlie 🙏 ❤
Subscribed. Y'all are special in a way we all need. How you have made a channel in finding the beauty in things outside of our culture's normal trajectory in life, embracing it, and sharing the love with them. This is repairing that broken connection all sides are suffering from in the most beautiful gift from God. Music! Much love from South Florida! Look forward to many more.
Once the Woo-Woos start, they never quit. That's real commitment to backup vocals. That touch was Kieth Richards'. Keith also co-wrote the song, and plays the rhythm guitar, lead guitar and bass guitar on this particular track. Mick Jagger is a fantastic singer and lyricist. If anyone asks why I think so, I point them to SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL.
Guys you still have a great opportunity to go see the Stones live in concert, you live in US so don't miss out on it. It will change your life for real! 🤗 Don't wait on it unfortunately time is aginst them already Charlie Whats died so incredibly they are stil rocking out at 80 years old.
The Singer of the "Ballad of the Green Beret" Barry Sadler wrote a series of books called Casca the Immortal warrior. Its a book series that touches on every one of the eras in this song.
You have it backwards. People have blamed the Devil for their own evils for centuries. In this song, the devil is calling us out.
Yeah, that's exactly right.
Oh wow!!! Didn’t think of it from that standpoint. Excellent point. You’re so right. People tend to say it was the devil that made me do such and such. But because of your own free will the blame should fall at your own doorstep. Self accountability is everything…
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yess asia and bj would caught that if they saw the pharrel williams version music video of this song ,it bit hard with only lyrics
yep
He’s speaking of free will with the line “you’re to blame”. WE cause the evil on the earth with our god given free will, yet blame the devil for it all. WE don’t accept responsibility.
@Penderyn sure, blame it on who ever you want your devil to be, but end of the day, its all on you
@Penderyn Well it seems to me that TRUE free will would be like someone who is in their right mind, but then decides to do something very stupid, but that would be more like a temporary insanity kind of thing. But just being a sinning unbeliever/atheist is a form of insanity, and you have to admit that those people do exercise their free will on a regular basis even if they really aren't aware of what the ultimate consequences of their decisions will come to? But simply deciding to go and waste your money on useless things is using your free will, so i don't get the point being made about it not existing?
@Penderyn Never found a shred of evidence for any of the thousands of gods worshiped or the devil. Only Keiff and Mick know what they really were singing about.
Yes! You are so right!
@@CaptWalker Free will is quite interesting and many people smarter than I have spent countless hours pondering it's existence or lack there of. It's not as simple as you make it out to be Dave and what you point out as a form of insanity is considered by many to be the only sane conclusion considering there is zero evidence to support the view of the believer/theist.
'Sympathy for the Devil' was released in December of 1968 - only a few months after the assassination of Robert Kennedy in June of that year (also the year Martin Luther King was assassinated). Imagine when this came out and people hearing that line "I shouted out who killed the Kennedys when after all it was you and me."
Another great Rolling Stones song that was very much about the times they were living in is "Gimme Shelter".
True, and there's something else. Nearly all of the rock stars from that era who were born in Great Britain have memories from their childhood of Nazi bombs dropping down on the cities where they lived. Their childhood was filled with explosions and innocent people dying - every day. Thus, the reference to the "Blitzkrieg" in the song.
And Midnight Rambler.
I seem to recall hearing that the lyric was originally "Who killed John Kennedy", and it was changed after Robert died.
@Mike Rauch "Who" is this tribe? "Trump supporters" or "Biden Minions"?
@@MrModel--CAPTURED-ON-FILM yes. And the name Led Zeppelin and what that means.
Whoever made the video with the lyrics deserves a pat on the back. So well done.
This is an official video, not a fan job.
The same editor did "Gimme Shelter" and "Paint it Black"
@@bartstarr100 And others. The Stones are really giving 'gifts' to their fans, with their truly beautiful and amazing videos which not only provide the lyrics but beautiful art work as well.
Their album Some Girls is awesome.
@@LetsDoEntertainment It was still made by humans who deserve a pat on the back.
Mick Jagger and guitarist keith richards wrote the song. This song, to me, shows that bad people don't necessarily see themselves as bad - just as we may not see ourselves as bad because of our perspectives when we do wrong. We can always fool ourselves with proper motivation
Very apt description Jennifer!
Satanists are relativists, which means to them even pedophila and sacrifices is just a matter of taste
Tune is all Keef. Amazing what he did for this track.
@@anamarisa2800 In California they are attempting to change the law so that having sex with children is 'a choice', like a preference.
😁👍❤
I love how the song is so historically accurate. From Jesus Christ to the czars in Russia and Anastasia screaming in pain, to the nazis to Kennedy. It’s beautifully put together.
Screaming in "vain". But, otherwise, I agree with your comment.
I think he's correct that we're to blame for evil in this world. He just suggests it but we accept that and actually do it. I get it. He's absolutely evil but we embrace it. I'll give him that. The Stones got that right.
Are you sure about that Tom? Think.
Absolutely timeless masterpiece, probably one of the greatest songs ever written, sexy, dark and very scary indeed 😱
It's a timeline story, guys....the Crucifixion, the Russian Revolution, World War Two, the Kennedy assassinations, civil unrest .... how the devil was behind so many of history's dark chapters. Try reading the lyrics isolated from the music, this song is extremely literate and expertly written. ☮️
All the timeline incidents are man-made events. What he's saying is, yeah, I'm getting the blame but you f-ers were all there too
@Heavenly Sonshine Let's talk about murderous white supremacists. SMH
@@RicoBurghFan shit groups are both one in the same if they both follow shit ideologies and have bad moral ethics when demonstrating said ideologies
@Heavenly Sonshine Dear God!
It also points out that at every one of these turns he wasn't alone. Man was there too, and the real cause of the problems. Lucifer was there, but he never said he started the problems or wanted them, he just reveled in them with us.
"Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable."
"If you're going to kick authority in the teeth, you might as well use both feet"
I think it's dope how the devil starts out all calm going through what he was involved in throughout history and as the song goes on he keeps getting more and more manic like he just couldn't contain himself any more. Genius.
You got that right.
It’s awesome seeing them in concert and the whole stadium of people singing the “woo woo” part
People blame all their sins on the 'Devil' when they have no one to blame but themselves. THEY made the choice of what they were going to do, and use the devil as a scapegoat. What a cop out.
the devil tempts you and lies to you, but yeah, you choose to sin.
In the music world, there have been legends, there have been icons… And there are THE STONES ☝️🤩👍. They are LIGHT YEARS ahead of “iconic & legendary” status 🤘😝🤘
too right theyre on a different level nothing comes close lifelong fan
@@cameronpickard7456 … I can’t think of another band or artist who’ve been around as long or longer than The Stones have. Groups like KISS, AC/DC & the Eagles come to mind & a solo artist like Sir Tom Jones, but The Stones have been rocking on for what seems like an eternity… LONG MAY IT CONTINUE!!! 🤘😁🤘
@@gerardroll6468 There are a couple, such as The Kinks - but the Stones are on their own plane or higher level!
No one comes close. They are so powerful and timeless... making them important in music history.
Nobody but Dylan could write like the Stones.... the Stones are the band Dylan wanted to be in. Like a Rolling Stone is Dylan's poetic way of who the Stones are.
From the driving beat, the killer guitar solo and those lyrics, this song is pure fire.
Not only did guitarist Keith Richards play that blistering guitar solo, but he also played the amazing bass line in this song as well. Incredible!
that was Jeff Beck!
@@lorenprinc I thought it was Mick Taylor?
@@deandussias8780 I think you're right, Mick Taylor. *NO WAY* was it Jeff Beck!
@@TheoZoffrok Nope. Keith Richards did play both lead guitar AND bass on this particular track. Mick Taylor hadn't even joined the band yet. Brian Jones was still there., but not contributing a lot at that point.
@@LaStarza61Keith ended up playing almost all the guitar parts, lead and rhythm, on this album, as Brian was pretty much hopeless at this point.
One of the GREATEST ,iconic songs of all time! Nicky Hopkins killing it on piano! Woo woo!🤣
This song is muscially and technically complex yet simple. Genius.
Masterpiece! The irony and truth of the lyrics, the rhythm and the overall ambiance of the song... it truly is a great work of Art!
R.I.P. Charlie..Thanks For All You Gave Us..You Will Always Be Missed & Remembered 🙏 ❤
Such a great song, I absolutely love all the historical references "Killed the czar and his ministers, Anastasia screamed in vain" and the way he points out that he, Lucifer, had help in all these acts of evil being committed.
i can't think of too many rock songs driven by the piano. just another reason this is so unique and timeless. there's a video of them creating this song over the course of a couple of days. these guys were artists and craftmen, going through many versions, chasing that vision. keep on rockin
hahahah Asia knows the important rock rule - never pause a guitar solo!!! I was smiling so hard hahahahah:D
Asia said : What ??!! Did you just pause it in the middle of the guitar solo ? 🎸 😮😂😂
"so if you meet me, have some courtesy, have some sympathy and some taste"
In other words, Lucifer is reminding you that it is YOU (humanity) that did all those historical tragedies in the name of your gods and people in power. Don't blame the devil for your dirty deeds.
This is one of the stones semi-early hits from the album Beggers Banquet (1968) Mick Jagger and Keith Richards wrote it.
This is exactly what Jagger and Richards meant.the man's ugliest all inn the name of a gods
@@daviddmitchell "the man's ugliest all inn the name of a gods"
Huh????
I meant all of man's ugliness
No one to blame for the evils in this world but our own selves. I'm not a religious person but I absolutely love this song!
Mick Jagger wrote the lyrics, a brilliant look at history and how man was responsable for it, Keith Richards wrote the music, the 2 of them are the heart of the Rolling stones, but the other members were the back bone
Imho..mick is singing about the chosen one's of the old testament
Jagger is believed to have come up with the lyrics and melody, Richards main contribution was only at the recording stage, where a change of beat gave the song a real boost when Richards introduced a samba rhythm. They always gave a co-credit even if they had written a song predominately alone.
@@MrDiddyDee There's even a little more to this story, even though you are very close. They were all a bit burnt out after Satanic Majesty because that album took so long and they had each faced jail time and prosecution over drug busts. After Majesty was released they all went on vacation to some private beaches in Brazil. When they returned, Sympathy was written - and it's a knock out. Like nothing ever done by anyone before or since. I have to believe that sitting around the beaches of Brazil, listening to the intricate rhythms that are played there, everywhere, must have influenced them.
The lyrics were based upon Soviet author Mikhail Bulgakov's novel, Master & Margarita; book was first published in the West in 1967; Mick borrowed a copy from Marianne Faithful; the book is not about satanism and neither is the song. In the song the Devil narrates history as he sees it.
Mick Taylor played the best live solo to this song.. amazing guitarist
I never liked the Stones until later in life when I could appreciate their songs and music. They are iconic.
What took you so long? They were always incredibly AWESOME!!
I loved them instantly
I loved them from the first time I saw them in in the 1960s when I was a child.
I always liked them, but I appreciate them more and more decade after decade.
No, the “sympathy” part is in the title, but it’s only part of it. What the devil is really saying is you better RESPECT me. The song is about the power of evil in the world. The world is a dark place, don’t hide from that, don’t deny it.
Jagger’s saying WE’RE responsible for the evil in the world. But we need to blame someone else, so we made up the devil. This is the devil’s response to all that.
He’s saying he was there, all along. But again, it’s man doing the deed, not him.
There’s a book, “The Master and Margarita”, by Bulgakov, that Jagger was reading at the time, that has some of these same ideas. If you want to explore all that a little more.
But it’s a great song, and it’s cool to see you both dig on it.
The greatest trick the Devil has ever done is to convince men that he doesn't exist!
@@Albertanator He was made by Man, to control other Men, and have them believe absolute nonsense..
Some People ,especialy those who go to Church on sunday to ask forgiveness while swearing and lying the rest of the week , still don't understand that the Devil and God are one and the same identity....he's like a jaekle and hyde type of guy.
Exactly
These lyrics are beyond clever! As well as teaching history. 😎
Sometimes a piece of poetry can transcend all time. This could have been a brand-new release, and would be hailed as incredibly relevant.
True😎
Just like Black Sabbath's War Pigs , written over 50 years ago and still reads like front page news today.
"Gimme Shelter" is another masterpiece.
What the song is basically saying is the he exists within all of us. It's a real masterpiece and an iconic soundtrack to all our lives, even though it was released at the time of Vietnam in the late '60's but it's still highly relevant, even today. Most of us can control his instincts and keep them hidden, but sadly, some just can't.
This is one of the first songs that i heard from the rolling stones. The other one is paint it black check it out it's a dope song like this one. Great reaction
There was actually a 1968 French film (but filmed in London and in English) called “Sympathy For the Devil” (or “One Plus One”), directed by Jean-Luc Godard, made showing the development of the song in the studio, so you can see it. Much of the movie is avant-garde 1960s political B.S., but there are long scenes of the Stones developing the song in the studio, and it’s pretty amazing how it changes from beginning to end. This song is unique. Unusually, it’s piano, percussion, and bass guitar-based, and the guitar is used for lead and support, not rhythm. This album, ‘Beggars Banquet’, seemed to come from nowhere. They’d started as a blues band, by this time had become a pop band, but were harassed constantly by the authorities, had spent time in jail, and came out a rocking blues band, amazingly changed, and this is the beginning of one of the most creative periods any band has ever had. This album and the next three, ‘Let It Bleed’, ‘Sticky Fingers’, and ‘Exile on Main St.’, were absolute classics and made the band a legend.
...And the Devil whispered in my ear "you're not strong enough to weather the storm" so I said back to him... "At least I didn't lose my golden fiddle to some hillbilly in Georgia"
😂
Spot on
I love the interwoven history. I.e. 'made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate' is such a classic line.
One of my favorite songs ever, that huge choral backup towards the end is so great
One of the greatest rock songs ever written by the world's greatest rock and roll band!!
Hands down better than anything Lennon and McCartney wrote ...and before everyone jumps on me I am a Beatles fan ...but lyrically this is just way ahead of anything else ... that beat on the congas..the guitar solo and the woo woo's are perfection !:)
I love them both, as everyone does and should, but I've always given the edge to the Stones over the Beatles. Simply because the Stones were a bit edgier.
The Beatles were 100% created by the CIA and MI6. The real Paul McCartney was whacked in the late 60s because he was going to come out with this disclosure... Since then, Billy Shears has played the role of Paul. Not just the Beatles, The Doors, The Grateful Dead and others were produced by the intel agencies to corrupt society. The plan to subvert the USA has been going on for many decades.
The Beatles were all about love. Young love, love lost, hopeful love. The Stones were more about reality. Gritty, down and dirty, the pain of reality. Both are great depending on your mood at the time.
I so understand and appreciate your honesty in this comment. This is a touchy and controversial subject, as I am a Stones fan, and my older brother is a devout Beatles fan. Let’s start and agree that they are both musical geniuses. We can never prove that one is better than the other because it comes down to each person’s taste that is not quantifiable. But my argument to my brother about who is better does revolve around this song. I have always said that I think that the Beatles are too bubble gum pop music, and the Stones were kick ass music. In 1965, this song is so many years ahead of its time. No Beatles songs came remotely close to this.
BJ - how could you push pause during that solo? Who could such a thing? Could it be.....? Satan! :)
Mick Jagger writes all the lyrics of their non-cover songs. Keith Richards writes all their music. They don’t get enough credit for their songwriting skill.
Not quite as straightforward as that, but generally so.
There are songs where Jagger wrote most of the music and some where Keith wrote the lyrics.
Nobody has laid down more filthy, funky grooves than the Rolling Stones have. Nobody.
This is a perfect Rolling Stones song! Mick just nails the lyrics, and Keith's guitar is menacing and scary. Needless to say the storytelling is epic! I've always thought that this is the best of The Stones early period, and the album, Beggar's Banquet. Is their best.
When my baby girl was like 10. She's in college now. This song came on in the car.
We did all the back ground (who, who's) through the entire song. It was so fun.
This is one of my favorite Stones' songs. I always think of the movie "Fallen" when I hear it now, cuz it plays at the end.
You might also like the film, "Blow" (with Johnny Depp) which begins with the Stones "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" - also a great song with incredible guitar riffs by Keith.
@@MrModel--CAPTURED-ON-FILM And in Casino. Martin Scorsese used Can't You Hear Me Knocking with Joe Pesci & the guy who played Phil Leotardo in the Sopranos.
@@samuelgirard1407 Great song, incredible guitar intro!
The lyrics are really about that as something bad happens we people blame it on the devil, but infact the crimes are comited by people themselfs
There may or may not be a devil, but there are certainly evil people. Rather than "the Devil" making us do things, we need to stand in our shoes and take the responsibility for all our actions, even those done under the influence...of booze, or bamboozlers.
I never ever knew what the lyrics were saying, and only just now, because of you, I finally do. Eternally grateful. This is one badass song, through and through. The video, the graffiti lyrics...brilliant. I will hear it more fully from now on. Peace y'all.
Yes. Jagger read a Russian novel about humans are the devil and then wrote this song
This is just one reason why the 60's were so great. The music is still ringing in our ears.
And as far as I know, Bulgakov's book(The Master and Margarita) was not even published in the Soviet Union at the time(it was blacklisted), so Marianne Faithfull smuggled the manuscript out of the country! Read the novel, it is one of the best, and most interesting book ever written!
Props to you for knowing this book. I studied it at university on a Russian Literature course and thought it was wild. And now we have the TV series of "Lucifer" with yet another take on the story. I always did have a sneaking sympathy for poor old Satan!
Long black veil from mick jagger and the chieftains. Great song to check out. A very haunting song..
Great lyrics, great band !!!!!
We like to blame the devil, when in fact we ARE the devil. Listen again and really hear the lyrics.
Mick even says in the song who killed the Kennedys well after all it was you and me. The devil doesn’t actually do any evil acts on earth. We do! So sympathy for the devil is really saying sympathy for mankind. Absence of good allows evil to exist. Absence of god allows the devils will to take over but it is mankind’s choice to do good or evil.
My favorite line from this song: "Just as every cop is a criminal, And all the sinners saints"! The battle of right and wrong is a daily endeavor, and at any moment, if your not doing right, your more than likely doing wrong, the choice is yours!!!
Kind of reminds me of the Leonard Cohen song, "Everybody Knows" : "Everybody knows that the dice are loaded / Everybody knows the war is over / Everybody knows the good guys lost / Everybody knows the fight was fixed...."
I personally don’t believe in the “devil”. I say just look in the mirror. It can change daily…or hourly, by the minute…
Sympathy For The Devil was the 1st track on 1968's Beggars Banquet. The whole album is great.
Satan is saying of all the bad things i have done Man isn't exactly innocent either, and has done just as bad things, so Please everybody have some sympathy on me. Great Song & Reaction!!
This is one of the Greatest songs ever Made.....
If you both loved this, you both will love Paint It Black by them too.
The Rolling Stones did their own writing but made sure each album include a cover from one of their idols.
One of the most insidious ''tricks'', as you phrased it, is convincing those who do evil or find themselves in unfortunate situations, that they are victims, which inevitably leads them to believe whatever they do is not their fault and therefore allows them to act without consideration of others or remorse.
Yes, the individual is ALWAYS at fault. We should never consider what might have actually caused the evil. Nope, just blame the individual. That way, you comfortably "deal with the problem" while the problem just keeps getting worse. Definitely the human way to do things.
@@seraiharper5553 You're responding to a point I did not make. Assigning blame is one thing. Responding to the problem is another. BTW, when someone commits robbery, assault or murder, how would you deal with these folks?
The greatest trick the Devil ever played was geting people to believe he doesn't exist! My favorite Rolling Stones song!
Naw man this is an older song of theirs, 60's I believe. And their saying that the devil whispers in our ears and helps along our evil ways but all in all we are the ones who commit the evils of the world and without us and our actions the devil has no power. He works through us and if we refuse to be evil and do wrong then he doesn't exist.
Very well said hit the nail on the head
@@blackprix Thank you.
So you say God it to blame.....becouse he created everything no ???
@@pinzgauerbelgium No because he gave us free will, therefore our actions are our own as well as the consequences. It seems to me that to put the blame of our actions onto another entity is a cheap cop out and we should hold ourselves accountable for our actions and strive to live on a higher standard.
Just woke up,had my coffee and toast and this is my first song of the day.
Can't get better than that.
One of the greatest songs of all time by one of the greatest bands of all time
The "Devil" is just a convienent excuse for the evils that people commit against each other.
Amen
Mick Jagger and Keith Richard were the main songwriters in the Rolling Stones. Jagger mostly did lyrics and Richards came up with many of the classic riffs but I'm sure Richards added lyrics too."Sympathy for The Devil "was based on a Russian novel that was circulating in mid 1960s bohemian circles called "The Master and Margarita" by Bulgakov."The story concerns a visit by the devil to the officially atheistic Soviet Union. The Master and Margarita combines supernatural elements with satirical dark comedy and Christian philosophy, defying categorisation within a single genre. Many critics consider it to be one of the best novels of the 20th century, as well as the foremost of Soviet satires." The story goes that Jagger got it from his girlfriend Marianne Faithfull and this inspired the theme of the song ......
The Devil is not evil. He just shows you the available options. We make the ultimate choice. Great reaction.
I disagree. He is evil to the bone!!!!!
Perfect, perfect analysis. The lyrics are inspired and the guitar solo from the bowels of hell. The devil saying, "Hey, this is on you, I'm just along for the ride. Give me a break!" He has no power but what we give him. He can't make us do anything, but he's right there to whisper in our ear when our faith is wavering.
In the song it´s all about "free will"..= that´s why at the end of the song - as final conclusion - there is the line where the devil says "you´re to blame"
Here in the song the devil is introducing himself as "man with wealth and taste" as allegory for all the goals people like to achieve... because people for the most part do such nasty and often horrible stuff either in order to reach the status of "wealth and taste"/ "in order to achieve their goals" or to obtain their already reached status of "wealth and taste"/"to obtain their achieved goals"...in other words = they want to be "him = the man with wealth and taste"/ they chose to be like "him"/ they chose "his pathway to become like him"....The devil said in the song explicit "he was around" basically "he was a witness" and he didn´t say "he did" all those bad things in history which are mentioned in the song.
...and therefore at one point in the song he is calling for "having some courtesy and some symphaty for him" instead of blaming him, because you chose him as "role-model" and by doing so then that "blame the devil -act" is just pure hypocrisy when then people tend to blame the devil for all the bad stuff they have done as if they couldn´t help themselves and as if they had no choice.
I hate when people say things like "The devil made me/him/her do it"...No he didn´t, it was always solely your/his/her choice to chose the "devil´s pathway"...and´that´s what the song is about.
I love the allegory of "the devil is offering a contract in order to get the soul as payment for a certain goal people want to achieve in return" because here it is clearly shown "going the devil´s pathway" is always a choice
Love you guys checking out these classic rock songs and appreciating with an open mind.
Just as me as a white dude has always loved soul, R&,B Motown, etc.snd was raised ion it. But, totally appreciate all genres for sure.
The Rolling Stones have always felt to me like the working man's version of the Beatles. It's not high art and you know exactly what they're trying to say.
Yet the Beatles were northern working class lads while the Rolling Stones where middle class London swots. The Beatles would grind away for 12 hour sets in the dregs of Hamburg red light district surrounded by whores, pimps and drunken, defeated, bitter nazies while the dillattante Stones presented their milky souless blues to the languid hipsters of The Earling Club. 'Plastic soul man, plastic soul'.
@@octurn "Beatles" vs "Stones" - an endless debate!
Written after Jagger read, “The Master and the Margarita.”
Great history lesson, and a lesson on the essence of the human nature.
Christ calls us to lift ourselves above that base level.
From Austin, Tejas,
Love y’all, Asia and BJ!
Love Asia’s singing!
I love your take on this! A lot of people originally associated this with Mick Jagger implying he was the devil or a minion, and I just never got that. It was more from a third person perspective of the devil. Really ballsy for its time.
Naww man memories this song is wicked LIVE in concert , thanks guys for the great reaction….
An all time classic and, for me, the Stones best song.
My favorite Stones song. I love the historical aspects dispersed thru out the song.
This is literally the first song I heard on the radio playing with my step dads stereo in the 70s
I can see why I’ve never heard of this song before !!
A well written song with exceptional arrangement and instrumentation...a funky rockin roll song sprung somewhere from deep inside a volcano.
The Rolling Stones are just pure blues and i love it
Mick Jagger and Keith Richard's wrote the song....as they did most of their music. Good reaction....first performed in 1968....
Yes, in Hyde Park, during their tribute concert for Brian Jones, who just died
At the start of the video the 'Thanks Nicky' graffiti is for Nicky Hopkins who played piano on this track. He played piano and keyboards on a lot of other 'Stones (and 'Who) songs.
People were up in arms over this song, despite it's message being more clear than their own, and to the same ends.
The key line to explain the song is at the end when he says I will tell you one time your to blame
Actions are very powerful. The minute one makes an action, reality changes, probable futures change. Man's actions are responsible for a lot of the suffering in the world. Not the mythical scapegoat, the devil. The song is all about our own actions. Great one.
I remember playing cod black ops on ps3 and this song came on during the down river scene in nam. One of the most iconic gaming moments for me.
What I love about your show ,its like rediscovering these tracks again.
Love it !!!
Mick Jagger wrote most of the lyrics. He was inspired by an English translation of a Russian novel It was a satire about the devil. Your interpretation of the meaning of the song was spot on.
"Sympathy for the Devil" is credited to Jagger and Richards, though the song was largely a Jagger composition.[3] The working title of the song was "The Devil Is My Name", having earlier been called "Fallen Angels". Jagger sings in first person narrative as the Devil, who boasts his role in each of several historical atrocities and repeatedly asks the listener to "guess my name."
In a 1995 interview with Rolling Stone, Jagger said, "..that was taken from an old idea of Baudelaire's, I think, but I could be wrong. Sometimes when I look at my Baudelaire books, I can't see it in there. But it was an idea I got from French writing. And I just took a couple of lines and expanded on it. I wrote it as sort of like a Bob Dylan song."[3] It was Richards who suggested changing the tempo and using additional percussion, turning the folk song into a samba.
Sympathy for the Devil was written in 1968. There's a DVD by the same title that shows The Rolling Stones in the studio working on the song.
Jagger read "The Master and Margarita" by Mikhail Bulgakoff. This gave him the idea for the song.
I don't own any stones, mom did - my favorite band is Zeppelin and the Beatles but the Rolling Stones are 1st ballot Hall of Fame band no doubt. The mark they have left on Rock and Roll is undeniable. Legends!
2 Must Hear Classic Hits From Opposite Ends Of Their Career,, The Rolling Stones "Get Off My Cloud" (Official Lyric Video) & "Fool To Cry" (Official Promo Video A Must)..Such A Beautiful Song..Truth!!..R.I.P. Charlie 🙏 ❤
This among so many other great songs is why many people feel that Rolling Stones are the greatest rock and roll band of al time l
Subscribed. Y'all are special in a way we all need. How you have made a channel in finding the beauty in things outside of our culture's normal trajectory in life, embracing it, and sharing the love with them. This is repairing that broken connection all sides are suffering from in the most beautiful gift from God. Music! Much love from South Florida! Look forward to many more.
A local cinema plays footage of the Stones recording this before the movie. It used to be the recording studio where it was made, Olympic in Barnes.
This is in the pantheon of elite guitar solos: free bird, comfortably numb, Layla…
Bird of paradise....Snowy White
Once the Woo-Woos start, they never quit. That's real commitment to backup vocals. That touch was Kieth Richards'. Keith also co-wrote the song, and plays the rhythm guitar, lead guitar and bass guitar on this particular track.
Mick Jagger is a fantastic singer and lyricist. If anyone asks why I think so, I point them to SYMPATHY FOR THE DEVIL.
Guys you still have a great opportunity to go see the Stones live in concert, you live in US so don't miss out on it. It will change your life for real! 🤗 Don't wait on it unfortunately time is aginst them already Charlie Whats died so incredibly they are stil rocking out at 80 years old.
The Singer of the "Ballad of the Green Beret" Barry Sadler wrote a series of books called Casca the Immortal warrior. Its a book series that touches on every one of the eras in this song.
The rhythm section makes me love this song…that & the movie “Fallen”