Sympathy for the Devil

Composers: Mick Jagger & Keith Richards
Recording: Olympic Sound Studios, London June 1968

7“ single LIVE 18th March 1991

Performed onstage: 1968-70, 1975-76, 1989-90, 1994-95, 1997-99, 2002-03, 2005-07

 

 

Lead vocal: Mick Jagger
Electric guitar: Keith Richards
Bass: Keith Richards
Drums: Charlie Watts 
Piano: Nicky Hopkins
Congas: Rocky Dijon
Maracas: Bill Wyman
Background vocals: Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Brian Jones, Bill Wyman,
   Marianne  Faithfull, Anita Pallenberg, Nicky Hopkins & Jimmy Miller

 

Please allow me to introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year, stolen many a man's soul and faith
And I was around 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 (oh yeah)
But what's puzzling you is the nature of my game (ah yeah)

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

I watched with glee while your kings and queens fought for 10 decades for the gods they made
I shouted out "Who killed the Kennedy's?" when after all it was you and me
Let me please introduce myself, I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I lay traps for troubadours who get killed before they reach Bombay

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, 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 politicise or I'll lay your soul to waste, yeah

Get down

Ah yeah, get on down
Oh 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 (...)

All right
... ah yeah

Ah yeah, what's my name?
Tell me, baby, what's my name?
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name?

Oh yeah