Lyrics to “Sympathy for the Devil“
Artist: The Rolling Stones
Album: Beggars Banquet
Released: 1968
Songwriter(s): Jagger/Richards
Recorded: 4–5, 8–10 June 1968
Sympathy for the Devil
The Rolling Stones
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 to waste
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
I 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
(Woo woo, woo woo)
I watched with glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For…
SERENDIPITY: SEEKING INTELLIGENT LIFE ON EARTH 
And Trump continues to use The Rolling Stones’ “Start Me Up” at his rallies. Many have questioned the band’s acceptance, but in a capitalist world, if you pay the dues, you can use the song.
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I didn’t have a lot of Stones music.There’s was lots of people to choose between in those days. But I did have Beggars Banquet. The album also contained ‘Street Fighting Man’. Richard’s sparse chords on ‘Sympathy for the Devil’ are brilliant. 1968 was the year.
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The late 1960s were THE great years for pop music. So much creativity! Everything was new and exciting. i think this was the ONLY Stones album I owned. I was more Beatles than Stones, but this was a great album. A lot of Doors, too. And country, folk, blues and classical. What great music we had!
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Love this song Woo woo 🙂
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Our new National Anthem.
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Lol. Ya they are changing the words in our anthem. From all thy sons command , to- in all of us command.
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I think “Sympathy for the Devil” might be more to the point!
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Rickie Lee Jones does a nice version of this song. You can find it on You Tube if you’re interested.
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I think I listened to it this morning when I picked this one. I picked this because it’s “the original.” In another life, i might have gone with anything that was easier to understand. The Stones were never famous for clear pronunciation. I had trouble understanding them even with the words in front of me.
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I know the music, never paid all that much attention to the lyrics.., until now!. This has been happening a lot lately. These guys should join the ranks of “True Prophets.”
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I know. I’ve heard this song so many times and never REALLY listened to the words.
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It is creepy. More relevant really.
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I know. Weird.
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Seriously weird. It’s like being in HIS head as he laughs about what he’s accomplished. Yeck. I like my head better lol.
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Clever lyrics.
Leslie
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I think this is the first time in many years I’ve really LISTENED to the lyrics. Creepy, but we could use it for our National Anthem these days.
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😦
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always have loved this
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Me too. But it never felt RELEVANT before.
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