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 the gods they made
(Woo woo, woo woo)

I shouted out,
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all
It was you and me
(Who who, who who)

Let me please introduce myself
I'm a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reached Bombay
(Woo woo, who who)

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
(Who who)
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby
(Who who, who who)

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, oh yeah
But what's confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
(Woo woo, who who)

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
(Who who, who who)

So if you meet me
Have some courtesy
Have some sympathy, and some taste
(Woo woo)
Use all your well-learned politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, mm yeah
(Woo woo, woo woo)

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed my name, mm yeah
(Who who)
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, mm mean it, get down
(Woo woo, woo woo)

Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
(Woo woo)

Tell me baby, what's my name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name
Tell me baby, what's my name
I tell you one time, you're to blame

Oh, who
Woo, woo
Woo, who
Woo, woo
Woo, who, who
Woo, who, who
Oh, yeah

What's my name
Tell me, baby, what's my name
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name

Woo, who, who
Woo, who, who
Woo, who, who
Woo, who, who
Woo, who, who
Woo, who, who
Oh, yeah
Woo woo
Woo woo



Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by goodnews

Track duration: 06:18

"Sympathy for the Devil" as written by Mick Jagger, Keith Richards

Lyrics © ABKCO Music Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Sympathy for the Devil song meanings
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203 Comments

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  • 0
    Song Meaning:This song is about all the history & tragedies with points throughout time. The man he is describing is the devil.The devil is asking for sympathy because he claims the reason he is not to blame is because the devil does not make you do anything. He simply sets the stage, which is the nature of his game. Look up those points in time. You should know most of them from history.
    Flag MollyCuleon May 30, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Pretty much like most say, I think it's talking about how evil is always trying to get the best of us throughout history and in a daily process. Some encourage it, some fight it, but we're all aware and in battle with it in some way.
    I also think that it's mentioning some of the people who aren't seen in the politics or in war, that there's corruption in wealth and power, and that whoever has it is evil and polluted in their mind and action. I say this b/c of the phrase, "Please allow me to introduce myself I'm a man of wealth and taste" which to me makes reference to secret societies and the ultra powerful and rich of the world.

    Correct me if I'm wrong on that, I do exaggerate about conspiracy stuff
    Flag brenn21on May 24, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Do not quote me, but I believe that Mick Jagger in this song.. feels sympathy for the devil.. and to those familiar also known as Satan..
    Flag JohnRodon April 10, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I have to think someone in the Rothschild family wrote this song and handed it to the Stones.
    Flagged bettwice33on April 09, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't yet see the answer to Lucifer's question, "Tell me what's my name?" It's there in the song itself. "Tell me baby. What's my name? I tell you ONE TIME. 'You're to blame'!" There it is. Look up "satan", then look up "diavlos". They're not proper names but nouns. They mean the same thing - "slanderer"; "accuser"; "prosecutor". Lucifer walked to and fro before God, accusing mankind - "You're to blame".
    Flagged BobOvertonon April 08, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”

    “My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.”

    Mark 5:9
    Flagged ephphathaon February 15, 2013   Link
  • -1
    My Interpretation:Its about sins, especialy vanity and how specially rich people think they are more than the rest. That Kings think they are chosen by God or something yet they just shit on the "ordinary" people.

    Its also a part about money but its connected to the first. People think they can shit on others to get to it. They want it so they can look better than the others.

    Sometimes they just kill others for it or for power. That might be even worse they killed billions for that.

    If the books are true they even nailed Jesus to the cross.

    But when you meet such folks they act as they have sympathy and taste.

    Sympathy and taste for Lucifer.
    Flagged xXxSkollxXxon November 28, 2012   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:The song is saying that we people are the devil.

    It was the crowd of Jews that made Pilate wash his hands - seal his fate.
    It was the Bolsheviks that murdered the Tzar and his ministers, ignoring Anastasia's screams.
    Obviously Lucifer didn't ride a tank or wear a General's rank - but somebody did.
    It was kings and queens that waged the 100 years war.

    Then it says if you meet another "devil" er person, have some sympathy and restraint and be polite, you know the golden rule.
    Flagged og_toolon August 09, 2012   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:Could the troubadour that had a trap laid for him and died before he reached Bombay be a referrence to M. Ghandi? Well know for his wandering by walking the country professing love (a simile to the wandering troubadours of Europe) and non-violent resistance, the trap was his assassination while on his way to a speach to be given in Bombay. This makes the most sense to me, as there are other referrences to assassinations, but I've yet to find any note suggesting this is the answer... ?? Forever wondering, David In Taichung!
    Flag deastonon July 30, 2012   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:Devil's greatest trick is to make everybody thinks that it does not exist. jagger here is trying to say that the devil did it.. we didn't even know his name even when it is obvious that he is around. He comes in many forms and shapes. now you see? we are that stupid... yesss... that stupid.

    Now when jagger says "Just call me Lucifer Cause I'm in need of some restraint" well it just simply means that: come on human! show a little challenge!! how come all of you are just so stupid?! you've got Jesus and the bible to tell you how to restraint me, but you just do it the other way around, with just a little push here and there? what a pathetic bunch!!

    And then when jagger says "I tell you one time, you're to blame", that means: You have been given the freedom to choose the good or bad, but you have not used it wisely.. you chose my side, and you have been by my side for longer than you know... don't blame others or God.. you brought it on yourself...blame yourself"

    from the devil's perspective there is no challenge at all... a little push here and there we have war or genocide. another push here and there we have terror.. we are doing devil's job even without being asked or persuaded.

    Now can you imagine how boring and predictable we are in the eyes of the devil?

    Note: You need to start to think out of the box.. and when you have, try to think out of a bigger box.. hahaha..
    Flagged cupunagaon July 10, 2012   Link

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