Sympathy for the Devil (8:48)

“Sympathy for the Devil” is a song by The Rolling Stones which first appeared as the opening track on the band’s 1968 album Beggars Banquet.

The recording of “Sympathy for the Devil” began at London’s Olympic Sound Studios on June 4 1968 and continued into the next day; overdubs were done on June 8, 9, and 10. Personnel included on the recording include Nicky Hopkins on piano; Rocky Dijon on congas; Bill Wyman on maracas. Marianne Faithfull, Anita Pallenberg, Brian Jones, Charlie Watts, producer Jimmy Miller, Wyman and Richards can be seen performing backup vocals in the film Sympathy for the Devil by Jean-Luc Godard, but this scene was staged specially for the cameras; the actual backing vocals were overdubbed by Jagger, Richards and Miller. Richards plays bass on the original recording, and also the song’s electric-guitar solo.

Cover Versions:
The song has been widely covered since its release, including: September 1973 Bryan Ferry’s solo effort departure from Roxy Music in These Foolish Things (album), a notable version by Jane’s Addiction that was included on their 1987 self-titled live album, a much darker and complex version by jazz-rock band Blood, Sweat & Tears, called “Symphony For the Devil”, from the group’s Third Album, Inkubus Sukkubus on the album Science and Nature in 2007, Electric Hellfire Club for their 2000 album Empathy for the Devil, Tiamat on their 1999 album, Skeleton Skeletron, Sandie Shaw for her album Reviewing the Situation.