Natalie Merchant — Sympathy for the Devil (live)
Album: Jealousy (single)Avg rating:
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Total ratings: 728
Length: 5:11
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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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 and fate
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
Stuck around St. Petersberg
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
What's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
I watched the glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made
I shouted out
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all
It was you and me
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
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby
Ma, oo
Oooa
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what's confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
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 politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, um yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um baby, get down
Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
Tell me baby, what's my name
Tell me honey, baby guess my name
Tell me baby, what's my name
I tell you one time, your to blame
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah
What's me name
Tell me, baby, what's my name
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah
I'm a man of wealth and taste
I've been around for a long, long year
Stole many a man's soul and fate
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
Stuck around St. Petersberg
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
What's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah
I watched the glee
While your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades
For the gods they made
I shouted out
"Who killed the Kennedys?"
When after all
It was you and me
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
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby
Ma, oo
Oooa
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, oh yeah
But what's confusing you
Is just the nature of my game
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 politesse
Or I'll lay your soul to waste, um yeah
Pleased to meet you
Hope you guess my name, um yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um baby, get down
Woo, who
Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!
Tell me baby, what's my name
Tell me honey, baby guess my name
Tell me baby, what's my name
I tell you one time, your to blame
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah
What's me name
Tell me, baby, what's my name
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Ooo, who, who
Oh, yeah
Comments (159)add comment
LOVE this alternate take on a classic. Groovy!
lou933 wrote:
I gave a 10 for the same reason. What is wrong with people?
I'm giving Natalie Merchant, and the song, a fr*ckin' 9, just to counter the hate.
Also, I like it more than a lot of her original songs! Go figure.
Thanks, William and RP, for all you do, bringing the beats!
I gave a 10 for the same reason. What is wrong with people?
I'm giving Natalie Merchant, and the song, a fr*ckin' 9, just to counter the hate.
Also, I like it more than a lot of her original songs! Go figure.
Thanks, William and RP, for all you do, bringing the beats!
Also, I like it more than a lot of her original songs! Go figure.
Thanks, William and RP, for all you do, bringing the beats!
Horrible. Leave the Stones alone.
Guitar sounds powerful and quite good for a live gig actually, but the voice is lifeless.
Sweet_Virginia wrote:
May I suggest that if you want snarl and venom the Motorhead version was pretty good, obviously Lemmy was born to play the role but they really sounded like they enjoyed playing it as well.
Great band, love NM but she takes the snarl and venom out of this song. And this song needs snarl and venom.
May I suggest that if you want snarl and venom the Motorhead version was pretty good, obviously Lemmy was born to play the role but they really sounded like they enjoyed playing it as well.
I am pretty open to covers but when considering whether to cover a song it might be a good idea to consider its history. Doing a classic like this is bound to be risky. Some songs are just hard to improve and better left to the original.
I quite liked this version, partly b/c, while I think Merchant has a very good voice, many of her song sound alike. Sympathy for the devil has a different, unexpected sound and I think it's pretty good.
why, Natalie? WHY??
I give very few 1s…. but this is just shitty work from a woman of her talent.
a perfect example of, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
I give very few 1s…. but this is just shitty work from a woman of her talent.
a perfect example of, “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
Great band, love NM but she takes the snarl and venom out of this song. And this song needs snarl and venom.
It takes some talent to make this song boring...
Wow! She blows this song away! Why is everyone such snobs that only the Rolling Stones can pull off a good version of this song? I love her voice and this rocks it to the heavens! I choose 10!
gmsingh123 wrote:
So she pulls "Peace Train" from an album but "Sympathy for the Devil" is okay? Hey, if you want a good cover of this song play Bryan Ferry's. And play more Roxy for crying out loud.
Agreed - Ferry is a cultured devil to Jagger's bad lad. This is ... nothing to me alas. Neither a tribute or an interesting slant.
So she pulls "Peace Train" from an album but "Sympathy for the Devil" is okay? Hey, if you want a good cover of this song play Bryan Ferry's. And play more Roxy for crying out loud.
Agreed - Ferry is a cultured devil to Jagger's bad lad. This is ... nothing to me alas. Neither a tribute or an interesting slant.
neuticle wrote:
RP Must have thought you have no taste, so played this. Serves you well.
I can't believe it, pushed the Play Something Different button on Steely Dan's Aja and got this.
RP Must have thought you have no taste, so played this. Serves you well.
I totally dig it when RP does a cover binge! SO COOL!!!
jberko wrote:
HA! Excellent comment. But I struggle to agree... it's their own fault for showing up.
Really? This should be called 'Sympathy for the Audience'
HA! Excellent comment. But I struggle to agree... it's their own fault for showing up.Really? This should be called 'Sympathy for the Audience'
Ouch!
Decent cover of a great original.
Haters don't have a clue.
Haters don't have a clue.
It takes a special level of narcissism to believe one can take a master work like Sympathy for the Devil owned by one of the greatest rock-n-roll front persons ever and make it their own.
Yes, Natalie, you succeeded in making it your own and the whole world is laughing at it. (Was that mean?)
Can't have the highs without the lows...!
Yes, Natalie, you succeeded in making it your own and the whole world is laughing at it. (Was that mean?)
Can't have the highs without the lows...!
Proclivities wrote:
Yes, this is quite a bad version, but your word choice is interesting. It could be argued that "blasphemy" was the point of this song when it was written.
So she pulls "Peace Train" from an album but "Sympathy for the Devil" is okay? Hey, if you want a good cover of this song play Bryan Ferry's. And play more Roxy for crying out loud.
Yes, this is quite a bad version, but your word choice is interesting. It could be argued that "blasphemy" was the point of this song when it was written.
So she pulls "Peace Train" from an album but "Sympathy for the Devil" is okay? Hey, if you want a good cover of this song play Bryan Ferry's. And play more Roxy for crying out loud.
Natalie you suck NEXT
pretty bad!
I like Natalie Merchant, I like this song. BUT not at the same time.
I like it.
Bands awesome. Ok, her voice is an acquired taste but there's more going on here than people are hearing.
Bands awesome. Ok, her voice is an acquired taste but there's more going on here than people are hearing.
I think she missed the point.
I enjoy several of Natalie's songs, and here I think everything but the vocals is fine.
But for a song for which so many of us have Mick Jagger and the 'Stones hardwired into our brains, her vocals (especially for a live version) just sound so...underwhelming?
But for a song for which so many of us have Mick Jagger and the 'Stones hardwired into our brains, her vocals (especially for a live version) just sound so...underwhelming?
Aural purgatory
Coolness: several singalong covers in a row! Nice work, Dr DJ!
hatechris wrote:
+1
I've always hated her voice and her and her music and everything else. I couldn't even imagine what going to a Natalie Merchant concert must be like or who would even go to one or what type of person they must be. This is so unemotional and it puts me to sleep. It's horrible. The 90's are over baby.
+1
jwb wrote:
Nope... check out anything by Yoko
I've always wondered what is the lowest-rated song on RP. This must be close.
Nope... check out anything by Yoko
lizardking wrote:
As a rebel, I'm going 5+1 today. I'm liking what sounds like the audience doing the "whoo hoos" ....and Long Live RP!!
As a live version of a classic Stones' tune, it's kinda flat and not great sounding....though I might have enjoyed it in-show as it might have been a 'bend in the road' for the set list, setting up something or closing something previously played....with all that unknown in the original set, I'm still surprised that I'm kinda liking this, enough to rate it a 5, which means I'd be ok not hearing it again....still....Long Live RP!!
As a rebel, I'm going 5+1 today. I'm liking what sounds like the audience doing the "whoo hoos" ....and Long Live RP!!
Please post it, I'd love to hear it. 
stunix wrote:
stunix wrote:
I've done a better version down the Royal Oak while I was drunk. (playing the spoons and glasses!)
That's the only histogram I've ever seen that made me chuckle.
Sympathy for the Cover
As a live version of a classic Stones' tune, it's kinda flat and not great sounding....though I might have enjoyed it in-show as it might have been a 'bend in the road' for the set list, setting up something or closing something previously played....with all that unknown in the original set, I'm still surprised that I'm kinda liking this, enough to rate it a 5, which means I'd be ok not hearing it again....still....Long Live RP!!
Natalie Merchant is one of my least favorite artists. That is to say, I really dislike her work and her voice makes my skin crawl. Stuck perennially in the soft palate.
Love RP, but can't seem to go a day without hearing Merchant. Would be happy to hear any number of other great artists daily. Patty Griffin, Bowie...why Merchant so often? Does she know where the bodies are buried?
Love RP, but can't seem to go a day without hearing Merchant. Would be happy to hear any number of other great artists daily. Patty Griffin, Bowie...why Merchant so often? Does she know where the bodies are buried?
dw wrote:
Yes, this is quite a bad version, but your word choice is interesting. It could be argued that "blasphemy" was the point of this song when it was written.
BLASPHEMY! 
Yes, this is quite a bad version, but your word choice is interesting. It could be argued that "blasphemy" was the point of this song when it was written.
Wow, wow, wow...just awful on so many levels.
I generally like Natalie, but this is just awful. She tries, but this is a mismatch in style and energy that that song resonates.
I can probably count the songs I rate as a 1 on one hand, but this is without a shadow of a doubt one of those.
And I like Natalie Merchant!
JFC
And I like Natalie Merchant!
JFC
WTF?
where is the 'icepick in the ear' emoticon?
where is the 'icepick in the ear' emoticon?
I've done a better version down the Royal Oak while I was drunk. (playing the spoons and glasses!)
I've always hated her voice and her and her music and everything else. I couldn't even imagine what going to a Natalie Merchant concert must be like or who would even go to one or what type of person they must be. This is so unemotional and it puts me to sleep. It's horrible. The 90's are over baby.
This is sooooo wrong.
BLASPHEMY!
I can't believe it, pushed the Play Something Different button on Steely Dan's Aja and got this.
Thank you for this comment. I was planning on saying something much less polite. I'll let your comment speak for me, in much nicer tones. :-)
shmuelman wrote:
Everything she does is pretty soulless. This is an exception; it is absolutely soulless.
Hmmmmm. Definitely different.
Not a Stones fan. Certainly not enough of one to hold anything of theirs sacred. So this is . . . so-so, all on its own merits.
Dogpile on Natalie Merchant!
I've always wondered what is the lowest-rated song on RP. This must be close.
bokey wrote:
Not...one....song...ever... 
And she can only sing a couple notes, but none of them are the right ones.
Oh I see, well there were worse musicians than the Stones, who where they. . . oh The Who!
And she can only sing a couple notes, but none of them are the right ones.If you were to play this version backwards, I do believe the Earth would implode.
So, count your blessings people, we could have been ANNIHILATED, forever.
I see there are 2 tone-deaf people who actually rated this a '10'.
crockydile wrote:
This beats the hell out of nothing.
Actually, nothing is much, much better than this garbage.
Too bad I can't rate this below a '1'.
Just because you can dosent mean you should.
wferrier wrote:
And she can only sing a couple notes, but none of them are the right ones.
But Natalie can sing it in tune! Forget Mick. . .
Not. . . one. . . . song. . . ever. . .
And she can only sing a couple notes, but none of them are the right ones.
...even though i don't care for this song, i have to say that i appreciate bill sticking to his guns in playing this regularly - challenging listeners' tastes is a large part of what makes real DJs so much better than automated programming...
...now when do we get to hear joanna newsom again?..
fun but not true to the song.
I don't understand how she's lasted this long.
Wow, this is probably the worst rating I've ever seen up here!
I like this cover too
Oh well, I like the cover too. Even the wholesome can be drawn in and forced to look the devil in the eyes.
wow. i have never been so moved to both give a '1' and underscore it with a comment.
and bill: yes, it really is that bad.
I agree. Just wrong. A bad decision on her part....
cleric wrote:
Apostasy
I agree, this brings to mind one simple
Everything she does is pretty soulless. This is an exception; it is absolutely soulless.
Agreed. This should NOT have been permitted. I have NO SYMPATHY for Natalie.
But Natalie can sing it in tune! Forget Mick. . .
On second hearing, not as bad as I originally thought.
I am very biased against poor live recordings, though.
Hmmm. It's not the best thing I've ever heard, but it's certainly not the worst. I'm surprised by the excess of hatred.
Mercifully, it appears the stream has died.
How dare she!
you have got to be kidding me! i can't put enough vomit faces on this. so i won't. why not play the love you live of RS or the get your ya-yas out version? this is like having depeche mode play liz phair's "f- and run". it should just never happen.
Lowest rating ever?
Apostasy
some songs should never be covered, this is one of them
This is very very lacking.
Great singer but a very bad song choice for her . . .
This might just be one of the worst things that I have ever heard. The pain!
Oh dear god, my ears. Make it STOP!
Ernö wrote:
Unlike most of you folks, I quite like this song. Remember that this is a performance at a live show... not a studio album cover (that would change everything).
I go to several concerts a year, and if the set includes a cover as unlikely as this, it just makes the concert extra special.
My 2¢ :)
I agree. First time I've ever heard this song covered by anyone. Nice enough.
It's too upbeat for my tastes.
Bill, you have an unusual sense of humor - I love it!
(the sense of humor, not the tune).
Damn! 58% Sucko-Barfo?!? 
I clicked on it after hearing it on the MP3 CD-R I just made from my 8-14 rip to listen in my car - I wanted to give it at least a 'Quite Likeable' rating. Well, goldarnit, I'm sticking by my guns! 
I was tempted to fill in the empty bar in the distribution and give it an 8, but, since this is the first time I've heard it, I will just give it the 7 I started out with. I think it makes a good seque to Monkey Man by the Stones! 
mattt wrote:
the man is speaking from personal experience..
maybe I can explain..
oh forget it. 
Having known and loved people who've had, and have, cancer, I can say this isn't as bad. It's a song, folks. Let's keep things in perspective.
the man is speaking from personal experience..
maybe I can explain..
oh forget it.
hippie wrote:
And I thought havin cancer was bad.
Having known and loved people who've had, and have, cancer, I can say this isn't as bad. It's a song, folks. Let's keep things in perspective.
I was going to rate this song a 3, but then I read 3=ho hum meaning you can make it through the song, but not enjoy it. Instead I rated the song a 1
alanthecowboy wrote:
While I can't say it's Natalie's finest cover, it beats the hell out of the Stones' version. Not that I don't the Stones, but hearing them do it for the several thousandth time drives me up the wall.
This beats the hell out of nothing.
I like Merchant, but this does nothing for me...
hippie wrote:
And I thought havin cancer was bad. Boy was I wrong, THIS COVER IS BAD! Hell, bad doesn't EVEN begin to cover how BAD this cover is.
While I can't say it's Natalie's finest cover, it beats the hell out of the Stones' version. Not that I don't the Stones, but hearing them do it for the several thousandth time drives me up the wall.
Boy was I wrong, THIS COVER IS BAD! Hell, bad doesn't EVEN begin to cover how BAD this cover is.
Thank heavens it\'s over!! 
Ok, which 2 of you voted 10 for this? Come on fess up. You need to have your membership revoked, ears sealed shut, and ridiculed for all eternity. :P
Nope, this cover just doesn\'t do justice to the song. Mick Jagger\'s rendition IS the paradigm with layers of meaning and feeling which will probably never be equaled. I prefer the Stone\'s live version where you can hear the crunching of bones underneath the Hell\'s Angels steel-toed boots.
As much as I like Nat Merchant\'s singing and unique voice, I vote eternally \"no\" on this song.
Matter of fact I am going out and am going to buy some steel-toed boots and find some Hell\'s Angels and have them create some urolognia music on me for old time\'s sake.
Usually we can\'t see how someone could rate a song we like a 1, but who in the hell could rate this a 10??
I\'m going to go out on a limb and say we may never hear this song on RP again (hopefully).
Maybe the devil made her do it.
You have to give her credit for even trying to sing it, sad as it is, don\'t you love the song. Keith is probably laughing somewhere.
I think this is the first time my 3 has increased a song's rating.
Some songs really should not be covered.....
100% pure crap.
Gotta admit that even though Natalie does indeed suck, the band is pretty tight and rockin\' on this.
Wow...
hippie wrote:
And I thought havin cancer was bad. Boy was I wrong, THIS COVER IS BAD! Hell, bad doesn't EVEN begin to cover how BAD this cover is.
Boy was I wrong, THIS COVER IS BAD! Hell, bad doesn't EVEN begin to cover how BAD this cover is.
cosmiclint wrote:
Yikes! Wonder if it'll be another five years before we here this one again.
unfortunately, no.
Acceptable to me.
OH NOOOOOoooooo..... said Mr. Bill.
come on now, it\'s not that bad!
No.......just no.
Barman wrote:
Lowest rating on RP ?
...i'm rather stunned to see this track out-bomb joanna newsom's emily, still my favorite read for amusing comments...
Lowest rating on RP ?
A rating of 2.6????????
Damn, I'm sorry I missed it! Is this Bill's way of making sure we're paying attention?
ha ... i heard this song from a distance and couldn't wait to finish what i was doing to come over and check the posts ... natalie merchant + rolling stones song = over zealous hate posting
And I thought havin cancer was bad. Boy was I wrong, THIS COVER IS BAD! Hell, bad doesn't EVEN begin to cover how BAD this cover is.
Boy was I wrong, THIS COVER IS BAD! Hell, bad doesn't EVEN begin to cover how BAD this cover is.
Ernö wrote:
I go to several concerts a year, and if the set includes a cover as unlikely as this, it just makes the concert extra special.
I agree completely. One of the best performances I ever saw was Moby doing a three-song impromptu set of Led Zeppelin.
While this cover isn't near as good as the original, I found it enjoyable.
Yes William, she pulls it off big time.