"Sympathy for the Devil" by The Rolling Stones
One of my favorite songs of all time is “Sympathy for the Devil” by the Rolling Stones, who are also one of my favorite bands. It just so happens that another band that I really enjoy is Jane’s Addiction and they made a cover version of “Sympathy for the Devil”. It is hard for me to pick which version of the song I like better. There are a lot aspects of songs that contrast each other making each of the songs very different.
The first difference that someone will probably notice is the instrumentation and organization of the song. The Rolling Stones version has many more instruments and layers to it than Jane’s Addictions version does. By doing this, the Stones add more distance to their songs. The Stones start out with the drums, shaker, piano than the base guitar. The electric guitar does not come into the song till the bridge for a solo and does not come back until there is another solo. For Jane’s Addiction there are not nearly as many layers. There are drums, tambourine and two guitars. Jane’s Addiction replaces the piano with a guitar. In their version they keep all the instruments in the whole time, they do not bring instruments in and out like the Rolling Stones do.
Another difference between the songs is their speed. The Rolling Stones version starts out moderately slow and gradually increases to a moderato tempo. Jane’s Addiction’s version is much faster. However, the rhythms of the songs are the same. They are both in 4/4 tempo. Although the two songs tempos are the same, the versions vary in their timbre. Jane’s Addiction uses a lot more distortion and their tonal qualities are not as crisp as the Rolling Stones. The Rolling Stones do not use many effects on their instruments if any are used at all. The guitars, drums, and piano all have very crisp, natural sounds to them.
One thing that is exactly the same between the songs is the lyrics. Both versions use the exact same lyrics that Mick Jagger wrote. I feel that if Jane’s Addiction changed the lyrics, the song would lose a big part of what it is. I’m sure everyone who has heard the song recognizes the rhythm of the bongo drums but I think that the lyrics really make the song what it is. Who does not love the opening line, “Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a man of wealth and taste.”
If I had to choose which version “Sympathy for the Devil” I would have to pick the Rolling Stones’ version. I think what I like most about it is the simplicity of the way the song is organized. The same bass line, drum rhythm, and piano arrangement is used throughout the whole song which allows the lyrics to take center stage. To me the lyrics make the song what it is. The first time I heard it I did not that it was being sung as if he was the devil. But after listening to it more times it is quite obvious to me. I feel the arrangement Jane’s Addiction uses is a too complicated for the song and takes away from the lyrics. You just can’t beat the original.
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