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DEVIL: A Compendium of 21 Devilish Songs 🎧 features Chris Stapleton, Demi Lovato, Florence + The Machine, Ghost, Masego & The Neighbourhood.
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Beware of the beast – THE DEVIL 😈 LURKS! According to 🎙 Charlie Daniels, “The Devil went down to Georgia / He was lookin’ for a soul to steal” 😱! Sounds about right, and honestly, it’s not specific where he has his sights laid. On 🎵 “Devil Like Me,” 🎙 Rainbow Kitten Surprise asks intriguing questions regarding Satan: “Is the devil so bad if he cries in his sleep, while the earth turns / And his kids learn to say, ‘fuck you,’ they don’t, love you.” As for the 🎙 Rolling Stones, well, they ask for 🎵 “Sympathy for the Devil”: “As heads is tails, just call me Lucifer / ‘Cause I’m in need of some restraint.”
These three great songs could’ve all landed on 🎧 DEVIL: A Compendium of 21 Devilish Songs. Ultimately, they’ll appear on a future list as there are an endless number of songs that reference the devil. DEVIL: A Compendium of 21 Devilish Songs doesn’t promote the left-hand path by any means. This is merely a list that explores songs that reference devilishness. This particularly compendiums features favorite devilish songs from lists of old, such as 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind, as well as bringing some newer devilish songs into the mix. Gracing this hellish list are 🎙 Chris Stapleton, 🎙 Demi Lovato, 🎙 Florence + The Machine, 🎙 Ghost, 🎙 Masego, and 🎙 The Neighbourhood among others. Without further ado, won’t you take this trip to hell with us? Okay, that totally didn’t sound right!
1. Demi Lovato, “Dancing with The Devil”
💿 Dancing with the Devil… The Art of Starting Over • 🏷 Island • 📅 2021
It’s the narrative and the words that make “Dancing with the Devil” a triumph. Lovato, always incredibly open and transparent, reflects on their near fatal overdose. It begins on the first verse with them justifying “It’s just a little red wine, I’ll be fine.” Of course, as is the case with addiction and substance abuse, things progress, with Demi further justifying, “A little white line, I’ll be fine” and eventually “a little glass pipe.” The result nearly cost their life, exemplified on the centerpiece, the chorus (“I was dancing with the devil, out of control / Almost made it to Heaven / It was closer than you know”). On the bridge, they recap their mistakes and repents for them, before powering out on the chorus in all its glory. “Dancing with the Devil” is arguably best musical representation of what was an unfortunate reality for the pop standout.
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Awesome Songs That Tickled My Fancy: March 2021
🔗 🎧 Devil 😈: 5ive Songs No. 52 (2021)
2. Masego & Shenseea, “Silver Tongue Devil”
💿 Studying Abroad: Extended Stay • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 📅 2020
“Silver Tongue Devil” has the chill, international flavor going for it. The groove is sensational. Even with his ‘snake’ issues – “Silver tongue devil / She call me cocky man / I say my head level” – Masego delivers easy-going and relaxed vocals. Every time he plays the saxophone, it’s a total vibe. God, I love those harmonized sax moments! Shenseea complements superbly on the second verse (“I will have you wantin’ it more / Lock down di devil inna hole”), further enforcing the sounds of the island, specifically, the dialect, and pleasure. After all, “Masego bring flames to me soul.” Woo!
3. Ghost, “Satan Prayer”
💿 Opus Eponymous • 🏷 Rise Above • 📅 2010
Ghost does nothing to mask the Satanic theme – I mean, the record is called “Satan’s Prayer” for Christ’s sake. For some background, per Revolver, Forge said: “[I] unquestionably throw my hands into the hands of Satan.” There’s more to it than blatant atheism – a strict, very religious stepmother. Regardless, it’s clear on “Satan’s Prayer” whom Forge serves. The chorus lays it out there:
“Hear our Satan prayer, our anti-Nicene creed Hear our Satan prayer, for the coming of seed…”
Yeah, in Christianity, the Nicene Creed is definitely a big deal. So, with “Satan Prayer” being the reverse – the anti – well, it’s not Christian in the least. Of course, the music supports the hellishness. That is the most glorious part of such a Satanic song.
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 11 Songs Filled with Satanic Themes
🔗 🎧 10 Musicians Who Possess Unique Beliefs or Oppose Religion
🔗 🎧 Inferno 😈🔥 II: More Songs Reppin’ 9 Circles of Hell
4. Madonna, “Devil Pray”
💿 Rebel Heart • 🏷 Interscope • 📅 2015
The iconic musician tackles spirituality, drugs (“And we can do drugs, and we can smoke weed, and we can drink whiskey”), and perseverance. Its enigmatic sound captivates with inescapable eeriness.
“Yeah, we can run, and we can hide, but we won’t find the answers If you go down, then you’ll get help along the way But if you wanna save your soul, then we should travel all together And make the devil pray.”
Um, amen?
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind
5. Mötley Crüe, “Shout At The Devil”
💿 Shout At the Devil • 🏷 Elektra • 📅 1983
“Shout At the Devil” is 80s heavy metal at its finest. It’s giving that mean, gritty distorted guitar. Man, you gotta heart those riffs. We get a big bass line adding some beef on the bottom, as well as hard-hitting, heavy on hi-hat. Of course, the big draw are the assertive vocals, which I’m convinced arrive straight from the depths of hell – kidding… sort of. Anyways, 🎙 Vince Neil is on fire, flaunting his powerful pipes and an impressive upper register. Adding to the glory is the rhythmic melodic line, and of course, the catchy, and infectious nature of the song, with the titular lyric leading the charge:
“Shout, shout, shout Shout at the devil.”
6. Chris Stapleton, “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice”
💿 Starting Over • 🏷 Mercury • 📅 2020
How does Mr. Stapleton manage to cover himself? Well, “Devil Always Made Me Think Twice,” the second track from 2020’s 💿 Starting Over, was originally recorded by 🎙 Hailey Whitters. Even so, Stapleton wrote the song alongside 🎼✍ Al Anderson. The resulting record is a high energy, traditional country record where Stapleton is assertive, infusing ample spirit into the performance.
“And when I’m standin’ at the gate They’ll tally up my sins, they won’t let me in.”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Devil 😈: 5ive Songs No. 52 (2021)
🔗 🎧 13 Songs That Totally Have It Made
7. Kreator, “Satan is Real”
💿 Gods of Violence • 🏷 Nuclear Blast • 📅 2017
Lyrically, beyond the titular line, Kreator emphasizes the power of the Mephistopheles. A perfect example comes when front man 🎙 Mille Petrozza asserts, “Reverends / Your lies are obsolete / Now come along / Let the one-eyed lead the blind.” Well, that’s quite the reverse there, isn’t it? To some extent, Kreator magnificently highlight the issue that some Christian leaders can have, delivering their interpretation of the Bible, God, so on and so forth. Yet keeping it Satanic, from the band’s perspective, it is the ‘Man of God’ whose lying, and Satan is the atonement. And if energetic, disturbing-sounding music, plus the aforementioned weren’t enough to confirm the Satanism, Petrozza goes on to say:
“There’ll come a day A brand-new sun Brighter than the one that we have seen Embracing him The bringer of sin.”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 11 Songs Filled with Satanic Themes
8. The Neighbourhood, “Devil’s Advocate”
💿 Chip Chrome & The Mono-Tones • 🏷 Columbia • 📅 2020
Even if Rutherford is breezy, there’s some plenty of energy and swagger. A prime example: “I trade the whip out for a bike, uh / Designer for some Nikes.” It’s an opposite means of execution compared to hip-hop, but there’s that same oomph, nonetheless. A personal favorite line appears on the third and final verse:
“Married to my friends They don’t always like me I stay together for the kids, uh I gotta do the right thing.”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Devil 😈: 5ive Songs No. 52 (2021)
9. Rick Ross, “The Devil is a Lie”
Ft. Jay-Z
💿 Mastermind • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2014
Holy shit (seemed like an appropriate response 😇)! Ross also asserts that he “Fuck the game raw when I came in it / Getting money ever since I came in it.” I’ll leave that alone… Anyways, if that wasn’t enough for the 💿 Mastermind, 🎙 Jay-Z exhibits unique religious beliefs, including referencing the one-and-only Lucifer.
“Is it true or it’s fiction Is Hov atheist? I never fuck with True Religion Am I down with the devil cuz my roof came up missin’ Is that Lucifer juice in that two cup he sippin’…”
Regardless of where either rapper stands spiritually, both acknowledge, “the devil is a lie.” It is up for debate whether that makes Rick Ross “the truth.”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind
10. Florence + The Machine, “Seven Devils”
💿 Ceremonials • 🏷 Universal Island • 📅 2011
“Seven Devils” commences with busy, intriguing production work. The palette of sounds is picturesque, thanks to an array of instruments and synthetic effects. I like the ‘wall of sound’ approach, which perfectly suits the big vocals and musical personality of 🎙 Florence Welch. Welch, indeed, shines like a beacon with her expressive, nuanced, and powerful instrument. Her falsetto (for lack of a better term) stands out. Written by Welch and 🎼✍ Paul Epworth (who also produces), Florence blends spirituality and the anger of a woman scorned. Worth noting, 🎙 The Game sampled “Seven Devils” on 🎵 “Ali Bomaye” from his 2012 album, 💿 Jesus Piece.
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Devil 😈: 5ive Songs No. 52 (2021)
11. Behemoth, “The Satanist”
💿 The Satanist • 🏷 Metal Blade • 📅 2014
Whether you agree with Behemoth’s stance on religion or not, it’s hard to deny the energy they bring musically as well as how darkly-poetic the lyrics are. “At faintest whim they would impale the sun / And thus the sheep in me became the wolf in man,” Nergal sings, later adding, “I decompose in rapture ov hells / Dissolve, divide, disintegrate / I am yours / In euphoria below / I cast my halo from perdition’s clay / Behold my bliss profane.” From there, that’s where the quote first featured in the blurb comes into play. Dark stuff, but intriguing – just don’t tell your pastor, priest, or rabbi.
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 11 Songs Filled with Satanic Themes
🔗 🎧 10 Musicians Who Possess Unique Beliefs or Oppose Religion
12. Joyner Lucas, “Devil’s Work”
💿 ADHD • 🏷 Twenty Nine Music Group / Tully • 📅 2020
Over a dramatic backdrop, Lucas raps his ass off, making some valid points as he’s perturbed by the deaths of good people. There is some savagery in play, where he provides specific examples of who God should dispose of instead of who was ultimately taken:
“… They say you never wrong, but you done made a few mistakes ‘Cause you taking the wrong niggas, maybe you should trade Trade us back all the real ones, remove the fakes ...Give us 2Pac back, and take that nigga Suge ...Give us Biggie, give us Pun, give us Triple X Take that nigga Trump with you, that’s a bigger threat There’s too much power for a coward with no intellect That’s a bigot with a collar, there’s a disconnect...”
There are plenty more examples, as Lucas wants MLK, Malcolm X, and Emmett Till back, while he tells God to take the likes of Martin Shkreli, R. Kelly, and Dylann Roof. It’s controversial, but at least at the end of the monstrous verse he makes it clear, “I know this ain’t your fault, it’s the devil’s work / Devil’s work.”
Also appears on 🔽:
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🔗 🎶 Mad Monday No. 6 via 🎧 Weekly Gems No. 6: Week of 5-4-2020
🔗 🎧 Epilogue: 21 Incredible Highlights from Weekly Gems
🔗 🎧 Devil 😈: 5ive Songs No. 52 (2021)
13. Grateful Dead, “Friend of the Devil”
💿 American Beauty • 🏷 Warner • 📅 1970
Despite the devilishness that goes down, there’s lots to like about “Friend of the Devil.” It begins with the awesome, rhythmic guitar featured from the beginning. Despite mentioning befriending Satan, it’s a ‘happy’ experience – set in a major key that is! Also, worth noting, the sound of the record has a heavy Americana, folk influence – pretty cool! Jerry Garcia delivers expressive, easygoing, lighthearted vocals, perfectly suited for the narrative imparted on the verses. The resulting tale is one that’s colorful, captivating, and down to earth. Throughout the course of the song, Garcia does a superb job of characterizing the devil as surefire trouble (“I ran down to the levee, but the devil caught me there / He took my twenty dollar bill and he vanished in the air”). #Classic
14. Halsey, “Devil in Me”
💿 Hopeless Fountain Kingdom • 🏷 Astralwerks • 📅 2017
🎵 “Devil in Me” appears as the penultimate track on 💿 Hopeless Fountain Kingdom. The adverse effects of love affect the alternative pop artist on this sleekly produced 🎛 Greg Kurstin cut. She asserts, “I don’t wanna wake it up / The DEVIL in me.” On the post-chorus, she comes to the realization she’s “Gotta wake up, come back to life.” Worth noting, “Devil in Me” was written by Halsey, Kurstin, and 🎼✍ Sia.
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind
15. Beck, “Devil’s Haircut”
💿 Odelay • 🏷 UMG Recordings, Inc. • 📅 1996
“Devils’ Haircut” is an indie fan’s dream. Beck gives us distorted guitar, rhythmic, dusty drums (crossover to hip-hop), and an array of sound effects. “Devil’s Haircut” features some retro sounds, yet also delivered fresh sounds for the 90s. Hansen gives us his signature vocals, which are, well, true to self. He’s expressive but never gets too high from a vocal perspective. Of course, it is the lyrics that pack a sizable punch, including the catchy chorus where he’s “Got a devil’s haircut in my mind.” A bonus for Beck is the fact that “Devil’s Haircut” received an entertaining music video – it’s a must-see!
16.Bon Iver, “666 ʇ”
💿 22, A Million • 🏷 Jagjaguwar • 📅 2016
Even with the references to Satan, there numerous religious allusions, often related to spirituals. Some Genius annotators believe the lyric, “Take me into your palms / What is left when unhungry” is related to 🎵 “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”, for example. It also seems to highlight 🎙 Justin Vernon’s complex relationship with religion itself. Certainly, he remains conflicted when he alludes to 🎵 “Standing in The Need of Prayer”:
“I’m still standing in I’m still standing in your need of prayer The need of prayer.”
“666 ʇ” is a complex but intriguing record.
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Number of the Beast: 3BOPS No. 41 (2021)
17. Big K.R.I.T., “Keep the Devil Off”
💿 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time • 🏷 BMG Rights Management • 📅 2017
Even if you’re not a Christian or a churchgoer, K.R.I.T. perfectly captures the feeling like its Sunday services. HE’S 👏 THE 👏 REVEREND 👏. The chorus is a vital part of the infectiousness.
“Lord be my witness Gotta keep the devil off (keep the devil off)... What good are those riches if you’re six feet under? Lord be my witness, keep the devil off (keep the devil off).”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind
18. YG, “666”
Ft. YoungBoy Never Broke Again
💿 STAY DANGEROUS • 🏷 Def Jam • 📅 2018
As for explicitly mentioning the devil, YG does so at the end of the second verse:
“I’m haunted by these demons, yeah, I see ‘em walk (walk) So, you know I got the devil in my thoughts (thoughts) I be seein’ the devil in my living room hall (hall) I just hope I ain’t got the devil in my little Heart (this shit for real).”
Woo! YG enlists a young but hard-nosed colleague in 🎙 YoungBoy Never Broke Again. Alongside YG, YoungBoy brings bite and aggressive, assertive rhymes to the table:
“Five, that’s my Blood blatt, strictly that 4L shit Quick, a shooter 12 shit, without the dope, young nigga rich Challenged at your own risk I up and bust your dome bitch (boo-bow).”
Adding to the electric nature of this devilish track is an outro performed by 🎙 Albert “Alchemist” Thompson that encompasses ‘staying dangerous.’
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 Number of the Beast: 3BOPS No. 41 (2021)
19.Tim McGraw & Faith Hill, “Devil Callin’ Me Back”
💿 The Rest of Our Life • 🏷 Sony • 📅 2017
In the context of the album, “Devil Callin’ Me Back” follows a trio of solid, yet less memorable cuts. It’s brief but finds the duo showcasing attitude and giving their all.
“I hear the devil calling me back I hear the devil calling me back home.”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind
20. Tyler Glenn, “Devil”
💿 Excommunication • 🏷 Island • 🗓 2016
“I think I still believe in Jesus He’s a friend when I choose to pray But my demons get me high, ‘til I’m burning all the time Yeah, they never wash my sins away.”
One never gets the impression that Glenn is an atheist now – there’s still something there. But, he has clearly lost faith: “I swear I still believe in something / But I couldn’t pray the gay away.”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind
🔗 🎧 A Compendium Comprised of 100 Notable LGBTQ+ Songs
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21. Iron Maiden, “The Number of the Beast”
💿 The Number of the Beast • 🏷 Sanctuary • 📅 1982
One final thing. Ask yourself this question. What was your first encounter with “The Number of the Beast”? Personally, mine was 🎮 Tony Hawk Pro Skater 4. Nothing devilish about the video game – just some sick tricks and a bad ass soundtrack!
“666, the number of the beast Sacrifice is going on tonight... 666, the one for you and me.”
Also appears on 🔽:
🔗 🎧 These 15 songs Have the Devil in Mind
🔗 🎧 Number of the Beast: 3BOPS No. 41 (2021)
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