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The Rolling Stones: Sympathy for the Devil (alternate take)
Written by: Jagger/Richard Recorded: Olympic Sound Studios, London, England, June 4-10 1968 Guest musicians: Nicky Hopkins (piano)
A Fresh Flame at Olympic: Revisiting Sympathy for the Devil
Between June 4 and 10, 1968, the Rolling Stones returned to London’s Olympic Sound Studios to breathe new life into a song that would become one of their most provocative and iconic: Sympathy for the Devil. During these sessions, the band explored alternate takes that stripped down the original’s menacing samba swagger and let its skeletal form pulse with raw energy. One such version offers listeners a fascinating glimpse into the song’s evolution—less polished but full of bite. Keith Richards’ guitar is starker, Mick Jagger’s vocal delivery sharper and more urgent, and Nicky Hopkins’ piano threads the chaos with elegance and texture. The atmosphere captured during these recordings is intense and exploratory, revealing a band unafraid to question and rework its own material. The alternate take recorded here feels more like an invocation than a performance—an early and electrifying draft of rock mythology in the making.
Nicky Hopkins and the Devil’s Details
Key to the richness of this version is the subtle but masterful contribution of guest pianist Nicky Hopkins. Known for his work with both the Rolling Stones and other rock legends, Hopkins’ touch on the keys adds a haunting counterpoint to Jagger’s vocal performance. His fluid runs and rhythmic punctuation give the song a bluesy, almost baroque flair that contrasts beautifully with the track’s otherwise minimalist instrumentation. Hopkins helped elevate the studio atmosphere, lending sophistication to a recording that might have otherwise felt too skeletal. The Stones’ willingness to experiment during this session not only helped refine the final album version of Sympathy for the Devil, but also cemented their creative fearlessness at a pivotal moment in their career. These Olympic Studio outtakes remain a fascinating chapter in their studio history—bold, brooding, and brimming with restless invention.
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