Ritornelli luciferini

Capita a tutti, certe mattine, di svegliarsi con un ritornello insistente che gira per la testa... e di solito, si tratta della più odiosa delle canzoni che imperversa per radio, tv e media vari!
Il mio ritornello di stamattina, per fortuna, non è nessuno dei vari tormentoni del momento... forse è solo la voce di "qualcuno" che reclama le sue attenzioni, in opposizione a quella "Personal Jesus" che di recente sta dominando il mio immaginario (nella tenebrosa interpretazione di Mr. Cash).

Per tanto tempo ho sentito la canzone-simbolo degli Stones nelle sue versioni live, con arrangiamenti molto pomposi (sebbene sempre in chiave rock), tappeti musicali invadenti ed un Jagger più rock-star che interprete.
Quando ho finalmente potuto ascoltare la versione originale, dall'album "Beggars Banquet", ho riscoperto il senso vero di questo pezzo, con il suo intro fatto di congas ed il coro quasi tribale a evocare notturni rituali voodoo, il fraseggio di pianoforte come accompagnamento costante, gli sprazzi solisti di quella chitarra acuta e stridula ed un istrionico Mick Jagger che esprime tutto il suo mefistofelico appeal e dona al testo un significato mille miglia lontano dalla semplicistica accusa di satanismo che spesso ha colpito questo pezzo così ironico e pungente al tempo stesso...

Sympathy for the Devil
(The Rolling Stones)

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 faith
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

I stuck around St. Petersburg
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
Ah, what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah

I watched with 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 guessed my name, oh yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, oh yeah, get down, baby

Pleased to meet you
Hope you guessed 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 guessed my name, um yeah
But what's puzzling you
Is the nature of my game, um mean it, get down

Woo, who

Oh yeah, get on down
Oh yeah
Oh yeah!

Tell me baby, what's my name
Tell me honey, can ya guess my name
Tell me baby, what's my name
I tell you one time, you're to blame
Ooo, who
Ooo, who, who

Oh, yeah
What's my name
Tell me, baby, what's my name
Tell me, sweetie, what's my name
Ooo, who, who

Oh, yeah