What inspired Mick to portray Satan in this song? The most popular belief is that it was Master and Margarita by Bulhakov, however Mick himself claimed it was inspired by Baudelaire. Which work could he mean? There is one more track that seems overlooked: Karamazov Brothers by Dostoyevsky. Near the end one of the brothers is visited by the devil (actually, it's only his hallucination) which is portrayed as an older gentleman, a bit tired and bored who talks about watching Christ being crucified and other things he witnessed. Could this novel inspire Mick? Has he mentioned it in any interview?

Maybe Mick really met Satan. In much the same way Charlie Daniels had a fiddle contest with him, or a guitar duel with Tenacious D. Satan loves appearing to musicians.

I read Master and the Margarita about 15 years ago, and remember really liking it at the time. I don't quite remember how the story goes though.

I would maintain that SFTD draws partly if not entirely from this, but maybe we could believe Mick when he says this wasn't the case...or something.

He talks about it (maybe on the exile dvd extras?) Saying how extrodinary it was that that moment was captured (on film) and that he based the character initially on a literraly character he was reading about....someone must have seen it. peace.

I have read the Master and Margarita recently.

It is an excellent book about trying to be a novelist in the Soviet Union, among other things. The copy that Mick read at Marianne's suggestion is clearly the inspiration for the devil arriving on earth in the form of a gentleman. His name was Woland in the book, which describes him being with Pilate at the crucifixion. Jagger took off with that germ of an idea and added the other historical references.

It was in Spanish Tony's book, so it must be true.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2011-12-29 21:15 by Zack.

What about the legend of the Stones selling Brian Jones soul to the devil during their dip in 1967?

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What about the legend of the Stones selling Brian Jones soul to the devil during their dip in 1967?

True every bit of it I'm sure. I'd like to think Brian got cold feet and , buying time slipped ole lucifer a tab of Owsley And made his escape...The devil tripped for a coupla years and then came back looking for him....peace.

Underground filmmaker Kenneth Anger claims that he inspired Mick. He introduced Anita Pallenberg to the ways of Aleister Crowley and black magick.