Gimme Sympathy

Album: Fantasies (2009)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Frontwoman Emily Haines told Drowned In Sound that this song was inspired by a conversation between her and guitarist/producer James Shaw. She explained: "We opened for The Rolling Stones two nights at Madison Square Garden in NYC and since then analyzing what they represent has become a favorite theme of band conversations. In this song we ask the age-old question, 'Who would you rather be: The Beatles or the Rolling Stones?' Here's Jimmy's answer: 'Neither. One is dead and the other is corporate.'"
  • The title is a combination of two Rolling Stones songs: "Gimme Shelter" and "Sympathy For The Devil."
  • Metric lead singer Emily Haines explained to Cargo Collective where the name of the album stems from: "For me, being the person who is quite preoccupied with the words, that word 'Fantasy' is quite loaded. It can be a dream or ideal but also the idea that you can be living in a dream. Your perception and what you are projecting onto what you see is your personal reality. For us that was the theme: Is a dream coming true perhaps really unpleasant because it is no longer a dream?" >>>
    Suggestion credit:
    Bertrand - Paris, France

Comments: 1

  • Veve from Lorain, OhI love this song!
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Adele

AdeleFact or Fiction

Despite her reticent personality, Adele's life and music are filled with intrigue. See if you can spot the true tales.

Dean Pitchford

Dean PitchfordSongwriter Interviews

Dean wrote the screenplay and lyrics to all the songs in Footloose. His other hits include "Fame" and "All The Man That I Need."

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"

Jules Shear - "All Through The Night"They're Playing My Song

Shears does very little promotion, which has kept him secluded from the spotlight. What changed when Cyndi Lauper had a hit with his song? Not much, really.

Jello Biafra

Jello BiafraSongwriter Interviews

The former Dead Kennedys frontman on the past, present and future of the band, what music makes us "pliant and stupid," and what he learned from Alice Cooper.

Frankie Valli

Frankie ValliSong Writing

An interview with Frankie Valli, who talks about why his songs - both solo and with The Four Seasons - have endured, and reflects on his time as Rusty Millio on The Sopranos.

Martin Page

Martin PageSongwriter Interviews

With Bernie Taupin, Martin co-wrote the #1 hits "We Built This City" and "These Dreams." After writing the Pretty Woman song for Go West, he had his own hit with "In the House of Stone and Light."