About The Song
Shout at the Devil is the second studio album by American heavy metal band Mötley Crüe, released on September 23, 1983. It was the band’s breakthrough album, establishing Mötley Crüe as one of the top selling heavy metal acts of the 1980s. The singles “Looks That Kill” and “Too Young to Fall in Love” were moderate hits for the band.
Shout at the Devil was Mötley Crüe’s breakthrough success, selling 200,000 copies in its first two weeks. The album’s title and the band’s use of a pentagram caused a great deal of controversy upon its 1983 release, as Christian and conservative groups claimed the band was encouraging their listeners to worship Satan. The pentagram was something Nikki Sixx brought with him from Sister, a very theatrical band he had been a member of (along with future W.A.S.P. vocalist Blackie Lawless) in the late 1970s prior to the formation of Mötley Crüe. Sister fused occult symbolism such as the Pentagram into a theatrical heavy metal show incorporating blood and facial makeup. Sixx asked Lawless for permission to use some of Sister’s occult-related imagery for Shout at the Devil, as at that point Lawless was intent on moving in a different direction. “I said ‘take whatever you want’ because at that point, I realised that with an image like that, you end up painting yourself in a corner and you can’t get out,” said Lawless.
Just prior to returning home to Los Angeles to begin recording the album, Mötley Crüe was famously kicked off their support spot on Kiss’ Creatures of the Night tour. The bands played only five shows together before Gene Simmons demanded they be replaced, citing their “bad behavior”.
During recording, bassist Sixx was involved in a serious car crash after drunkenly stealing a friend’s Porsche in Los Angeles. At around the same time, actress and friend Demi Moore told Sixx he needed Alcoholics Anonymous, though Sixx dismissed her concerns. Sixx badly injured his shoulder in the crash and was prescribed Percocet, a combination of acetaminophen and the powerful opioid oxycodone which was commonly prescribed to treat severe short-term pain. Sixx’s use of Percocet transitioned directly to a crippling addiction to heroin which would cost him $3,500 a day and almost claim his life later in the decade
Video
Lyrics
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
He’s the wolf screaming lonely in the night
He’s the blood stain on the stage
He’s the tear in your eyes, been tempted by his lie
He’s the knife in your back, he’s rage
Well, he’s the razor to the knife, oh, lonely is our lives
My head’s spinning ’round and ’round
But in the seasons of wither we’ll stand and deliver
Be strong and laugh and
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
Shout, shout, shout!
He’ll be the love in your eyes, he’ll be the blood between your thighs
And then have you cry for more
He’ll put strength to the test, he’ll put the thrill back in bed
I’m sure you’ve heard it all before
He’ll be the risk in the kiss, might be anger on your lips
Might run scared for the door
But in seasons of wither we’ll stand and deliver
Be strong and laugh and
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
He’s a wolf screaming lonely in the night
He’s the blood stain on the stage
He’s the tear in your eye, been tempted by his lie
He’s the knife in your back, he’s rage
He’s the razor to the knife, oh, lonely is our lives
My heads spinnin’ ’round and ’round
But in the seasons of wither we’ll stand and deliver
Be strong and laugh and
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout at the devil!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout, shout!
Shout, shout…