# "Sympathy for the devil" - what does this line refer to?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sympathy-for-the-devil-what-does-this-line-refer-to/142117>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 11, 2002, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sympathy-for-the-devil-what-does-this-line-refer-to/142117 "2002-12-11T22:30:54Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sympathy-for-the-devil-what-does-this-line-refer-to/142117/1 "2002-12-11T22:30:54Z")

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In the famous Rolling Stones song \* Sympathy for the Devil \*

There is a line that I can’t figure out.

> [@](#):
>
> And I lay traps for troubadors who get killed before they reach Bombay

Is this a specific reference in Indian History?

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**Author:** ![typhoon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ed8c4c/32.png) [@typhoon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/typhoon)\
**Post date:** [December 11, 2002, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sympathy-for-the-devil-what-does-this-line-refer-to/142117/2 "2002-12-11T22:45:45Z")

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[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=136152&highlight=troubadours+Bombay+devil](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=136152&highlight=troubadours+Bombay+devil)

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**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\
**Post date:** [December 12, 2002, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sympathy-for-the-devil-what-does-this-line-refer-to/142117/3 "2002-12-12T03:04:39Z")

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Thanks for the footwork. I missed that thread when it came out.

Very informative.