Elvis’ ‘(You’re the) Devil in Disguise’ Is Similar to 1 Bible Verse
On one level, Elvis Presley‘s “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” is a light, fun pop song. On another level, it’s a Christian sermon disguised as a fun pop song. The track has parallels to some famous passages of the Bible. After all, Saint Paul himself believed the devil could take on different forms in order to deceive people.
Elvis Presley’s ‘(You’re the) Devil in Disguise’ recalls a biblical warning
Unlike a lot of heavy metal songs that came after it, “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” is not literally about the devil. It’s about a woman who appears angelic before the narrator realizes she’s devilish. The lyrics echo 2 Corinthians 11: 13-15, where Paul the Apostle warns the early Christian community about deceivers in their midst.
“People are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ,” he wrote. “And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.”
Elvis Presley’s song is also like a passage from the Book of Isaiah
The idea of Satan having been an angel at first can be traced back to some interpretations of the Book of Isaiah. Some Christians teach the devil was once an angel called Lucifer who fell from God’s grace and became Satan. The King James Version of Isaiah 14: 12-16 supports this interpretation.
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning!” the passage reads. “How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High.'” For context, “the Most High” is a biblical term for the Lord.
“Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit,” the book continues. “They that see thee shall narrowly look upon thee, and consider thee, saying, ‘Is this the man that made the earth to tremble, that did shake kingdoms?'”
‘(You’re the) Devil in Disguise’ was surprisingly uncontroversial
According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” was a success, though it was one of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll‘s final hits before his career started to decline. It’s almost surprising how well the track performed. Later artists such as Marilyn Manson were controversial for incorporating Satanic imagery into their music. Perhaps audiences at the time were able to see that the devil in the song was metaphorical.
“(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” also has an upbeat tone and Elvis’ vocal performance is a touch campy. It’s hard to interpret the song as something malevolent. In addition, Elvis had previously recorded gospel music, so he probably didn’t seem like the sort of singer who would hand his soul over to Lucifer.
“(You’re the) Devil in Disguise” is a great pop song and it’s a little more biblical than it might appear on first listen.
