Motley Crue is a band that has been known for their controversial lifestyles and content in their lyrics. Each member has dealt with drug and alcohol addictions and has been in multiple conflicts with the law, which might lead a lot of people to associate them with evil. One of their more famous songs, "Shout at the Devil," might strengthen this association because it references the devil and the evil that many people think they promote. Even though the lyrics mention the devil, the songs meaning is not at all praising the devil. In fact, it is almost doing the opposite. Both verses name off parts of everyday life where the band sees the devil's presence. In the first verse Vince Neil, their singer, says, "He's the tear in your eyes being tempted by his lies. He's the knife in your back…He's the razor to the knife." Here, Neil acknowledge that the devil is a tempter, but he is also saying that the devil is the worse part of the bad in peoples' lives. He is the razor, the dangerous part of the knife. In the second verse, Neil says, "He'll be the love in your eyes…and then have you crying for more." Again, he recognizes the devil as a tempter and trickster. He says that Satan tempts people to fall in love and then leaves them feeling broken and alone when it doesn't work out.
The chorus, however, shifts away from all the places Neil sees the devil and evil in the world and yells repeatedly "Shout. Shout. Shout. Shout at the devil." This is the part where Neil says to "shake it off and move along." He says there are bad things (the devil and evil) out there, but don't let them become a big part of your life.
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