This song was not a big hit but it was one of my favorites off of his “comeback” album Cloud Nine in the 1980s. The song is pure George. He always valued his privacy and in this song, he made it clear he detested gossip in any way.
“Devil’s Radio” was inspired by a church billboard Harrison had seen that stated “Gossip: The Devil’s Radio…Don’t Be a Broadcaster.” The song did peak at #4 in Billboard Mainstream Chart Rock charts. The Cloud Nine album peaked at #8 in the Billboard Album Charts.
Even when George was young he didn’t like people knowing his business. As his mom would recall, “George was always against nosy mothers, and he used to hate all the neighbors who stood around gossiping.”
Devil’s Radio
Gossip, gossip
Gossip, gossip
I heard it in the night
Words that thoughtless speak
Like vultures swooping down below
On the devil’s radio
I hear it through the day
Airwaves gettin’ filled
With gossip broadcast to and fro
On the devil’s radio
Oh yeah, gossip
Gossip, oh yeah
He’s in the clubs and bars
And never turns it down
Talking about what he don’t know
On the devil’s radio
He’s in your TV set
Won’t give it a rest
That soul betraying so and so
The devil’s radio
Gossip, gossip
Gossip, gossip
(Oh yeah) gossip, (gossip) oh yeah
(Gossip) oh yeah, (oh yeah) gossip
It’s white and black like industrial waste
Pollution of the highest degree
You wonder why I don’t hang out much
I wonder how you can’t see
He’s in the films and songs
And on all your magazines
It’s everywhere that you may go
The devil’s radio
Oh yeah, gossip
Gossip, oh yeah
Runs thick and fast, no one really sees
Quite what bad it can do
As it shapes you into something cold
Like an Eskimo igloo
It’s all across our lives
Like a weed it’s spread
’till nothing else has space to grow
The devil’s radio
Can creep up in the dark
Make us hide behind shades
And buzzing like a dynamo
The devil’s radio
oh yeah
(Gossip) gossip, (gossip) gossip
Oh yeah, gossip I heard you on the secret wireless
Gossip, oh yeah You know the devil’s radio, child
Gossip, gossip
Gossip, gossip
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Many people thought Rock and Roll was the devil’s music.
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You are completely right. Elvis once asked Jerry Lee Lewis…”Jerry Lee do I play the devil’s music?” and Jerry replied “Hell boy you are the devil”
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That is funny, thanks for the laugh.
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It’s on Hail Hail Rock and Roll…great quote
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What a wonderful exchange! Only Jerry could say that lol
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That is great man…One of my favorites… sorry for the delay…got called for work and I now I’m way behind on replying.
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Yeh I imagine you have some catching up to do. Hehe.
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good song andinteresting background! Would be great in a set with ‘Muhammed’s Radio” by Warren Zevon!
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That would be good…
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