Devil Wouldn't Recognize You
Lyrics
It's quiet as it is tonight
You almost think you were safe
Your eyes are full of surprises
They cannot predict my fate
Waiting underneath the stars
There's something you should know
The angels they surround my heart
Telling me to let you go
I bet he couldn't
I bet he couldn't recognize
But I played right into it
Who am I to criticize
Somehow I'll get through it
And you won't even realize
Falling through your own disguise
It's like over and over
You're pushing me right down to the floor
I should just walk away
Over and over I keep on coming back for more
I play into your fantasy
Now that it's over
You can lie to me right through your smile
I see behind your eyes
Now I'm sober, no more intoxicating my mind
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
I do, I do
You almost fooled yourself this time
Let all the saints be praised
You hide your sadness behind your smile
And you keep your lost heart braced
The steps that edge along the ledge
Is much higher than it seems
But I've been on that ledge before
You can't hide yourself from me
I bet he couldn't
I bet he couldn't recognize
I still played right into it
Who am I to criticize
Somehow I'll get through it
And you won't even realize
Falling through your own disguise
It's like over and over
You're pushing me right down to the floor
I should just walk away
Over and over I keep on coming back for more
I play into your fantasy
Now that it's over
You can lie to me right through your smile
I see behind your eyes
Now I'm sober, no more intoxicating my mind
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, but I do
I do, I do
It's like over and over
You're pushing me right down to the floor
I should just walk away
Over and over I keep on coming back for more
I play into your fantasy
Now that it's over
You can lie to me right through your smile
I see behind your eyes
Now I'm sober, no more intoxicating my mind
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you, you, you, you
Devil wouldn't recognize you, you, you, you
Devil wouldn't recognize you, you, you
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you
I do, I, I do
You, you, you, you, devil wouldn't recognize you
Recognize you, you, you
I do
Even the devil wouldn't recognize you
I, I, I, I, I, I do
Credits
Written by Madonna, T. Mosley, J. Timberlake, N. Hills and J. Henry
Produced by Timbaland, Justin Timberlake and Danja
Programmed and mixed by Demacio "Demo" Castellon
Protools editing by Ron Taylor
Vocals by Justin Timberlake
Drums by Timbaland
Keyboards by Danja
Guitars by Dan Warner
Additional keyboards by Hannon Lane
Scratching by DJ Demo
Album
Song
This track was written for the Hello Suckers! musical with Joe Henry and was rehearsed for the Re-Invention Tour in the form of a bluesy torch song. For the Hard Candy album, it was reworked by Timbaland, Justin & Danja. Madonna named this song as one of her favourites from the album, because "I just love [the song] lyrically. I like the subject matter. The idea that you're so clever even the Devil wouldn't recognize you. You know what I mean?"
Tour
With the soft and gentle piano keys that introduce Devil at the Sticky & Sweet Tour, one wouldn't expect such a dark and sinister, yet sublime performance. As a devilish queen, dressed in a black cape, Madonna emerges on top of a piano hidden behind the circular screen, With visual flashes of water falling down, it seems she is soaking in the rain. While Ric'key keeps on playing, Madonna slowly rises up on the spinning stage. The screens then move up and take the rain with them, and Madonna overcomes her sorrow and bursts out of her darkness, revealing her colourful self, symbolizing the metamorphosis of the caterpillar to a butterfly.