Corna: The Universal Sign for Rock 'n' Roll

Aside from a brief stint with the Foxymorons in 2002-2003, I haven't been in a rock band in nearly five years. Nonetheless, as I go about my daily life, I find that my fingers still instinctively form the corna (see below).


According to popular belief, the hand gesture is meant to emulate devil horns and pay homage to the dark lord, though in recent years many have ignored the sign's supposed satanic connotations and have taken it to simply mean "rock 'n' roll." (The popularity of the gesture surged in the nineties, largely due to the influence of Beavis and Butthead.)

Rocker Ronnie James Dio (who replaced Ozzy in Black Sabbath before forming Dio in 1983), claims to have popularized the gesture as a symbol for rock music when he joined Black Sabbath in 1979. According to Dio, he picked up the symbol from his Italian grandmother who used it to ward off evil spirits. Ronnie is unhappy that the symbol has become so common and that it is often done improperly.


Though I make the corna subconsciously, as though it flows from my being, the sign's presumed relation to Satan has always made me nervous. As a divinity school grad, I know that the image of Satan as a red-skinned, two-horned humanoid with a pointy beard is the product of centuries of Christian mythology and that the Bible is not even entirely clear as to who or what Satan is. As far I am concerned, horns in no way signify evil or darkness. Still, as a Christian who doesn't want to offend other Christians, I don't want anyone to look at my hand and think that I am mocking his or her faith or that I am disrespecting God. So, I have found myself adding the thumb, forming the American Sign Language sign for "I love you." This, Dio explains, is incorrect.

I don't want anyone to misinterpret me—when I mean "rock," I mean "RAWK!" not "I love you." (Of course, one sometimes rocks with loved ones, so I guess the thumb could be appropriate in certain situations). And I certainly don't want to disrepect Ronnie James Dio. So I have decided that I will use the corna, when appropriate, but I want to be clear that I ascribe no satanic meaning to the gesture and mean no offense to God or any faith tradition including my own.

Quoth The Features, "God save rock 'n' roll—woo!"