"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" (often referred to simply as "Satisfaction") is a song written and recorded by the English rock band The Rolling Stones in 1965. The song and its opening riff are widely considered both iconic and one of the greatest musical hooks of all time, with lyrics referring to sexual frustration and commercialism.
The song was released as a single in the United States in June 1965 and became their first #1 hit there; in the Stones' native England it was initially only played on pirate radio stations due to the "sexually suggestive" nature of the lyrics; it would ultimately become the band's fourth British number one, and is regarded as one of the Stones' most popular and enduring songs.
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" has been covered on numerous occasions by The Residents, and is said to be the most thoroughly represented individual song in the group's archive;[1] their most notable cover of the song is a "determinedly repellant" version with radically altered lyrics which was released as the A-side of a single in 1978. When reissued in 1978, "Satisfaction" became The Residents' biggest selling release at that time, despite the success of a version by Ohio art-rock band Devo which had been released only weeks earlier.[2]
The song was featured in the set list of The Residents' first live tour The Mole Show in 1983, and variants of the song from the recording sessions for the original single were featured on the 2021 compilation album Leftovers Again?! and the 2022 MP3 release "(The Residents Spend Six Minutes) Searching For Satisfaction".
History[]
The Rolling Stones' version[]
Original US picture sleeve for "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction", 1965
Keith Richards is said to have composed "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" in his sleep sometime in 1965, recording a rough version of the riff on a cassette player shortly after waking up. Afterwards, he recorded a rough version of the riff on a Philips cassette player.
The Rolling Stones first recorded the track on May 10th 1965 at Chess Studios in Chicago, Illinois, but re-recorded it two days later at RCA Studios in Hollywood, California. The second version featured a different beat and the Gibson Maestro FZ-1 Fuzz-Tone, which added sustain to the guitar sound.
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was released as a single in the US by London Records on June 5th 1965, with "The Under-Assistant West Coast Promotion Man" as its B-side. It entered the US charts at number 67 on June 12th. By July 10th, the single had reached number one. While in its eighth week on the American charts, the Stones received their first gold record award by the RIAA for shipping over a million copies across the United States. The song was later released by London Records on the American version of the album Out of Our Heads. Billboard ranked the record as the No. 3 song of 1965. The song's success boosted sales of the Gibson fuzzbox to the extent that the unit had completely sold out by the end of the year.
"Satisfaction" was not immediately released by Decca Records in Great Britain; Decca was already in the process of preparing a live Rolling Stones EP for release, so the new single did not come out in Britain until August 20th, with "The Spider and the Fly" on the B-side. The song peaked at number one for two weeks, replacing "I Got You Babe" by Sonny and Cher, before being toppled by The Walker Brothers' "Make It Easy on Yourself" on September 26th.
When the song was released, The Residents were in their early twenties, and Philip "Snakefinger" Lithman was 16.
The Residents' versions[]
"If you get confused - and everybody gets confused sometimes - you have to do what you can and keep going. You hope that eventually, things change - 'cause everything changes and there's nothing you can do about it - but maybe - things will get... satisfying... just a little bit!"
Brief, abortive instrumental versions of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" can be heard on The Pre-Residents' demo tapes Rusty Coathangers for the Doctor and The Ballad of Stuffed Trigger, both recorded in the group's San Mateo apartment in 1970. The version featured on Rusty Coathangers is part of an extended, improvised take which quickly transitions into "When Johnny Comes Marching", whereas Stuffed Trigger features a short, abstract attempt at the very start of the tape.
The Residents set about recording "Satisfaction" at their recording studio on Sycamore Street in San Francisco in early 1976, during a break in production on their long-gestating Eskimo project which also resulted in a number of the songs later featured on the album Duck Stab!/Buster & Glen.[3] The project was intended as a "three minute distillation" of the concept of their third album The Third Reich 'n Roll, released February 7th 1976, which comprised two lengthy suites composed of interweaving, deconstructed covers of pop rock music, mostly from the 1970s.
The Residents put an unprecedented amount of time and effort into recording "Satisfaction", experimenting with various approaches and "pushing their engineering and tape splicing skills to new levels",[1] ultimately producing more than twenty ("mostly not great") variations and mixes of the song.[4] As a result, "Satisfaction" is said to occupy more space in the group's tape archives than any other individual song.[1] At one point during production, included backing vocals performed and arranged by J. Raoul Brody and The Pointless Sisters (a San Francisco vocal/comedy troupe associated who were associated with Brody at the time).
"Satisfaction" is also notable as the first official appearance of the English guitarist Philip "Snakefinger" Lithman on a Residents release. Snakefinger, who had returned to America in June 1976 after having spent the preceding four years in England with the group Chilli Willi and the Red Hot Peppers, jokingly claimed that The Residents "forced me, tied me into the studio, and beat me with whips while I played my guitar over the solo piece".[5] The version which was ultimately selected for release also features Don Jackovich on drums.
"Satisfaction" was released as the A-side of a single on Ralph Records on September 12th 1976 in an edition of 200 numbered copies;[2] curiously, The Residents are said to have continued recording "Satisfaction" into October (some weeks after the single's release).[1] Although their contributions were removed from the final mix of the song,[6] The Pointless Sisters are thanked in the liner notes of the original pressing of the single, and were later credited as "backing stylists" on the 1978 reissue.
Devo's "Satisfaction" vs. The Residents' "Satisfaction"[]
Promo for the 1978 reissue of "Satisfaction"
A deconstructed version of "Satisfaction" by Ohio art-rock band Devo was released as a single in September 1977, initially in a self-produced version on their own independent label Booji Boy Records, before being re-recorded with producer Brian Eno for their debut album Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!; this version was released as a single on Warner Bros. Records in 1978.
In need of product to meet commercial demand, The Residents' management company The Cryptic Corporation had already ear-marked the single for re-issue on Ralph Records by this time over the objections of The Residents themselves, who preferred to keep the single (which had by this time sold out through the Ralph mail order catalog) as a limited edition art piece. The single was nevertheless reissued by Ralph in August 1978 in an edition of 30,000 copies on translucent yellow vinyl with updated cover art - two weeks after the UK release of Devo's single.[2]
Devo's version became a minor success, reaching 41 on the UK Singles Chart, and was supported by an eccentric promotional video, and a performance of the song on the comedy program Saturday Night Live in October 1978 which raised the band's national profile significantly. The Residents are said to have watched the initial airing of this program with "palpable envy" of the success and recognition Devo were receiving, possibly reflecting the group's concern at the prospects of their own single.[2]
Nevertheless, the reissue became The Residents' biggest selling record at that time, quickly selling in record stores across America and England and in high numbers through the Ralph catalog, ultimately netting the group around $20,000,[2] and gaining the group attention in the New Wave press. Trouser Press magazine described the song as "the most determinedly repellant music ever heard", a statement that Ralph Records manager Jay Clem seemed to agree with in a 1977 interview, noting that "the key word here is 'determinedly'".[7]
Later versions[]
"Satisfaction" was first performed live by The Residents at their first official live appearance at the Rather Ripped Records fifth anniversary party in Berkeley, California on June 7th 1976, around the time the song was being recorded in the studio.
In 1982, "Satisfaction" was rehearsed for inclusion in their planned (but never realized) 10th Anniversary retrospective live tour; this arrangement of the song was then featured as the penultimate song in the setlist of The Residents' international Mole Show tour in 1982 and 1983, where it segues directly into the closing number, "Happy Home". As the only surviving remnant of the 10th Anniversary tour concept, "Satisfaction" is the only song in the Mole Show setlist which does not originate from the albums Mark of the Mole or The Tunes of Two Cities.
For their 20th Anniversary album Our Finest Flowers in 1992, The Residents recorded a version of "The Spot" which used "Satisfaction" as an instrumental basis; this version was titled "I Can't Get No Spot". The instrumental for this version was later re-used for the song "The Cry of A Crow".
A "murky demo" version titled "Primal Satisfaction" was later released on the compilation Leftovers Again?! in 2021. This version is notable for featuring the previously unheard backing vocals of The Pointless Sisters, which are curiously noted to have been "flown in" to the early demo from a later take, indicating that The Residents returned to this version of the song at a later date for reasons that remain unknown.[1]
Leftovers Again?! also features a newly produced "RDX" mix of the song, derived from "one of the many versions (of "Satisfaction") which saw The Residents overlay new material onto copies of previous takes", featuring material not featured in the final mix of the song.[1]
A six-minute collage of excerpts from The Residents' many unreleased attempts at recording "Satisfaction", titled "(The Residents Spend Six Minutes) Searching For Satisfaction", was released for free to members of Cherry Red Records' Residents mailing list on May 20th 2022.
Lyrics[]
The Rolling Stones version (1965)[]
I can't get no satisfaction I can't get no satisfaction 'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm drivin' in my car And a man comes on the radio He's tellin' me more and more About some useless information Supposed to fire my imagination
I can't get no Oh no no no Hey hey hey That's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction I can't get no satisfaction 'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm watchin' my TV And a man comes on and tells me How white my shirts can be But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke The same cigarettes as me
I can't get no Oh no no no Hey hey hey That's what I say
I can't get no satisfaction I can't get no girl reaction 'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try I can't get no, I can't get no
When I'm ridin' round the world And I'm doin' this and I'm signin' that And I'm tryin' to make some girl Who tells me baby better come back maybe next week 'Cause you see I'm on a losing streak
I can't get no Oh no no no Hey hey hey That's what I say
I can't get no, I can't get no I can't get no satisfaction No satisfaction, no satisfaction No satisfaction, I can't get no
The Residents version ("Satisfaction" single, 1976)[]
I can't get no I can't get no Satisfaction
When I'm at the football game And the jerk falls down and fumbles And they stomp his back And they break his neck I just laugh and crack my knuckles
I can't get no I can't get no Satisfaction
Hey hey hey Hey hey hey That's what I say
When I'm at the picture show And I can't get no popcorn An' I grab a knife An' I stab a tit An' I poot on Dinah Shore[8]
Now you think I'm all messed up But I think you're all messed up And I grab a gun and I blow that gun And I blow the whole world apart AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
When I'm goin' to my job And I'm crowded on the bus Well I grit my teeth and I clench my fist And I hate like piss on pus
Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction
Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction
Satisfaction Satisfaction Satisfaction[9][10]
Credits[]
- Lead Guitar: Snakefinger
- Percussion: D. Jackovich
- Backing Stylists: The Pointless Sisters
- Backing Vocals Arranged By: Raoul N. Di Seimbote
List of releases[]
- Rusty Coathangers for the Doctor (1970, unreleased) [version 1]
- The Ballad of Stuffed Trigger (1970, unreleased) [version 2]
- "Satisfaction"(1976) [version 3]
- The Residents Radio Special (1977) [version 3]
- Mole Show (1983) [version 4]
- Memorial Hits (1985) [version 3]
- Hell! (1986) [version 3]
- The Third Reich 'n Roll Classic Series CD reissue (1987) [version 3]
- Mole Show: Live In Holland (1989) [version 5]
- Liver Music (1990) [version 6]
- Twenty Twisted Questions (1992) [version 7] [version 8]
- Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated Guide To The Residents (1993) [version 9]
- In Memoriam Torso (1994) [version 3]
- Louisiana's Lick (1995) [version 3]
- Our Tired, Our Poor, Our Huddled Masses (1997) [version 3]
- Twenty-Five Years Of Eyeball Excellence (1998) [version 3]
- Live! ...On The Outskirts (2002) [version 10]
- Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town (2003) [version 6]
- Cover Versions Series 1 (2009) [version 3]
- Mole Show DVD bag set (2009) [version 10]
- Oh Mummy Oh Daddy (2010) [version 11]
- 80 Aching Orphans (2017) [version 3]
- The Third Reich 'n Roll pREServed CD edition (2019) [version 3] [version 11] [version 12] [version 13]
- Mole Box: The Complete Mole Trilogy pREServed (2019) [version 4] [version 14] [version 15]
- Leftovers Again?! (2021) [version 16] [version 17]
- Mole Dance '82 (2021) [version 15]
- "(The Residents Spend Six Minutes) Searching For Satisfaction" (2022) [version 18]
List of versions[]
- ↑ San Mateo home recording, 1970 (interpolated with "When Johnny Comes Marching", 2:29)
- ↑ San Mateo home recording, 1970 (1:23)
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 Grove Street studio recording, June 1976 (4:32)
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mole Show live recording, Roxy Theatre, Los Angeles, California, October 30th 1982 (2:21)
- ↑ Mole Show live recording, Muziekcentrum, Utrecht, Holland, June 4th 1983 (3:00)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Oh Mummy! Oh Daddy! live recording, Longbranch Saloon, Berkeley, California, June 7th 1976 (edit, 0:44)
- ↑ Mole Show live recording, Muziekcentrum, Utrecht, Holland, June 4th 1983 (edit, 1:07)
- ↑ Grove Street studio recording, June 1976 (edit, 0:25)
- ↑ Mole Show live recording, Muziekcentrum, Utrecht, Holland, June 4th 1983 (edit, 0:15)
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Mole Show live recording, Kabuki Theater, San Francisco, October 26th-27th 1982 (2:50)
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Oh Mummy! Oh Daddy! live recording, Longbranch Saloon, Berkeley, California, June 7th 1976 (4:27)
- ↑ Mole Show live recording, Madrid, Spain, June 1983 (3:50)
- ↑ Oh Mummy! Oh Daddy! studio backing tape, 1976 (2:35)
- ↑ Uncle Sam Mole Show live recording, New Music America Festival, National Building Museum, Washington, D.C., October 7th 1983 (3:06)
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Grove Street studio rehearsal, March - April 1982 (3:17)
- ↑ Grove Street studio recording, June 1976 ("RDX" mix, 4:05)
- ↑ Grove Street studio demo, summer 1976 ("Primal Satisfaction", 4:05)
- ↑ Various Grove Street studio recordings, January - October 1976 (2022 "concentrate" mix, 6:00)
See also[]
- The Rolling Stones
- The Delta Nudes
- Rusty Coathangers for the Doctor
- The Ballad of Stuffed Trigger
- The Third Reich 'n Roll
- The Pointless Sisters
- Don Jackovich
- The Mole Show (tour)
- "(The Residents Spend Six Minutes) Searching For Satisfaction"
External links and references[]
- "Satisfaction" at The Residents Historical
- "Singles and EPs" at RZWeb (archived via archive.org)
- "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" at Wikipedia
- The Residents' "Satisfaction" at Genius Lyrics
- "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" at AZLyrics
- Memorial Hits at Discogs
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Leftovers Again?! liner notes, 2021
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ian Shirley, Never Known Questions: Five Decades of The Residents, 2016
- ↑ "...there's nothing from [Duck Stab! in] the Mole Show, but the Mole Show did have a "Satisfaction" encore, and you know in a lot of ways, "Satisfaction" was done around the same time as Duck Stab! so I think it has certain connections." Homer Flynn, Cacophony Podcast - Obscure Music for Obscure People, Episode 1 - "Homer Flynn on The Residents and Duck Stab", January 13th 2022
- ↑ "(The Residents Spend Six Minutes) Searching For Satisfaction!", Cherry Red Records Residents mailing list newsletter, May 20th 2022
- ↑ "They forced me, tied me into the studio, and then beat me with whips while I played my guitar over the solo piece of that." Snakefinger (interviewed by Charles Amirkhanian), A Residents 10 Year Retrospective, KFPA-FM, April 1st 1980
- ↑ "Satisfaction & The Beatles Play the Residents... - Res History Ep. 4", Mr. Riggsy's ResTube, June 27th 2021
- ↑ "Part 2", The Residents Radio Special, 1977
- ↑ "...it was a long time ago but the general consensus around here is that the line is: '...an' I poot on Dinah Shore.'" Homer Flynn, in an email to a fan, June 5th 2024
- ↑ Memorial Hits lyric sheet, 1985
- ↑ Ima Buddy, Ima Buddy's Totally Impartial Companion to Uncle Willie's Highly Opinionated BIG MAMAS, 1992
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Rusty Coathangers for the Doctor (1970) Side A |
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The Ballad of Stuffed Trigger (1970) Side A |
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Satisfaction (1976) Side A: "Satisfaction" |
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The Mole Show (1982-1983) Set list |
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The Third Reich 'n Roll (1976) Side A: "Swastikas on Parade" |