The Rolling Stones – (I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction (Live- Ireland 1965)

Mick Jagger wrote all the lyrics except the line “can’t get no satisfaction.” The lyrics deal with what Jagger saw as the two sides of America: the real and phony. The song is about a man looking for authenticity but not being able to find it through the haze of marketing. Jagger experienced the vast commercialism of America in a big way on their tours and later learned to exploit it, as The Rolling Stones made truckloads of money through sponsorships and merchandising in the US.

Did You Know

Keith Richards crafted the iconic guitar riff of this song during his slumber after a performance in Clearwater, Florida, on May 6, 1965. Mick Jagger described the track as his perspective on the world, expressing his frustration with various aspects, including America and its pervasive advertising culture.

During The Rolling Stones’ performance of this song on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1966, the line “Trying to make some girl” was censored by television authorities. In 1968, Mick Jagger noted that the song initially sounded like a folk tune when they began working on it. Interestingly, Keith Richards was initially hesitant about the song’s potential, perceiving it as too basic and not fit for a single, though he might not have given it a fair listen at the time.

Video

Lyric

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 the 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
Can’t 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

Guitar chord

                                                                            
E              A             E              A 
I can't get no satisfaction  I can't get no satisfaction 

             E              B7             E          A 
Cause I try__   and I try___    and I try__  and try__   


                      (start main riff)
A     E               A  D       A       E             A  D 
I can't get no                  I can't get no

 A    E               A  D        A      E             A  D 
When I'm driving  in my car    and the man comes on the radio

A     E               A  D        A      E             A  D 
he's telling me more and more   about some useless information

A      E              A   D       A      E             A  D 
supposed to drive my imagination  I can't get no    

 
     A      E    (NC)       E     A  D      A      E         A D 
Oh no  no  no    hey  hey  hey          That's what I say