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(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction

Rolling Stones

from the album Out of Our Heads released in 1965

jump to: lyrics / notes & tabs / videos / chord progressions / song info

Lyrics

Intro

    | E . . . | Dsus2 . A . | E . . . | Dsus2 . A . |
                                 ...repeat, with riff


Verse

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


Pre-Chorus

                 E            B7           E            A 
        'Cause I try... and I try... and I try... and I try


Chorus

                    E         Dsus2  A          E            Dsus2  A
            I can't get no............. I can't get no.................
            
            (repeat this progression for entire chorus)
            
            When I'm drivin' in my car
            And that man comes on the radio
            And he's tellin' me more and more
            About some useless information
            Supposed to fire my imagination
            I can't get no...
                     (no chord)
            Oh, no no no......... 
                    (resume chords)
            Hey hey hey... that's what I say

    (repeat progressions above for each section below)

    ...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 that man comes on to tell me
            How white my shirts can be
            But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
            The same cigarrettes 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... girly action...

        '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 signing that
            And I'm tryin' to make some girl
            Who tells me baby better come back later next week
            Cause you see I'm on 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

Notes & Tabs

Guitar Chords Used

Here's the basic way to play the chords used in this song on your guitar. As you explore the song more you might prefer to modify these chords in certain ways, but this should be plenty to get you started.

e-|---0---0----0-----2---
B-|---0---2----3-----0---
G-|---1---2----2-----2---
D-|---2---2----0-----1---
A-|---2---0----------2---
E-|---0------------------
      E   A  Dsus2   B7

Ukulele Chords Used

If you want to play on a ukulele, use these chords.

A-|--(2)--0--(0)--2---
E-|---4---0---2---2---
C-|---4---1---2---3---
G-|---4---2---2---2---
      E   A   D   B7

How to Play the Main Riff

On a guitar, the basic way to play the main riff is as follows. If you wish, you can substitue the open-D note with the 5th fret on the A-string (with your pinky). Up to you.

e-|-------------------------------------
B-|-------------------------------------
G-|-------------------------------------
D-|------------------0-------0--0-------   ...repeat
A-|---2--2-----2--4-----------------4---
E-|-------------------------------------

If you want to play it higher on the fretboard, you can do it like this. The trick is to maintain a three-string barre with your index finger (on the highest three strings).

e-|---7--7------7--9--10-----10--10---9----
B-|---9--9------9--9--10-----10--10---10---
G-|---9--9------9--9--12-----12--12---9----
D-|----------------------------------------   ...repeat
A-|----------------------------------------
E-|----------------------------------------

On a ukulele, I play the main riff as follows. You'll want to pluck/pick these strings with your thumb and forefinger (instead of strumming).

A-|--2--2------2--4--5-------5--5---4---
E-|--4--4------4--5--5-------5--5---5---
C-|-------------------------------------   ...repeat
G-|-------------------------------------

Or you can take this approach, which involves barring the fretboard with your ring finger:

A-|--x--x------x--4--5-------5--5---4---
E-|--4--4------4--5--5-------5--5---5---
C-|--4--4------4--4--6-------6--6---4---   ...repeat
G-|--4--4------4--x--x------------------

Incorporating the Main Riff into Strumming

If you're like me and enjoy making things fit nicely into strumming patterns, here's how you can emulate the sound of the riff into your strumming. On a guitar, play the following. This takes a bit of creative liberty with what constitutes an A-chord, but it sounds great in my opinion.

e-|---0--0------------0-------0--0---0----
B-|---0--0-----0--2---3-------3--3---2----
G-|---1--1-----1--1---2-------2--2---2----
D-|---2--2-----2--2---0-------0--0---0----   ...repeat
A-|---2--2-----2--2-----------------------
E-|---0--0--------------------------------

On a ukulele, I play it like this in full strumming mode:

A-|--x--x------x--0--0-------0--0---x---
E-|--4--4------0--0--2-------2--0---0---
C-|--4--4------0--1--2-------2--1---0---   ...repeat
G-|--4--4------0--2--2-------2--2---0---

Videos

Rolling Stones Album Version



Recommended Ukulele Cover & Lesson



Recommended Guitar Lesson



Recommended Acoustic Guiar Cover



Chord Progressions

Intro

| E . . . | Dsus2 . A . | E . . . | Dsus2 . A . |
                             ...repeat, with riff

Verse

"I can't get no..."
| E . . . | E . . . | A . . . | A . . . |
| E . . . | E . . . | A . . . | A . . . |

Pre-Chorus

"'Cause, I try..."
| E . . . | B7 . . . | E . . . | A . . . |

Chorus

"I can't get no!"
| E . . . | Dsus2 . A . | E . . . | Dsus2 . A . | 
                     ...repeat, with riff

Song Info

Song: (I Can't Get No) Satisfaction
Artist: Rolling Stones
Album: Out of Our Heads
Year: 1965
Label: London Records

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About

My name is David Potsiadlo, and I created Songnotes to share my collection of guitar tabs, chords, and lyrics for my favorite songs.

Since I started playing guitar over 10 years ago, I've often been frustrated by the preponderance of mediocre and incomplete song tabs littered across the internet. To combat this, I started keeping my own collection of notes for each song I learn -- always taking the extra time to make sure accuracy and completeness are never compromised. Years later, my collection grew to the point where I knew I had to share it online with fellow aspiring musicians.

In December 2012, I began designing & developing a website that became Songnotes. Here, I share my personal collection of hand-crafted music notation with all those online. I hope you enjoy.

You can also view my personal website or follow me on Twitter / Dribbble / GitHub / LinkedIn.