On May 6th in music history, one significant event took place in 1965 when Keith Richards, guitarist of the Rolling Stones, woke up in the middle of the night with a guitar riff and lyric in his head. He quickly recorded it on a cassette player before falling back asleep.
That rough recording, which famously begins with the sound of a groggy Richards saying "I can't get no satisfaction," would become the basis for one of the Rolling Stones' most iconic hits, "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." Richards brought the demo to the studio, where he and the rest of the band fleshed out the song, with Mick Jagger adding his signature vocals.
Released in the United States in June 1965, "Satisfaction" became the Rolling Stones' first No. 1 hit in the U.S., propelling them to international stardom. The song's rebellious attitude, amplified by Jagger's snarling delivery and Richards' fuzzed-out guitar riff, captured the spirit of the 1960s youth culture and solidified the Stones' status as one of the era's defining rock bands.
The song's influence has endured over the decades, with numerous artists covering it and countless listeners continuing to find resonance in its themes of frustration and restlessness. It stands as a testament to the power of a single moment of inspiration to create something that can stand the test of time and leave an indelible mark on music history.
