On May 7th 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 riff in his head. He quickly grabbed a guitar and a cassette recorder and laid down the iconic opening riff of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" before falling back asleep.
The story goes that when Richards listened to the tape the next morning, he heard about two minutes of the riff being played, followed by 40 minutes of him snoring. He had no recollection of recording it. Richards and Mick Jagger later finished writing the song, which became one of The Rolling Stones' most famous and enduring hits.
"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" was released in the United States on June 6, 1965, and it quickly climbed to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming the band's first No. 1 hit in the U.S. The song's success helped establish The Rolling Stones as a major force in the British Invasion and cemented their status as rock and roll legends.
The raw, rebellious energy of the song, combined with its suggestive lyrics and Richards' unforgettable guitar riff, made "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" a counterculture anthem. It has since been covered by numerous artists, featured in countless films and TV shows, and consistently ranks among the greatest rock songs of all time. All thanks to a riff that came to Keith Richards in his sleep on May 7, 1965.
