Aretha Franklin is, quite simply, the undisputed queen of soul. As the firs… Read Full Bio ↴Aretha Franklin is, quite simply, the undisputed queen of soul. As the first woman inducted into the rock 'n' roll hall of fame, Aretha has, in a career spanning forty years, won virtually every award there is to win, scoring dozens of smash hits, and a truckload of Grammy's and lifetime achievement awards. She has been described as having 'the most soulful female voice ever committed to disk' and as being 'one of the most influential people of the last century'.

Otis Redding needs no introduction either. his extraordinary voice exemplified to many listeners the power of southern 'deep soul' - hoarse, gritty vocals, brassy arrangements, and an emotional way with both party tunes and aching ballads. His death at the age of 26 was tragic because he seemed on the verge of breaking through to a wide pop audience (which he would indeed do with his posthumous #1 single, "(Sittin' on) the Dock of the Bay") as well as being at a point of artistic breakthrough in terms of the expression and sophistication.

Satisfaction
Aretha Franklin & Otis Redding Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
I have tried, I have tried
I have tried, I have tried

I can't get me no, ha-ha
And I can't get no, uh, now

When I'm driving in my car
And the man comes on the radio
Keep a-tellin' me more and more
About that useless information
He's tryin' to mess up my imagination

And I can get me no, no, no
And I can get me no
Hey, hey, hey, what I say?
You gotta, gotta, gotta-groovy
We gotta have it, we gotta have it
We gotta have it, we gotta have it
Keep on grooving, keep on grooving
We keep on grooving
Got, no, my, yeah, said

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no, no satisfaction
I have tried, I have tried
I have tried, I have tried, tried, tried
I can't get me no, no, no
And I can't get me no, no, no, no

We gotta groove it, groove it, oh my now
Keep-keep on knockin', knockin' baby, yeah
Ow, gotta, gotta have it, we gotta
Keep, keep, ah

Not ever, woman, she waits long time
This little girl is tryin' to put me down
I keep on runnin' round in my sleep
I keep on messin' up any beat
I keep on rockin', I try to find me
Somebody to love me
And give me some reaction
And I can find nobody, no, no, nobody
Give me no reaction, 'faction, 'faction got to have it
Satisfaction, we got to have it
Satisfaction, earlier in the morning

Satisfaction, later in the evening
Call it satisfaction, in the midnight hour

Overall Meaning

Aretha Franklin and Otis Redding's song "Satisfaction" is about their inability to find fulfillment and contentment in their lives. They repeat the phrase, "I can't get no satisfaction," as they describe their struggles with various aspects of their lives. The first verse mentions how they have tried and failed to find satisfaction, indicating that they have put in effort towards achieving it. However, despite their efforts, they are still left unsatisfied. The second verse shows frustration with the media and the constant flow of useless information that serves to distract them from their pursuit of satisfaction. The bridge, with the repeated phrase "we gotta have it," suggests a desperation for satisfaction that they have been unable to achieve.

The lack of satisfaction that the song discusses can be interpreted as a broader commentary on societal issues of the time, such as the Vietnam War, civil rights, and the general sense of disillusionment among young people. The song speaks to the idea that despite their best efforts to improve their lives and the world around them, they are still met with disappointment and frustration.

Line by Line Meaning

I can't get no satisfaction
The singer is unable to find happiness or fulfillment in life

I have tried, I have tried
The singer has attempted to find satisfaction, but has been unsuccessful

When I'm driving in my car
The singer is referencing a specific moment in time

And the man comes on the radio
The artist is referring to a male voice they hear on the radio

Keep a-tellin' me more and more
The male voice on the radio is speaking at length, potentially repeating the same information

About that useless information
The singer believes the information being shared is pointless and unhelpful

He's tryin' to mess up my imagination
The male voice on the radio is negatively impacting the singer's ability to creatively think

We gotta have it, we gotta have it
The artist and others around them crave something, potentially satisfaction or fulfillment

Keep on grooving, keep on grooving
The artist encourages others to continue actively pursuing said fulfillment

I keep on messin' up any beat
The artist is struggling to find rhythm or purpose in life

I keep on rockin', I try to find me
The singer continues to search for satisfaction, but is struggling to achieve it

Somebody to love me
The artist desires affection and companionship

And give me some reaction
The singer craves a response or acknowledgement from others

In the midnight hour
The singer references a specific time of day, possibly implying increased feelings of loneliness or emptiness at this time

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Keith Richards, Michael Jagger

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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