Satisfaction
The Troggs Lyrics


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Jagger-Richards

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
But I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't get no, well I can't get no.

When I'm drivin' in my car and the man comes on the radio
Keeps tellin' me more and more about some useless information supposed to fire my imagination
I can't get no, no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
But I try and I try and I try and I try, try, try
I can't get no, well I can't get no.

When I'm watchin' my TV and the man comes on and tells me just how white my shirts should be
He can't be a man, he doesn't smoke the same cigarrettes as me
I can't get no, no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

I can't get no satisfaction
I can’t get no girl with action
But I try and I try and I try and I try, try, try
I can't get no, well I can't get no.

When I'm ridin' ‘round the world and I'm doin' this and signing that
I'm tryin' to make some girl who says : ‘Yeah, baby, better come back later next week, you know that I'm on a losing streak’
I can't get no, no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what I say.

Well, I can't get no, no satisfaction
No girl with action
But I try, yeah I try, yeah I try
I try, I try, I try, I try, well I try, alright
I try now now now now now now




I can't get no, no satisfaction
No girl with action

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Troggs' "Satisfaction" are a commentary on the frustration of consumer culture and the impossibility of achieving lasting satisfaction in a society that constantly bombards us with advertising and messages about what we should want and need. The singer of the song tries and tries to find satisfaction, but is thwarted at every turn by the superficial and fleeting nature of the things he is told will make him happy.


The first verse sets up the theme of the song, with the singer driving in his car and listening to the radio, which is full of "useless information" meant to "fire his imagination" but only leaves him feeling unsatisfied. The second verse takes on the advertising industry directly, with the man on the TV telling the singer how white his shirts should be, but not sharing his tastes and values. The third verse expands the theme to a global scale, with the singer traveling the world and trying to impress a girl, but only finding rejection and disappointment.


The chorus, "I can't get no satisfaction," is repeated over and over again, emphasizing how pervasive and inescapable the feeling of dissatisfaction is in modern life. The final verse offers a glimmer of hope, with the singer vowing to keep trying, despite the odds stacked against him.


Overall, "Satisfaction" is a timeless song that speaks to the universal experience of feeling like we can never quite get what we want or need, and the way that society can make us feel like failures for not achieving an impossible standard of happiness.


Line by Line Meaning

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


But I try and I try and I try and I try
Despite his lack of satisfaction, the singer keeps trying to find what he's looking for.


When I'm drivin' in my car and the man comes on the radio
The singer is describing a situation where he's listening to the radio while driving.


Keeps tellin' me more and more about some useless information supposed to fire my imagination
The radio is playing music and giving out information which the singer finds uninteresting or irrelevant to his life.


When I'm watchin' my TV and the man comes on and tells me just how white my shirts should be
The singer is watching television and sees an advertisement that he finds manipulative or annoying.


He can't be a man, he doesn't smoke the same cigarrettes as me
The singer is criticizing the man in the advertisement for being different from himself.


When I'm ridin' ‘round the world and I'm doin' this and signing that
The singer is describing a situation where he's traveling and participating in various activities.


I'm tryin' to make some girl who says : ‘Yeah, baby, better come back later next week, you know that I'm on a losing streak’
The singer is attempting to pursue a girl, but she's not interested in him and makes excuses to avoid seeing him.


No girl with action
The singer is not having any luck with women.


I try, yeah I try, yeah I try
The singer emphasizes that he's putting in a lot of effort to change his situation.


I can't get no, no satisfaction
The singer is still feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied with his life.




Contributed by Gavin C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Munky Park

My new favourite version

Christian BAVAN

killer version oui!

iggypopisgod9

god like. Troggs F rule!

chrisradano

how delightfully decadent.

John Robertson

JK Beats Presley with a stones cover

jon hillman

i can't get no wild thing

Christian BAVAN

i like

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