‘Satisfaction’: How Otis Redding provided the defining version of a Rolling Stones classic
‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ is inarguably one of the most iconic rock songs of all time. Penned by The Rolling Stones at the height of their early success, the song boasts an instantly recognisable hook provided by Keith Richards, along with a vocal performance by Mick Jagger that would go on to define his entire onstage persona. Given the legendary nature of the song, recording a cover version of it almost feels sacrilegious, but that did not stop soul legend Otis Redding from reimagining The Stones’ definitive track.
By the time Brian Jones and company first formed The Rolling Stones back in 1962, Otis Redding had already established himself as one of the leading figures in the world of American funk and soul music. Through songs like ‘These Arms of Mine’, ‘Pain In My Heart’, and ‘Pitiful’, the Georgia-born vocalist established himself on the American music scene and certainly earned the ‘King of Soul’ moniker with which he is so often branded.
The Rolling Stones tended to take inspiration from the world of blues or R&B rather than soul music, but those styles were very closely intertwined. Furthermore, the all-encompassing impact of the British invasion on the music scene of America meant that it was only a matter of time before Jagger and Richards appeared on Otis Redding’s radar. In the summer of 1965, when the Stones unveiled ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’, it did not take long for Redding to start working on his own arrangement.
Given the intense and immediate success of the single, releasing a cover mere months after the original version hit the shelves would have been a fairly daunting task for any artist who was not as talented as Otis Redding. The soul star has one of those voices that could make virtually any song sound good, and he certainly did a number on ‘Satisfaction’. Altering Jagger’s original lyrics to fit his own voice – and largely out of necessity, given that he could not understand much of what Jagger was saying – Redding managed to make the iconic song his own.
On top of the lyrical change, Redding’s arrangement swapped the dirty guitar tones of Keith Richards for a selection of blaring horns. Reportedly, the Stones guitarist had originally intended for the band to use horns for the track, and the distinctive guitar tones employed were supposed to resemble the sounds of brass. As a result, Redding’s version of ‘Satisfaction’ is often viewed as the definitive version, with the soul star achieving the original vision of the track when it was first penned by the Stones.
Even The Rolling Stones themselves seem to think Redding’s version of the song triumphs over the original. Guitarist Ronnie Wood has noted that the vast majority of The Stones’ live performances of ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ use Redding’s arrangement as the basis, rather than the original version.
At the time, The Rolling Stones were often criticised for borrowing, stealing, or ripping off tracks by underappreciated Black American artists for personal gain. However, Redding’s ‘Satisfaction’ marked the first time a Black artist reached the pop charts with a cover of a white rock group, turning expectations of the 1960s rock scene entirely on their head. Hence, not only was Redding’s arrangement of the track arguably better than the original, but it was also crucial in the context of the civil rights movement and Black artistry in the United States.
Redding would not be the only artist to reimagine ‘Satisfaction’ over the years. Noted new wave heroes Devo would deliver a particularly unique version of The Rolling Stones classic in 1977. Everybody from Britney Spears to The Replacements have taken a stab at recording the iconic song over the years, but nobody has come close to the genius of ‘Satisfaction’ by Otis Redding.
