4 of the Best Covers of “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones

“(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” was a hit when it was released by The Rolling Stones in 1964, and it’s still a huge hit today. It has all the elements of a killer rock and roll song: A catchy tune, addictive lyrics, and an iconic bassline. What’s not to love? It’s been covered a billion times at this point, so picking out the perfect cover is no easy task. These four covers of “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones are just a few of the best, if not the most underrated.

1. The Grateful Dead

The Grateful Dead covered “Satisfaction” by The Rolling Stones back in 1981. They covered it live a number of times afterward as well. Since the band was known for their particularly long sets, it only makes sense that they’d eventually add a song or two by the Stones into their rotation. And it’s a great cover, too.

2. Devo

Devo was so good at taking a song that sounded nothing like their own work and turning it into a Devo song. Their cover of “Satisfaction” from 1977 added a playful, odd energy to the rock and roll hit. But they needed Mick Jagger to sign off on it so they could officially release it.

“He [Jagger] was just looking down at the floor swirling his glass of red wine,” Gerald Casale once said about the time they demoed the cover. “He didn’t even have shoes on, just socks and some velour pants. [Jagger] suddenly stood up and started dancing around on this Afghan rug in front of the fireplace, the sort of rooster-man dance he used to do, and saying, ‘I like it, I like it.’”

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3. Otis Redding

Otis Redding covered “Satisfaction” a year after it was first released, and the rendition made it to his album Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul. This cover is iconic because Redding admitted that while his cover was on point energetically and musically, he did miss some of the song’s lyrics and opted to adlib. Still, Jagger is on record saying that Redding’s cover is one of the best.

4. Björk and PJ Harvey

These two unique and powerful voices, both unusual in their own respects, covered “Satisfaction” in 1994. Most would agree that this doesn’t seem like the kind of song Björk nor PJ Harvey would ever cover, but it simply works. It’s a great example of how talented musicians can take a classic song and modernize it without making it unrecognizable.

Photo via Keystone/Hulton Archive

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