# "Can't get no satisfaction/Can't get no pearly action" Was that ever a lyric? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 30, 2012, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179 "2012-08-30T19:06:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/41 "2012-08-31T16:44:16Z")
> [@woodstockbirdybird](#): > > Well, they’d often change lyrics to be more suburban-friendly for TV appearances back in the day. Changing “Let’s Spend The Night Together” to “Let’s Spend Some Time Together” for Ed Sullivan was but one example. So I wouldn’t go by what Mick sang on television as proof of the lyric. NB: _French_ television. Would they care? ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/42 "2012-08-31T16:49:48Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > I always heard it as “I can’t get no girly action”… Which in [my mind](http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Legendary-editor-Helen-Gurley-Brown-dies-3784845.php) was a _good_ thing ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/43 "2012-08-31T17:09:15Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > 10CC worth. Cream, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/44 "2012-08-31T17:21:25Z")
What did we ever do before the internet? I’ll tell you what we did, when I was in my late teens many many moons ago - we went to the Rexall Drugstore where on the magazine rack there were sometimes cheap pulpy no-name thin magazines that had black and white picture of a band on the cover, and lyrics to their songs inside. Very hit or miss, and only bigger bands like the Stones, the Beatles, . ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/45 "2012-08-31T17:27:32Z")
Great, now this thread is all wrecked up like a douche, another rumor in the night. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/46 "2012-08-31T18:00:43Z")
> [@drastic\_quench](#): > > But is Annie or Fanny supposed to take a load off? I thought it was Granny. Can’t remember the title or artist, or I’d look it up. ---
**Author:** ![mr.jp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/48db29/32.png) [@mr.jp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mr.jp)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/47 "2012-08-31T18:09:13Z")
I have just listened to [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a7cHPy04s8) and [![]( " - YouTube") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXcNQTa3zgs) (around 2:26 in both) And Im confident it’s “girly action”. There’s no R in there. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/48 "2012-08-31T18:09:51Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I thought it was Granny. Can’t remember the title or artist, or I’d look it up. The title is “The Weight,” the original artist is the Band, and the name is Fanny. (The last verse refers to “Miss Fanny” as being the one who started the whole chain of events in the song; although “Annie” defenders claim that this is not necessarily the same person mentioned in the chorus.) Edit: On reading this back, it occurred to me that a case could even be made that “Miss Fanny” indicates a character’s last name, and Annie could be interpreted as the same person’s first name. Good lord–the song is about _Little Annie Fanny!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/49 "2012-08-31T18:10:25Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I thought it was Granny. Can’t remember the title or artist, or I’d look it up. Just can’t remember the band, eh? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/50 "2012-08-31T18:12:24Z")
> [@mr.jp](#): > > I have just listened to > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a7cHPy04s8](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a7cHPy04s8) > and > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXcNQTa3zgs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXcNQTa3zgs) > > (around 2:26 in both) > > And Im confident it’s “girly action”. There’s no R in there. The Stones are too cool to use a word like “girly.” I’ve always heard “girl reaction.” ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/51 "2012-08-31T19:00:59Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > The title is “The Weight,” the original artist is the Band, and the name is Fanny. (The last verse refers to “Miss Fanny” as being the one who started the whole chain of events in the song; although “Annie” defenders claim that this is not necessarily the same person mentioned in the chorus.) > > Edit: On reading this back, it occurred to me that a case could even be made that “Miss Fanny” indicates a character’s last name, and Annie could be interpreted as the same person’s first name. Good lord–the song is about _Little Annie Fanny!_ 😃 Thanks for the info. Oddly, I’d always heard that as “Granny”, but if you have a reliable printed version of the lyrics, then I was wrong. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/52 "2012-08-31T19:52:35Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It is “half-assed.” That was a minor scandal back in the day. Which is why I always heard it that way. I remember the “scandal” being concerned with whether he said “half-fast” or “half-assed.” But scandal or no, I recently I listened to the 2002 SACD remaster in a headset (for the first time), and was shocked to hear Mick sing “high class.” The CL in “Class” was audible. I suppose this may turn out to be an unprovable opinion. Either way, it’s one of my two all-time favorite Stones songs. (“Beast Of Burden” being the other.) . ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/53 "2012-08-31T20:05:54Z")
To me it sounds like “girl re-action”, he says “re” and “action” separately. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/54 "2012-08-31T23:16:38Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > To me it sounds like “girl re-action”, he says “re” and “action” separately. It goes with the flow. I can’t get no, sat-is-fac-tion I can’t get no, girl re-ac-tion 'cause I tried, and I tried, and I tried I CAN’T GET NO! NO, NO, NO! ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2012, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/55 "2012-08-31T23:25:33Z")
It’s “girly action.” Any opinions or authority to the contrary are wrong. 😉 That’s the way I’ve always heard and screamed it while driving at 77 mph… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/56 "2012-09-01T00:44:40Z")
“Girl in Acton”. A notoriously difficult place to pull, unlike nearby Ealing. That place is just full of sluts. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/57 "2012-09-01T00:49:53Z")
I not sure that was even a word “girly” in 1965. There was “girlie”, but that has seedy connotations which don’t seem to fit with the song. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/58 "2012-09-01T00:56:12Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Which is why I always heard it that way. I remember the “scandal” being concerned with whether he said “half-fast” or “half-assed.” > But scandal or no, I recently I listened to the 2002 SACD remaster in a headset (for the first time), and was shocked to hear Mick sing “high class.” The CL in “Class” was audible. > I suppose this may turn out to be an unprovable opinion. Either way, it’s one of my two all-time favorite Stones songs. (“Beast Of Burden” being the other.) > . I pulled up the song again and listened on headphones. It definitely _could_ be “high class.” The best Stones song is of course “Gimme Shelter.” ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/59 "2012-09-01T01:11:30Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > I not sure that was even a word “girly” in 1965. There was “girlie”, but that has seedy connotations which don’t seem to fit with the song. Girly/girlie are for all intents and purposes the same word. And I have no idea where you are going with this connotations thing. https://www.youtube.com/embed/jOz_yf4n8LI?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque Or https://www.youtube.com/embed/YoCjr1KJqck?feature=oembed&wmode=opaque ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/60 "2012-09-01T02:03:40Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > As a little kid, I though it was “girl _with_ action.” It’s not?? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179.md?page=4)