# "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:** 18\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/61 "2012-09-01T02:07:48Z")
It has always been “girl reaction” to me. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/62 "2012-09-01T06:19:49Z")
it couldn’t be “I can’t get no girl’s reaction”? ---
**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, 8:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/63 "2012-09-01T08:53:23Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Girly/girlie are for all intents and purposes the same word. And I have no idea where you are going with this connotations thing. > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOz\_yf4n8LI](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOz_yf4n8LI) > > Or > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoCjr1KJqck](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoCjr1KJqck) “Girlie magazine”, “girlie show” etc. Older usage, connotation of scantily clad women on display. Usually spelt “-ie”. “Girly”, adj., with a more general meaning of “girlish” or “pertaining to girls” seems to me a more recent invention e.g. “his flowery smartphone cover seemed a bit girly”. You could also spell it “girlie”, but like other adjectives it is usually spelt with a -y. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/64 "2012-09-01T13:53:22Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > “Girlie magazine”, “girlie show” etc. Older usage, connotation of scantily clad women on display. Usually spelt “-ie”. > “Girly”, adj., with a more general meaning of “girlish” or “pertaining to girls” seems to me a more recent invention e.g. “his flowery smartphone cover seemed a bit girly”. Even if true, I don’t see how your point is relevant to the song. Mick doesn’t want action that is girlish. He wants action with (or a reaction from) the girlies–chicks, babes, birds, broads. The kind of action that will involve them getting scantily, or completely un-, clad. _That’s_ satisfaction, buddy. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/65 "2012-09-01T14:51:22Z")
> [@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 just tried this…I can’t believe this, but you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![Shakester](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shakester/32/437_2.png) [@Shakester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shakester)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/66 "2012-09-01T15:30:23Z")
Of course Jagger didn’t sing “half assed” - I don’t know if that phrase was in common use in the US in the mid sixties, but it certainly wasn’t well known outside the US at the time. “Ass” is an American-only usage, the word is “arse” (rhymes with “farce”) everywhere else in the English-speaking world, and if Jagger had wanted to refer to an arse, he’d have said arse and not ass, which to non-American English speakers means “donkey”. Yes, I know the Stones were aping American music at the time, even so Jagger is highly unlikely to have used the “ass” pronunciation in the mid sixties. Even now, the only time anyone outside of North America would say “ass” instead of “arse” would be to imitate an American. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/67 "2012-09-01T16:25:15Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Of course Jagger didn’t sing “half assed” - I don’t know if that phrase was in common use in the US in the mid sixties, but it certainly wasn’t well known outside the US at the time. > > “Ass” is an American-only usage, the word is “arse” (rhymes with “farce”) everywhere else in the English-speaking world, and if Jagger had wanted to refer to an arse, he’d have said arse and not ass, which to non-American English speakers means “donkey”. > > Yes, I know the Stones were aping American music at the time, even so Jagger is highly unlikely to have used the “ass” pronunciation in the mid sixties. Even now, the only time anyone outside of North America would say “ass” instead of “arse” would be to imitate an American. Yeah, not sure what to say about this one; I always heard high-class, but wouldn’t’ve considered half-assed for the reasons you state. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/68 "2012-09-01T18:21:23Z")
You’re forgetting that the song was _written_ by an American (Bobby Womack, originally recorded by his group the Valentinos). If the original _had_ included the words “half-assed,” Jagger would presumably have sung the same. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/69 "2012-09-01T18:28:37Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > You’re forgetting that the song was _written_ by an American (Bobby Womack, originally recorded by his group the Valentinos). If the original _had_ included the words “half-assed,” Jagger would presumably have sung the same. Fair, but…nah. 😉 ---
**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, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/70 "2012-09-01T20:01:58Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Even if true, I don’t see how your point is relevant to the song. Mick doesn’t want action that is girlish. He wants action with (or a reaction from) the girlies–chicks, babes, birds, broads. The kind of action that will involve them getting scantily, or completely un-, clad. _That’s_ satisfaction, buddy. It’s relevant because in 1965 “girlie action” (if that were the line, which it isn’t) wouldn’t have made much sense. It would have sounded like Mick was saying “I want to go to a strip club” or something. The more recent adjective “girly” was not yet current, and even it had been it would still have sounded clumsy. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/71 "2012-09-01T20:07:40Z")
All I know is that big ol’ Jed had a light on. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2012, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/72 "2012-09-01T23:49:17Z")
> [@Shakester](#): > > Of course Jagger didn’t sing “half assed” - I don’t know if that phrase was in common use in the US in the mid sixties… Common enough. The 1964 “half-fast vs. half-assed” issue certainly wasn’t the first time this fourteen year-old Californian had ever heard the phrase. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2012, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/73 "2012-09-01T23:54:53Z")
[![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eZXEVVX-RAw/hqdefault.jpg "DEVO - Satisfaction - Live 1978 Chorus TV Paris") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZXEVVX-RAw) link to Devo '78 Satisfaction. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2012, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/74 "2012-09-02T00:03:37Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZXEVVX-RAw](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZXEVVX-RAw) > link to Devo '78 Satisfaction. God they sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_A.Robrin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sam_a.robrin/32/14497_2.png) [@Sam\_A.Robrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_A.Robrin)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/75 "2012-09-02T00:59:48Z")
> [@Ximenean](#): > > It’s relevant because in 1965 “girlie action” (if that were the line, which it isn’t) wouldn’t have made much sense. It would have sounded like Mick was saying “I want to go to a strip club” or something. The more recent adjective “girly” was not yet current, and even it had been it would still have sounded clumsy. No, in those days, 10-year-olds (which I was) spoke of “girly” activities and such, and poor James Gurley of Big Brother and the Holding Company sure got kidded about it enough. At that time, I heard “girly action,” and understood it to mean exactly what it must have meant. ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/76 "2012-09-02T01:01:47Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > God they sucked. I think I speak for a lot of us here when I say, “Fuck You.” ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/77 "2012-09-02T03:28:29Z")
> [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](#): > > I think I speak for a lot of us here when I say, “Fuck You.” And I \*\*know \*\*I speak for the powers that be when I say, “This is way over the line for Cafe Society, dial it \*way \*back.” **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@Ellis\_Aponte\_Jr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellis_Aponte_Jr)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2012, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179/78 "2012-09-02T03:31:13Z")
My apologies. Nothing personal, just trying to stick up for Devo and especially that cover of theirs which is brilliant. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cant-get-no-satisfaction-cant-get-no-pearly-action-was-that-ever-a-lyric/633179.md?page=3)