Bass Around the World #18: Rolling Grooves
Not every great track has a great story behind it. In the case of "(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones there's a pretty awesome, almost fairy tale rock 'n' roll story.
Legend says that the main riff came one night to Keith Richards in his flat in Carlton Hill, St. John's Wood. The idea was so strong that it made him get up in the middle of the night, pick up his acoustic guitar and record it on his Phillips cassette player. Keith described the recording as two minutes of acoustic guitar and "then me snoring for the next forty minutes". Today, it is quite surreal to perceive this song as an attack on the status quo. But at the time (we’re talking about the year 1965) Mick Jagger’s sexually ambivalent style and his negative view of commercialism provoked a strong reaction among the older generation.
Lesson time
"Satisfaction" remains one the greatest rock 'n' roll songs ever written and today we’ll look at the smart bass work of Mr Bill Wyman. His bass playing was overshadowed by Keith and Mick's stardom but it is a perfect example of how a bass player’s mind should work.
The main guitar riff consists of three notes—B, C# and D—we all know how it famously goes. However, the bass line is playing something completely different, not just in terms of phrasing but also in terms of notes. Instead of just plainly copying the riff in unison, Wyman is playing an independent and hooky bass line using notes E, F#, G, and A. In the mix with the riff, it sounds fresh and it drives the song.
You’re hearing the riff many times during the song and I dare to say that this genius contrapuntal bass line is one of the reasons why we’re bobbing our heads.
The harmonic structure of the song is basically a blues in E, followed by A and B chords in the bridge, before kicking into the chorus/riff line.
Regarding Wyman’s tone, he loved to use short scale basses (Dallas Tuxedo Bass, Framus Star, Vox Teardrop, or Fender Mustang) and he played with a pick. His melodic approach was inspired by walking style bass lines as played by Willie Dixon or Ricky Fenson.
Add the "Satisfaction" bass line into your bass vocabulary—it's pure gold and always fun to play.
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