Remembering When Devo Boldly Reinvented a Rolling Stones Classic in 1977

Imagine you’re a member of a new group, one that already is drawing attention to itself for the unique stage getups that you’ve concocted. You decide that one of your first big moves will be to cover one of the most hallowed songs in rock and roll history.

That’s what Devo did when they boldly took on The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”. And then they rendered the song nearly unrecognizable to boot.

Deconstructing the Stones

It’s rare that a band arrives on the scene with an almost completely unique approach to music. Devo is one of the bands that can make that claim. Their whole idea was to radically deconstruct forms of music that had been around for years, reducing those styles to something akin to a mathematical formula.

The Ohio band gained some notoriety for their matching jumpsuits before they even signed a record deal. Famous friends like Neil Young, David Bowie, and Iggy Pop promoted their unconventional work. Devo’s first single arrived in early 1977. Their follow-up song swung for the fences.

It started when the band worked out a robotically funky groove one day in the studio. Lead singer Mark Mothersbaugh initially tried to sing the lyrics to “Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones over the music. When that didn’t work, he switched to “(I Can’t Get No Satisfaction)”. And everything fell into place.

Mick’s Approval

Devo’s version of “I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction)” finds another way into the song. Instead of being a playboy’s lament by Mick Jagger about not getting everything he wants, it becomes a cathartic howl of frustration, the narrator hemmed in by the brittle rhythms and unable to connect.

But Devo had to take a beat before they could unleash this unique take on the world. It was explained to the band that their version could be considered parody. That separated it from the typical cover version, which would have required them simply paying for the rights to record the song.

Instead, the band was told that they had to personally get permission from Mick Jagger himself. Mark Mothersbaugh and Gerald Casale of Devo dutifully headed to New York City to pay their homage. And they were thrilled when, upon hearing the track, Jagger broke into a dance and expressed how much he loved what they’d done.

Cold Water on the Triumph

In an episode of their video web series Devolutionary Times, Gerald Casale explained that they later found out Jagger’s reaction wasn’t quite the triumph they hoped it would be, as their manager Elliot Roberts poured cold water on their enthusiasm:

“He goes, ‘Listen, before you guys ever got there, I told Peter to tell Mick to say he liked it, ’cause you guys are gonna make him a s— ton of money, ’cause they retain all the publishing on the song.’ So, he kind of like, you know, schooled us.”

Regardless of that, Devo did more than cover “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”. They essentially reinvented it. That bold move helped put Devo on the musical map. And they’ve been hacking away at the staid conventions of pop music ever since that moment.

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