La cultura del consumismo rappresentata nella canzone “(I Can’t Get No) Sadisfaction” dei Rolling Stones

This study wants to investigate the impact that social and economic changes during the Sixties had on the writing of the song “(I Can’t get No) Satisfaction” (1965) by the Rolling Stones, with the goal of highlighting the song’s most culturally relevant issues such as anti-consumerism. The analysis of the most significant aspects of the social movements, the counterculture and the economic situation of the US during the Sixties contributes to the creation of the background required to assess the significance of the song. In order to do so, I reference Sharon Monteith’s book American Culture in the 1960s (2008), Sheila Whiteley’s and Jedediah Sklower’s book Counterculture and Popular Music (2016), Andrea Carosso’s article “The Paradox of Re-Colonization: The British Invasion of American Music and the Birth of Modern Rock” (2013), Nicholas David’s book The Cambridge History of American Music (1998) and Fabian Knapps dissertation “I Can't Get No Satisfaction - Culturally Subversive Elements in Selected Songs by the Rolling Stones” (2008). The first chapter of this thesis explores the historical context of the 1960s of America, focusing especially on social movements such as the Civil Rights Movement, the Woman’s Liberation Movement, and the Anti-War Movement. Then, I discuss the importance of the counterculture that arose during the 1960s, and the impact that music, especially rock music, had among its followers. I address the issues of affluence and consumerism, by showing the impact that the economic boom had on US teenagers while growing up in the decade of the Sixties. The last focus of this chapter is the correlation between consumerism and the music of rock’n’roll. The second chapter begins by analysing the evolution of rock’n’roll and leads directly into the thematic of the British Invasion. I review the paradox of the British Invasion and the importance that the invasion had on the evolution of rock. Then, I analyse the making of the song “(I Can’t get No) Satisfaction”, focusing on its writing, production, and broadcasting. This study also analyses the lyrics of the song and the cultural subversive elements that the song text contains. To conclude my thesis, I try to interpret a live performance of “(I Can’t get No) Satisfaction” of 1965, in order to highlight the effect that the Rolling Stones had on their audience while performing.