You Can't Always Get What You Want
Def Leppard Lyrics

I saw her today at the reception
The singer saw a woman at a formal gathering.

A glass of wine in her hand
The woman was holding a glass filled with wine.

I knew she was gonna meet her connection
It was clear to the singer that the woman was going to meet someone.

As at her feet was a footloose man
The woman was accompanied by a man who appeared carefree.

You can't always get what you want
The singer acknowledges that one cannot always obtain one's desires.

But if you try sometimes
The singer suggests that making an effort can lead to success.

You just might find
Success is possible if one tries hard enough.

You'll get what you need
One may not always get what they want, but they will receive what they require.

I went down to the demonstration
The singer attended a protest of some sort.

To get my fair share of abuse
The singer expected to be on the receiving end of criticism.

And if we don't we're gonna blow a 50-amp fuse
If those at the demonstration do not express their grievances, they will become extremely upset.

I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
The singer went to a drugstore in the Chelsea neighborhood.

To get your prescription filled
The singer planned to fill a prescription for someone else.

I was standing in line with Mister Jimmy
The singer waited in line alongside a man named Jimmy.

And man, did he look pretty ill
The singer noticed that Jimmy appeared quite unwell.

We decided that we would have a soda
The singer and Jimmy chose to share a soda.

My favorite flavor, was cherry red
The singer's preferred soda flavor was cherry red.

I sung my song to Mister Jimmy
The singer sang a song for Jimmy.

And he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
Jimmy responded with a single word, which was "dead".

In her glass was a bleeding man
Upon seeing the woman again, the singer noticed that there was a figurative 'bleeding man' in her glass.

She was practiced at the art of deception
The singer recognizes that the woman is skilled at being deceptive.

Well I could tell by her bloodstained hands
The singer could tell that the woman had been involved in something violent due to her bloodstained hands.

Oh sugar, you'll get what you need, yeah yeah yeah
The singer reiterates that even if one cannot have everything they want, they will always receive what they require.

You'll get what you need, yeah yeah yeah
The singer continues to reinforce the idea that one will always receive what they need.

You'll get what you need, yeah yeah yeah
The singer concludes that receiving what you need is always the most important thing.