You Can't Always Get What You Want
Doris Troy; London Bach Choir; Madeline Bell; Nanette Newman; The Rolling Stones Lyrics
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A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
No, you can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You get what you need
I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she was gonna meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well, you might find
You get what you need
Ah, yeah
Oh
And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't we're gonna blow a fifty-amp fuse"
Sing it to me, honey
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes, well, you just might find
You get what you need
Ah baby, yeah
Ah
I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled
I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy
And, man, did he look pretty ill
We decided that we would have a soda
My favorite flavor, cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
I said to him
You can't always get what you want, well no
You can't always get what you want. I tell you, baby
You can't always get what you want, no
But if you try sometimes you just might find, uh, mm
You get what you need, oh yeah, woo!
Ah, woo!
You get what you need, yeah, oh baby
Ah yeah
I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands, sing it
You can't always get what you want, yeah
You can't always get what you want, ooh yeah, child
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need, ah yeah
Ah baby, woo!
Ah, you can't always get what you want, no, no, baby
You can't always get what you want, you can't now, now
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You just might find that you
You get what you need, oh yeah
Ah yeah, do that
"You Can't Always Get What You Want" by the Rolling Stones is a song about the human experience of struggling to obtain what one desires. The first verse describes the singer attending a wedding reception and observing a woman with a glass of wine who is waiting for her lover. This sets up the message of the song: that you can't always get what you want, but sometimes you have to try in order to get what you need. The chorus repeats this message, emphasizing that it is not always possible to get what you want, but it is important to try in order to obtain what you need. The second verse describes the singer attending a protest; this emphasizes the idea of struggle and how people must fight in order to get what they need. The final verse describes the singer going to a pharmacy with a friend and meeting a sick man. The theme of the song is reinforced as the singer says that you can't always get what you want, but you can try to get what you need.
One interesting fact about the song is that it features an unusual instrument called a "vibra-slap" that can be heard throughout the track. Another interesting fact is that the song was nearly ten minutes long when it was first recorded, but was shortened to five minutes for the final release. The song was recorded in November and December of 1968, and was released in May of 1969 as a single. "You Can't Always Get What You Want" later appeared on the Rolling Stones' album "Let It Bleed," which was released in December of 1969. The song has been featured in numerous films and TV shows, including "The Big Chill," "Goodfellas," and "The Simpsons." It has also been covered by many artists, including Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, and Seal.
The chord progression for "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is G-C-D-G for the verses and G-C-D-G-C-D-G for the chorus. The song is in the key of G major and features a simple, straightforward melody that matches the lyrics' theme of perseverance in the face of adversity.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw her today at the reception
The singer saw a woman at a social event
A glass of wine in her hand
The woman was holding a glass of wine
I knew she would meet her connection
The singer assumed the woman was going to meet someone she knew
At her feet was her footloose man
The woman's partner was with her
No, you can't always get what you want
Sometimes things don't go as you hope or expect
You can't always get what you want
This is repeated to emphasize the point
But if you try sometime you'll find
It's still worth making an effort
You get what you need
Even if you don't get what you want, you may still get what you need
And I went down to the demonstration
The artist attended a protest
To get my fair share of abuse
The artist expected to be subject to criticism
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
The protest was to voice dissatisfaction
If we don't we're gonna blow a fifty-amp fuse"
If they don't express themselves, they'll be overwhelmed by their emotions
I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
The singer went to a pharmacy
To get your prescription filled
The singer was there to fill a prescription for someone else
I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy
The singer was waiting in line with someone called Mr. Jimmy
And, man, did he look pretty ill
Mr. Jimmy looked very sick
We decided that we would have a soda
The artist and Mr. Jimmy decided to get a drink
My favorite flavor, cherry red
The singer's preferred drink flavor is cherry
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
The singer sang a song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
Mr. Jimmy replied with a single word, 'dead'
I saw her today at the reception
The woman appeared again at the social event
In her glass was a bleeding man
The drink in her glass appeared to have blood in it
She was practiced at the art of deception
The woman was skilled at misleading others
Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands, sing it
The artist realized she was responsible for the 'bleeding man'
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Abkco Music Inc.
Written by: Keith Richards, Mick Jagger
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@KCG7
We all love that Chorus!
But!
“I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man”
to
“I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practiced at the art of deception
Well, I could tell by her blood-stained hands, sing it”
Just hits me right in my feels. ❤
@larrywalker5781
In my humble opinion as a 78 year old male this was the best Stones song ever
@duanedodson1
This is a good song, until I seen the lipstick wearing fool.
@christianrodriguez-sg8vt
I agree sir.
@chilloften
Haha, it’s a beauty. So many good ones from these guys, what a joy.
@jilldove5793
I'm 55 grew up on stones. Have every vinyl. Been blessed to see them 9 time. Still my fav stones song & wild horses❤
@user-cu4vm8eh5d
Absolutely ! Young man !
@stanleyrafael8973
I’m here at 2:15pm and this song just hit me during the hardest times. My father just passed away due to the coronavirus. As he was fighting for his life for 2 weeks straight and a bunch of prayers. He passed away without having to say one last word to his kids. This song hits because you can’t always get what you want in life, but if you try and keep moving forward you can find light at the end of the tunnel..
@krysiajewitt5627
Sorry for your loss. Stay strong, music is a great friend in times of need.
@axiomist4488
Sorry about your dad.
@Sam-ot8lm
May he rest, I'm sure he was a wonderful man, I send my condolences to you and your family.