You Can't Always Get What You Want
Patti Austin Lyrics

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

She had a glass of wine in her hand
The woman was holding a beverage.

I knew she was gonna meet her connection
The singer knew the woman was going to meet someone she planned to see.

And at her feet there was her footloose man
The woman's lover was with her, relaxed and carefree.

You can't always get what you want
The singer highlights that it's impossible to have everything you desire.

I said you can't always get what you want
The singer reiterates that you won't get all that you desire.

You know you can't always get what you want
The singer reminds the listener once again that desires can't always be fulfilled.

But if you try sometimes you might find
The singer suggests that it's possible to find some satisfaction in life.

You get what you need, yeah
The singer points out that people can obtain what they truly require.

You know I went down to the demonstration
The singer attended a public protest or march for a particular cause.

Just to get my fair share of abuse
The singer prepared to handle or receive verbal/physical criticism or mistreatment.

Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
The singer shouted out or exclaimed that 'everyone should express their anger or dissatisfaction.'

And if we don't we're gonna blow a fifty amp fuse"
The singer warns that if the group fails to let out their feelings, they will explode with a lot of energy, referring to a 'fifty amp' fuse.

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

I was trying to get your prescription filled
The singer attempted to fill a prescription for a person whose name is not mentioned in the song.

I was standing in line with Mr Jimmy
The singer was waiting in a queue with a man named Jimmy.

And man, did he look pretty ill
The singer gives an observation that Jimmy looks like he's in poor health.

We decided that we were gonna have a soda
The singer and Jimmy agreed to buy themselves a soda drink.

My favorite flavor, cherry red
The singer mentions their preferred flavor of soda, which is cherry red.

I sung my little song to Mr Jimmy
The singer sang a brief song to Jimmy, ending their conversation on a pleasant note.

And he said one word to me, and that was "Dead"
Jimmy responded with only one word, which was 'dead,' which could be interpreted in a few ways (e.g., the song doesn't clarify whether he meant it seriously or jokingly).

You know you can't always get what you want
The singer repeats the well-known chorus of the song.

But if you try sometimes you just might find
The singer highlights that by attempting to improve or be content with what you do have, you can find satisfaction.

You just might find, you get what you need, oh yeah baby
The singer further emphasizes that people may obtain what they need if they're willing to put in effort.

In her glass there was a bleeding man
The woman at the reception had a glass containing an image of a man who was wounded and bleeding.

She was practiced at the art of deception
The singer believed that the woman was skilled at tricking or deceiving others.

I could tell by, I could tell by her blood-stained hands
The singer was able to deduce her deception from her stained hands.