You Can't Always Get What You Want
The Rolling Stones Soulwax 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
We went down to the demonstration
To get your fair share of abuse
Singing, "We're gonna vent our frustration
If we don't we're gonna blow a fifty-amp fuse"
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
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
You can't always get what you want
You can't always get what you want
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need
You get what you need--yeah, oh baby
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
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 you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need
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 you just might find
You just might find
You get what you need
The Rolling Stones classic hit "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a commentary on the human condition and the endless pursuit of fulfillment. The song is divided into three distinct verses, each with its own story. The first story tells of a woman at a reception who is holding a glass of wine and waiting for her boyfriend. Mick Jagger realizes that no matter how much she wants her man to be with her, it is not certain to happen. The chorus of the song emphasizes that despite our best efforts, we cannot always achieve what we desire.
The second verse tells of a demonstration for more political rights and freedom where the group is expressing their collective grievances. The lyrics describe the impending violence and the desire to vent their frustrations. The chorus reiterates the band's message that no matter how hard we try, we can't always get what we want.
The final verse describes an experience that Keith Richards had at the Chelsea Drugstore in London. He was standing next to Jimmy Miller, a session musician and producer for the band, who was feeling ill. They decided to have a soda, and Richards sang him a song. He replied with only one word - "dead". Finally, in the coda, Jagger returns to the reception and sees the same woman again but this time, he can see through her deception, and as the chorus repeats, he realizes that the closer we get to what we want, the more complicated and confusing things become.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw her today at the reception
He saw the woman he desired at a party
A glass of wine in her hand
The woman was visibly drunk
I knew she would meet her connection
The woman was meeting someone she had a relationship with
At her feet was her footloose man
The man she was with was carefree and not committed
No, you can't always get what you want
He acknowledges that sometimes you can't have everything you desire
But if you try sometimes you find
However, if you make an effort, you may unexpectedly acquire what you actually need
We went down to the demonstration
The singer and another person went to protest an issue affecting them
To get your fair share of abuse
They expected to receive mistreatment for expressing their viewpoint
Singing, 'We're gonna vent our frustration
They intended to express their anger and disappointment
If we don't we're gonna blow a fifty-amp fuse'
The frustration they felt could have resulted in an explosive outburst
I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
The singer went to a pharmacy located in Chelsea
To get your prescription filled
They went to the pharmacy to fill a prescription
I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy
The singer was in line with someone named Mr. Jimmy
And man, did he look pretty ill
Mr. Jimmy appeared to be visibly sick
We decided that we would have a soda
They agreed to have a soft drink together
My favorite flavor, cherry red
The artist's preferred flavor of soda was cherry red
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was 'dead'
Mr. Jimmy said a word that was alarming and distressing to the artist
She was practiced at the art of deception
The woman the singer desired was skilled in the craft of lying
Well I could tell by her blood-stained hands
The singer could see that the woman had been involved in something violent
But if you try sometimes you just might find
Once again, he acknowledges that effort can often lead to unexpected outcomes
You just might find
Repeating the above line for emphasis
You get what you need
Sometimes what you need is different from what you desire, but it can still fulfill you
Lyrics © Abkco Music, Inc.
Written by: KEITH RICHARDS, MICK JAGGER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind