You Can't Always Get
What You Want

Composers: Mick Jagger & Keith Richards

Recording: Olympic Sound Studios, London February-March 1969 

7" Single, B-side July 1969

7“ single LIVE May 1991

Performed onstage: 1968, 1972-73, 1975-76, 1981-82, 1989-90, 1995, 1997-98, 2002-03, 2005-07

 

 

Lead vocal: Mick Jagger
Acoustic guitar: Keith Richards
Electric guitar: Keith Richards 
Drums: Jimmy Miller
Bass: Bill Wyman
Background vocals: Madeline Bell, Nanette Newman, Doris Troy & the London Bach Choir
Piano /Organ/French horn: Al Kooper
Maracas/Congas/Tambourine: Rocky Dijon

 

I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in your (her) hand
I knew she was going to meet her connection
At her feet was a footloose man

(Now) You can't always get what you want (no) (yes)
You can't always get what you want
And (But) if you try sometime(s), you('ll) (you just) (might) find
You('ll) get what you need

And I went down to the demonstration
To get my fair share of abuse
Singing "We're going to vent our frustration
If we don't, we're going to blow a 50 amp fuse"

Sing it to me

Ah baby, yeah

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 was cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yes, and he said one word to me and that was "dead"

I said to him...

Oh yeah

You get what you need
Yeah
Ah 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
I could tell by her blood-stained hands