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

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
But if you try sometime you'll find
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


Lyrics submitted by oofus

You Can't Always Get What You Want Lyrics as written by Mick Jagger Keith Richards

Lyrics © Abkco Music Inc.

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You Can't Always Get What You Want song meanings
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  • -1
    General Comment

    Obviously a great band. The lyrics are self-explantory. I have to live them. I spent years loving someone who determined I was not right for her, and only she knows what she wants, desires, and needs so there's no judgment. I respect her decision. After a broken promise last year and one she could and would never keep (words ring hollow), I realized over the last month or so that I must move forward alone. Online "dating" is not for me. I have given up too much due to it. And over the past five days I saw what my future could hold, if only I let it. It was a "full moon" five days, getting asked out three times by three different women. I said "No, but thank you" to two, and an "I'll think about it" to the third who was in my life last summer. I believe in omens... and red flags. The omen (men) tell me that life will eventually move on for me and one day I shall get past the person who made the choice to live w/o me, just as she will continue with her life and eventually forget me as well. We have to see the glass as half full. I'm learning that, slowly but surely. "We can't always get what we want."...but at least we gave it our best shot. Nobody can deny us that. GOOD song.

    IllToast2Thaton February 26, 2013   Link

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