Rolling Stones ( The ) - You Can't Always Get What You Want

First performance: 20/11/1969

Coverinfo

Bruce performed the song only once in full and once as a snippet:
 
 
1969-11-20 Center (The), Richmond, VA 
 
No other set details known. One show, with Steel Mill headlining and Mercy Flight opening for them for the first time (as substitutes for the billed Morning Disaster, who cancelled). Held indoors at the University's 'Center'. The partial setlist under is thanks to the recollections of attendees. The set also includes the only known performance of The Rolling Stones' "You Can't Always Get What You Want".
 
RESURRECTION / THE WAR IS OVER / RUN, SHAKER LIFE / SWEET MELINDA / YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
 
  •  Snippet
during PRETTY FLAMINGO  
 
  

Songinfo

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by the Rolling Stones on their 1969 album Let It Bleed. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Jagger commented on the song's beginnings:

"You Can't Always Get What You Want" was something I just played on the acoustic guitar—one of those bedroom songs. It proved to be quite difficult to record because Charlie couldn't play the groove and so Jimmy Miller had to play the drums. I'd also had this idea of having a choir, probably a gospel choir, on the track, but there wasn't one around at that point. Jack Nitzsche, or somebody, said that we could get the London Bach Choir and we said, "That will be a laugh." In his review of the song, Richie Unterberger of AllMusic said: "If you buy John Lennon's observation that the Rolling Stones were apt to copy the Beatles' innovations within a few months or so, 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' is the Rolling Stones' counterpart to 'Hey Jude'." Jagger said in 1969, "I liked the way the Beatles did that with 'Hey Jude'. The orchestra was not just to cover everything up—it was something extra. We may do something like that on the next album." 
 
 
 

Other cover versions

Bruce on the artist

Bruce covered 21 songs of the Rolling Stones and had 3 performances with them : 
 
Bruce joins The Rolling Stones on the World Stage at the "Rock in Rio" Festival, performing "Tumbling Dice" together.  
 
 
 
Bruce's last public action in 2012 is a scheduled appearance as a special guest with The Rolling Stones on their 50th anniversary tour in Newark. A somewhat starstruck Bruce shares lead vocals with Mick Jagger. This is the first time Springsteen has played "Tumbling Dice", from the Rolling Stones' 1972 album Exile On Main St. 
 
 
 
1989-01-18 Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York City, NY 
Springsteen attends the fourth Annual Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame ceremonies. The night's inductees are The Rolling Stones. Bruce jammed with an all - star band, including The Stones.
 

Lyrics

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 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 you might find
You get what you need
But I 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, oh yeah