Discover the story of the song > You Can’t Always Get What You Want – The Rolling Stones

This is the story of a man who observes a woman at a reception, a glass of wine in his hand. He sees a "free man" at her feet. The chorus expresses the moral of the story: even if you don't always get what you want, you can find what you need if you try. The verses describe other scenarios, including the man going to a protest, going to the Chelsea pharmacy, and later seeing the woman at the reception desk with a bleeding man. The woman is said to be "trained in the art of deception." Finally, the song repeats the moral of the story: you can't always get what you want.