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You Can't Always Get What You Want chords by The Rolling Stones

Chords with lyrics

You Can't Always Get What You Want
Rolling Stones

The sounding chords are C(add9), F, and D.


For the "Hot Rocks 1964-1971" version,
Keith uses open Chord diagramE MajorE tuning (EBEG#Be)
(Thanks to Larry Kaye for this info.)

Open Chord diagramE MajorE tuning (capo 8)
        Chord diagramE MajorE Chord diagramBB Chord diagramE MajorE G#B e
        + + + + + +
(Chord diagramC majorC) E:  0 0 2 0 0 0
(Chord diagramFF) A:  0 2 0 1 2 0 (occasionally hammering the 5th string)
(Chord diagramD MajorD) F#: 2 2 2 2 2 2

In the Steel Wheels tour he uses his trusty
5-string-open-G-tuned Telecaster. (Obviously
Keith's a closet banjo player. Gee...wouldn't
an electric banjo version of "Honkey Tonk
Women" be interesting. But I digress...)

(Note: Keith doesn't have the 6th (bass) string)
Open Chord diagramG+G tuning (capo 5)
        DGDGBd
        ++++++
(Chord diagramC majorC) G:  000000 (000200 for add9)
(Chord diagramFF) C:  002010 or sometimes 002012
               (occasionally hammering the 4th string)
               (sometimes he'll quickly slide up to
                and back or just down from 004030)
(Chord diagramD MajorD) A:  222222


In the 1968 video "Rock and Roll Circus" Keith plays
the entire set (including "Jumping Jack Flash" which
he now plays in open G, and "You Can't Always Get
What You Want") in standard tuning without a capo.

I'm not really sure how he's playing it in the video,
but it looks/sounds like he's barring 8-10-12-9-8-8
for the Cadd9.


Though Keith doesn't play it this way, if you don't
want to bother going to open tuning, the following
is easy to play and very close to the same sound:

Standard tuning (capo 5)
        EADGBe
        ++++++
(Chord diagramC majorC) G:  320003 (300203 for add9)
(Chord diagramFF) C:  032013 (occasionally hammering the 4th string)
(Chord diagramD MajorD) A:  002220

After all that, the song itself is just pounding out
the chords:

Chord diagramC majorC Chord diagramFF Chord diagramC majorC F...
  Chord diagramC majorC                      Chord diagramFF
I saw her today ...
  Chord diagramC majorC                    Chord diagramFF
Chord diagramA augmentedA glass of ...
  Chord diagramC majorC                              Chord diagramFF
I knew she was gonna ..
       Chord diagramC majorC                    Chord diagramFF
At her feet was ...

Chorus:
    Chord diagramC majorC                         Chord diagramFF
You can't always ...
    Chord diagramC majorC                         Chord diagramFF
You can't always...
    Chord diagramC majorC                         Chord diagramFF
You can't always ...
           Chord diagramD MajorD
But if you try ...
  Chord diagramFF
You might ...
                 Chord diagramC majorC              Chord diagramFF    Chord diagramC majorC       Chord diagramFF
You get what you ....
From [email protected] Sun May  4 09:54:51 1997
Cc: [email protected]


            YOU CAN'T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
                    (Jagger-Richards)

Original studio recording:
Rolling Stones, "Let It Bleed" album (London Records, 1969)
(also on a single, edited--minus 2nd verse, 3rd verse cut in half)

Main rhythm guitar: acoustic in OPEN Chord diagramE MajorE TUNING, CAPO 8!
(Once you figure that out the rest isn't too hard)

tempo: medium ballad--about 104 b.p.m.

Chord diagramE MajorE tuning, low to high:  E, B, E, G#, B, Chord diagramE MajorE

Chords:                     () = chord with capo
            Chord diagramE MajorE  Chord diagramBB  Chord diagramE MajorE  Chord diagramG#G# Chord diagramBB  Chord diagramE MajorE
Chord diagramE MajorE add 9     0  0  2  0  0  0     (Chord diagramC majorC add 9)  (or call it "add 2" )
Chord diagramA augmentedA           0  2  0  1  2  0     (Chord diagramFF)
Chord diagramF#F#          2  2  2  2  2  2     (Chord diagramD MajorD)
Chord diagramE MajorE           0  0  0  0  0  0     (Chord diagramC majorC)
Chord diagramF#susF#sus       2  2  2  3  2  2     (Chord diagramDsusDsus)
B7sus       x  2  1  0  0  0     (G7sus)

(Note: unwilling to tune up to open E? Tuning to open Chord diagramD MajorD instead? You'll
find this hard to play (capo 10) unless you've got a cut-away.
I suggest tuning to open E-flat instead (1/2 step/one fret down from E,
1 up from Chord diagramD MajorD) it doesn't put undue strain on the neck and you won't break
the Chord diagramG+G string--it stays G. The you can capo 9 and get to open C, or if that's
still hard to finger, capo to 8 and play it in Chord diagramBB)

_________________________

This song is built around the following 2 bar lick:

opening  |
flourish | Chord diagramE MajorE add 9 (=C add 9)             Chord diagramA augmentedA (=F)

-----------------0---0-------0--0-0-0-0----------0--0--0-------------
  --     |                              |                           |
-2--0-------0----0---0---0---0--0-0-0-0-|--0--0--2--2--2-------------
  --     |                              |                           |
-2--0----|--0----0---0---0---0--0-0-0-0-|--1--1--1--1--1-------1-----
  --     |                              |                           |
-2--0----|--2------------2------2---2---|--0--0--0--0--0-------0-----
         |                              |                  __       |
---------|--0------------0--------------|--2--------------0--2-------
         |                              |                           |
---------|--0------------0--------------|--0----------------------0--

pull-off                                                  hammer-on

this pattern repeats throughout the song
with slight (mostly rhythmic) variations--listen to recording for rhythm

______________________

Full structure: lyrics, chords--in capoed tone, measures (|)


(Opening: choir sings 1st verse, chorus)

Chord diagramC majorC add9 | Chord diagramFF  x 4, with French horn intro.

Verse:
  | Chord diagramC majorC add 9                  | Chord diagramFF
I saw her today ...
| Chord diagramC majorC add 9                   | Chord diagramFF
a glass of wine ...
  | Chord diagramC majorC add 9                       | Chord diagramFF
I knew she was ....
       | Chord diagramC majorC add 9               | Chord diagramFF
at her feet ....

Chorus:
    | Chord diagramC majorC add 9                  | Chord diagramFF
You can't always get ...x 3
           | Chord diagramD MajorD  (see fill #1 below) | Chord diagramFF                    | Chord diagramC majorC    | Chord diagramFF
but if you try sometimes, you ....

Verse 2:
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 50 amp fuse"

Chorus

Verse 3 (add 4 extra Chord diagramC majorC add 9, F's--twice as long):

I went down to the Chelsea Drug Store, to get your prescription filled
I was standing in line with Mr. Jimmy, and man did he look pretty ill
We decided we would have a soda, my favorite flavor--cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy,
and he said one word to me and that was "dead"

I said to him...
Chorus

Interlude, with brief electric solo and choir:

Chord diagramDsusDsus| Chord diagramC majorC | Chord diagramFF | Chord diagramDsusDsus| G7sus| then an instrumental chorus with last line sung

(If you don't have a choir handy--I seem to have misplaced mine right at the
moment--or a lead guitarist, try changing the rhythm to rapid strumming)

Verse 4: (back to standard pattern/rhythm)

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 bloodstained hands

Chorus 3 times, then repeat and fade on Chord diagramC majorC add 9, Chord diagramFF with choir

___________________

Fill #1, last line of chorus, first time only:

-----------------------------------------------------------
                              |                           |
-----------------------------------------------------------
                              |                           |
--2------------------------------1--------------------1----
                              |                           |
--2----------------------2-------0----------------0--------
                    --        |                --         |
--2----------------0--2----------2------------0--2---------
                              |                           |
--2--------------2---------------0-------------------------
                   h.o.                       h.o.


Electric for lead is in standard tuning, using Chord diagramC7C7 scale
play 8th fret C, Chord diagramFF barre chords during chorus

_______________________

Notes: Chelsea Drug is (was) a real drug store in south London--rock
musician, fan and junkie hang-out in 60's, 70's, 80's, maybe still.
Mr. Jimmy is clearly Jimi Hendrix


Enjoy!

Corrections, additions, comments, criticisms welcome:
Larry Kaye          [email protected]

Other versions of You Can't Always Get What You Want

Alternative guitar chords and tabs for You got to move by The Rolling Stones

VersionType
You can't always get what you wantTabs
You can't always get what you want (Ver. 2)Chords

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