Rolling Stones - You Can`t Always Get What You Want

Open E tuning (capo 8)
E B E G#B e
+ + + + + +
(C) E: 0 0 2 0 0 0
(F) A: 0 2 0 1 2 0 (occasionally hammering the 5th string)
(D) 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 G tuning (capo 5)
DGDGBd
++++++
(C) G: 000000 (000200 for add9)
(F) C: 002010 or sometimes 002012
(occasionally hammering the 4th string)
(sometimes he`ll quickly slide up to
and back or just down from 004030)
(D) 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
++++++
(C) G: 320003 (300203 for add9)
(F) C: 032013 (occasionally hammering the 4th string)
(D) A: 002220

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

C F C F...
C F
I saw her today at the reception
C F
A glass of wine in her hand
C F
I knew she was gonna meet her connection
C F
At her feet was a footloose man

Chorus:
C F
You can`t always get what you want
C F
You can`t always get what you want
C F
You can`t always get what you want
D
But if you try sometimes,
F
You might find
C F C F
You get what you need... ahhhhhhh, yeah.....

I went down to the demonstration,
To get my fair share of abuse.
Singing "we`re gonna vent our frustration,
And if we don`t we`re gonna blow a 50-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 might find
You`ll 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,
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`ll get what you need, ...oh yes

[instrumental]
You`ll 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 bloodstained 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`ll 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`ll get what you need.