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help me understand a song
Hello, people!
Can you explain me the meaning of this famous song "you can't always get what you want"? I may tell the only thing which is clear to me is the refrain. All the rest is complete mystery.
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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 foot-loose man.
What is the idea? I understand all the words, but still it doesn't make sense to me.
<...>
We went down to the demonstration to get our fair share of abuse,
Singing, "We gonna vent our frustration"
If we don't we'll blow a fifty amp fuse
So, I went to the Chelsea Drugstore to get your prescription filled
I was standing in line with my friend, Mr. Jimmy
And man, did he look pretty ill
We decided that we would have a soda,
My fav'rite flavor was cherry red
I sing this song to my friend, Jimmy,
And he said one word to me and that was "dead"
<...>
I saw her today at the reception
In her glass was a bleeding man
She was practised at the art of deception,
I could tell by her blood-stained hands
Hi,
This is one of my favourite songs.
The refrain, the chorus, is
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
And if you try sometime you find
You get what you need
The song contains various examples of the author or people that he observes: 'not getting what he wants' but getting what he needs'.
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy
Yeah, and he said one word to me, and that was "dead"
Rolling Stones >> You Can't Always Get What You Want <<
[chorus]
I saw her today at a 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
And 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
Oh yeah, hey hey hey, 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 50-amp fuse"
Sing it to me now...
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
Oh baby, yeah, yeah!
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, no!
You can't always get what you want (tell ya baby)
You can't always get what you want (no)
But if you try sometimes you just might find
You get what you need
Oh yes! Woo!
You get what you need--yeah, oh baby!
Oh 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
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 (no, no baby)
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, ah yes...
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
This verse, is typical of other verses. It does not make sense in the literal sense, but it sounds good.
'she was practiced at the art of deception'.
So, what was the result -
a bleeding man
and
bloodstained hands.
So, it is as if he is saying; ' that you might try to get this woman' but instead 'you will get something you need', like a kick up the backside.
Don't be fooled by her, and if you are fooled by her, you will learn a valuable lesson.
I hate to go on, and on, and on, but this is a similar song in a similar vein, expressing 'frustration' and 'unhappiness'.
Like the first song, it also reveals an interesting and unusual lifestyle. After all, it is not everybody who can go:
When i'm ridin' round the world
And i'm doin' this and i'm signing that
The first song contained various 'drug' references. Also: My favorite flavor, cherry red
suggests a 'death wish' (the colour of blood). We will have to get Uriel on this one!
Rolling Stones - Satisfaction (I Can't Get No)
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'cause i try and i try and i try and i try
I can't get no, i can't get no
When i'm drivin' in my car
And that man comes on the radio
He's tellin' me more and more
About some useless information
Supposed to fire my imagination
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what i say
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no satisfaction
'cause i try and i try and i try and i try
I can't get no, i can't get no
When i'm watchin' my tv
And that man comes on to tell me
How white my shirts can be
But he can't be a man 'cause he doesn't smoke
The same cigarrettes as me
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what i say
I can't get no satisfaction
I can't get no girl reaction
'cause i try and i try and i try and i try
I can't get no, i can't get no
When i'm ridin' round the world
And i'm doin' this and i'm signing that
And i'm tryin' to make some girl
Who tells me baby better come back later next week
'cause you see i'm on losing streak
I can't get no, oh no no no
Hey hey hey, that's what i say
I can't get no, i can't get no
I can't get no satisfaction
No satisfaction, no satisfaction, no satisfaction
Thank you for your reply, Robin Michael, though it didn't help much, sorry.
I try to follow your explanation that the song shows examples when the author or other people don't get what they want, but get what they need.
1. I saw her today at a reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
May be "she" needed that footloose guy at her feet and got him, let it be, but what did she wanted? What did she has that glass for? What connection is mentioned here?
What I see is a few short sentences without any connections between them. Is it really so? I can't believe - the song is so famous.
2. 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 50-amp fuse"
Sing it to me now...
What abuse is he talking about? Why did he go to the demonstration to get abuse?
What frustration? From what?
Is this line (the quotation) taken from a real song? Whom does he ask to sing thong?
I can continue the same way about every verse. It's all ravings to me.
I think that you are getting hung up on something that was never meant to be taken too seriously.
First of all, when this record was produced, it would have been quite hard to make out the lyrics, so it was more a question of what they sounded like, than what was actually said.
2. 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 50-amp fuse"
Sing it to me now...
This is an easy one. Quite possibly about this time there were demonstrations against the Vietnam war. These often resulted in battles with the Police. So, the author is making the point, that in going to a 'peaceful demonstration' he is going to get involved in an unpleasant incident. The other point that he is making, is that a lot of the people there, are demonstrating against 'the government', 'the establishment', the state of the country, whatever, and just expressing their frustration.
This verse (that follows) is more difficult to explain, but it is about sexual frustration - and not always being able to get what you want!
1. I saw her today at a reception
A glass of wine in her hand
I knew she would meet her connection
At her feet was her footloose man
Try this one:
RUBY TUESDAY
(Jagger/Richards)
She would never say where she came from
Yesterday don't matter if it's gone
While the sun is bright
Or in the darkest night
No one knows
She comes and goes
Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I'm gonna miss you...
Don't question why she needs to be so free
She'll tell you it's the only way to be
She just can't be chained
To a life where nothing's gained
And nothing's lost
At such a cost
There's no time to lose, I heard her say
Catch your dreams before they slip away
Dying all the time
Lose your dreams
And you will lose your mind.
Ain't life unkind?
Goodbye, Ruby Tuesday
Who could hang a name on you?
When you change with every new day
Still I'm gonna miss you...
What do you think of this one:
Paint It Black
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
I see a line of cars and they're all painted black
With flowers and my love both never to come back
I see people turn their heads and quickly look away
Like a new born baby it just happens ev'ry day
I look inside myself and see my heart is black
I see my red door and it has been painted black
Maybe then I'll fade away and not have to face the facts
It's not easy facin' up when your whole world is black
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue
I could not foresee this thing happening to you
If I look hard enough into the settin' sun
My love will laugh with me before the mornin' comes
I see a red door and I want it painted black
No colors anymore I want them to turn black
I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes
I have to turn my head until my darkness goes
Hmm, hmm, hmm,...
I wanna see it painted, painted black
Black as night, black as coal
I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky
I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black
Yeah!
Thank you for your help, Robin!
#2 makes sense actually
As for #1, what "connection" in meant? (in "I knew she would meet her connection")
I don't expect much from the text, but still I believe lines should be connected somehow - I just don't feel it, but hope to get it with your help.
#3
I went down to the Chelsea drugstore
To get your prescription filled - who is this "your"? is it his girlfriend meant?
#4
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
"glass" is it a wine glass? how a man can fit in a glass? If it's not literally, then what the metaphor is?
And how possible a deception can end up with someone bleeding? Deception is not a stab or a murder.
Actually, I found some information which helped me understand this Chelsea drug store and Mr.Jimmy (http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=527), but all the rest is still sounds very strange. I can't believe a song without any sense could become such a hit - there must something in it I don't grasp))
Hi,
I was think about "Mr Jimmy"
Some Polish children near where I live call me "Mr Robin". Which is amusing, because it should be "Mr Surname".
"Jimmy" is the nickname given to all Scottish people.
So, who is "Mr Jimmy": a Scottish person that is given some respect?
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"connection" rhymes with "deception", and "reception". Sometimes a word will be used in a song or a poem simply because it rhymes.
"I knew she would meet her connection"
Have you ever heard?
"I'm waiting for the man" by the Velvet Underground
The reference to 'making a connection' could well be about a 'drugs deal', i.e. an addict getting drugs.
Songs about heroin ; Velvet Underground : I'm Waiting for the Man
picture of Velvet underground. I'M WAITING FOR THE MAN "I'm waiting for the man. Twenty six dollars in my hand. Up to Lexington, One Two Five ...
www.opioids.com/heroin/waitingfortheman.html - 5k - Cached - Similar pages
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"To get your prescription filled"
It does not really matter who the author is referring too.
Another 'drugs' reference - methadone?
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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
Again - no big deal
The woman is unfaithful - she deceives!
Reception - is this a Wedding Reception - is she getting married to someone else?
"bleeding man": hurt, injured, 'his heart is bleeding', your guess is as good as mine.
'blood stained hands' - she has done this before.
At a Wedding Reception, all the guests would be drinking - wine possibly. So, it is like she is drinking blood, when she is drinking wine. She is a vampire - she destroys men and drinks their blood.
It is just words, it is not even a very good image.
( A 'vamp' is a woman who dresses to kill.)
Don't take everything too literally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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