You Can’t Always Get What You Want
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
(add9),
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
, and
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
.
For the “Hot Rocks 1964-1971” version,
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
tuning
(Thanks to Larry Kaye for this info.)
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
tuning (capo 8)
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
)
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
:
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
0
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
0
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
2
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
0
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
0
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
0
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
)
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
: 0 2 0 1 2 0 (occasionally hammering the 5th string)
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
)
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
: 2 2 2 2 2 2
In the Steel Wheels tour he uses his trusty
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
-tuned Telecaster. (Obviously
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
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)
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
tuning (capo 5)
DGDGBd
D#GDGBd
EGDGBd
FGDGBd
F#GDGBd
GGDGBd
G#GDGBd
AGDGBd
A#GDGBd
BGDGBd
CGDGBd
C#GDGBd
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
)
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
:
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
000000 (000200 for add9)
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
)
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
: 002010 or sometimes 002012
(occasionally hammering the 4th string)
(sometimes he’ll quickly slide up to
and back or just down from 004030)
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
)
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
:
In the 1968 video “Rock and Roll Circus” Keith plays
the entire set (including “Jumping Jack Flash” which
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
, and “You Can’t Always Get
What You Want”) in standard tuning without
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
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
Cadd9
C#add9
Dadd9
D#add9
Eadd9
Fadd9
F#add9
Gadd9
G#add9
Aadd9
A#add9
Badd9
.
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:
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
)
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
:
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++
320003 (300203 for add9)
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
)
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
: 032013 (occasionally hammering the 4th string)
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
)
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
:
After all that, the song itself is just pounding out
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
saw her today at the re
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
ception
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
glass of wine in her
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
hand
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
knew she was gonna meet her con
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
nection
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
feet was
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
footloose
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
man
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
can’t always get what you
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
want
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
can’t always get what you
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
want
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
can’t always get what you
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
want
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
try
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
u might find
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
need…
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
hhh,
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
yeah….
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
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
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
50-amp
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
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
soda,
My favorite flavor, cherry red.
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy,
And he said one word to me, and that was “dead,”
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
You’ll get what you need–yeah, oh baby.
I saw her today at the reception,
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
bleeding
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’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’ll get what you need.
Date: Thu, 17 Apr 1997 01:21:12 EDT
Subject: TAB: Rolling Stones, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”
(upgrade–much more complete fuller version than what’s on OLGA now)
YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GET WHAT YOU WANT
Original studio recording:
Rolling Stones, “Let It Bleed” album (London Records, 1969)
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
single, edited–minus 2nd verse, 3rd verse cut in half)
Main rhythm guitar: acoustic in OPEN
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
TUNING, CAPO 8!
(Once you figure that out the rest isn’t too hard)
tempo: medium ballad–about 104
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
.p.m.
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
tuning, low to high:
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
,
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
,
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
,
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
,
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
,
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
add 9
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
0
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
0
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
2
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
0
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
0
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
0
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
add 9) (or call it “add 2”?)
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
0 2 0 1 2 0 (
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
)
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
)
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
)
F#sus
Gsus
G#sus
Asus
A#sus
Bsus
Csus
C#sus
Dsus
D#sus
Esus
Fsus
B7
C7
C#7
D7
D#7
E7
F7
F#7
G7
G#7
A7
A#7
sus
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
x
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
1
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
0
Dsus
D#sus
Esus
Fsus
F#sus
Gsus
G#sus
Asus
A#sus
Bsus
Csus
C#sus
)
(Note: unwilling to tune up to open
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
? Tuning to open
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
instead?
find this hard to play (capo 10) unless you’ve got
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
cut-away.
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
-flat instead (1/2 step/one fret down from
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
,
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
) it doesn’t put undue strain on the neck and you won’t break
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
string–it stays
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
. The you can capo 9 and get to open
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
, or if that’s
still hard to finger, capo to 8 and play it in
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
)
_________________________
This song is built around the following 2 bar lick:
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
add 9 (=
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
add 9)
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
(=
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
)
—————–0—0——-0–0-0-0-0———-0–0–0————-
A#8211;
B8211;
C8211;
C#8211;
D8211;
D#8211;
E8211;
F8211;
F#8211;
G8211;
G#8211;
A8211;
-2–0——-0—-0—0—0—0–0-0-0-0- –0–0–2–2–2————-
A#8211;
B8211;
C8211;
C#8211;
D8211;
D#8211;
E8211;
F8211;
F#8211;
G8211;
G#8211;
A8211;
-2–0—- –0—-0—0—0—0–0-0-0-0- –1–1–1–1–1——-1—–
A#8211;
B8211;
C8211;
C#8211;
D8211;
D#8211;
E8211;
F8211;
F#8211;
G8211;
G#8211;
A8211;
-2–0—- –2————2——2—2— –0–0–0–0–0——-0—–
——— –0————0————– –2————–0–2——-
——— –0————0————– –0———————-0–
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)
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
add9
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
x 4, with French horn intro.
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
w
Add
A#dd
Bdd
Cdd
C#dd
Ddd
D#dd
Edd
Fdd
F#dd
Gdd
G#dd
her
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
today at the receptio
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
n,
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
gl
Add
A#dd
Bdd
Cdd
C#dd
Ddd
D#dd
Edd
Fdd
F#dd
Gdd
G#dd
ass
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
of wine in her hand
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
ew
Add
A#dd
Bdd
Cdd
C#dd
Ddd
D#dd
Edd
Fdd
F#dd
Gdd
G#dd
she
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
was gonna meet her connec
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
tion,
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
et
Add
A#dd
Bdd
Cdd
C#dd
Ddd
D#dd
Edd
Fdd
F#dd
Gdd
G#dd
was
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
footloose
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
n'
Add
A#dd
Bdd
Cdd
C#dd
Ddd
D#dd
Edd
Fdd
F#dd
Gdd
G#dd
t
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
9
ways get what you wa-
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
ant x 3
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
(see fill #1 below)
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
but if you try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need
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
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
50 amp fuse”
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
add 9,
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
’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
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
soda, my favorite flavor–cherry red
I sung my song to Mr. Jimmy,
and he said one word to me and that was “dead”
Interlude, with brief electric solo and choir:
Dsus
D#sus
Esus
Fsus
F#sus
Gsus
G#sus
Asus
A#sus
Bsus
Csus
C#sus
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
Dsus
D#sus
Esus
Fsus
F#sus
Gsus
G#sus
Asus
A#sus
Bsus
Csus
C#sus
G7sus then an instrumental chorus with last line sung
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
choir handy–I seem to have misplaced mine right at the
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
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
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
bleeding
She was practiced at the art of deception,
I could tell by her bloodstained hands
Chorus 3 times, then repeat and fade on
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
add 9,
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
with
Fill #1, last line of chorus, first time only:
———————————————————–
–2——————————1——————–1—-
–2———————-2——-0—————-0——–
A#8211;
B8211;
C8211;
C#8211;
D8211;
D#8211;
E8211;
F8211;
F#8211;
G8211;
G#8211;
A8211;
A#8211;
B8211;
C8211;
C#8211;
D8211;
D#8211;
E8211;
F8211;
F#8211;
G8211;
G#8211;
A8211;
–2—————-0–2———-2————0–2———
–2————–2—————0————————-
Electric for lead is in standard tuning, using
C7
C#7
D7
D#7
E7
F7
F#7
G7
G#7
A7
A#7
B7
scale
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
,
F
F#
G
G#
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
barre chords during chorus
Notes: Chelsea Drug is (was)
A
A#
B
C
C#
D
D#
E
F
F#
G
G#
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
Corrections, additions, comments, criticisms welcome: