You Can't Always Get What You Want by The Rolling Stones is featured in Sectionals, the thirteenth episode of Season One. It is sung by the New Directions, with solos from Artie, Finn, Mercedes, and Rachel.
Sue gave the New Directions' setlist to the other groups at Sectionals, the Haverbrook School for the Deaf and Jane Addams Academy, so they had to improvise. Finn, who had quit the New Directions, brought in the music for this song when he came back to be a leader when he was needed. Will inspired Finn to pick this song when he said, "You can't always get what you want," which in turn got Finn to join New Directions again.
Brittany, Matt, Mike, and Santana put together the choreography just in time for Sectionals, winning the trophy in the end to continue onto Regionals. This song was the final song in their Sectionals setlist, the first being Rachel's solo, Don't Rain on My Parade.
Lyrics[]
Mercedes and Rachel with New Directions:
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'll find
New Directions:
You get what you need
You get what you need
Finn:
I saw her today at the reception
A glass of wine in her hand
Oh, I knew she was gonna meet her connection
At her feet was a footloose man
No, you can't
Rachel with New Directions:
You can't always get what you want (Finn: Oh, no, no, you can't)
You can't always get what you want (Finn: What you want)
You can't always get what you want (Finn: You can't always get what you want)
But if you try sometimes
Finn and Rachel with New Directions:
Well, you just might find
You get what you need (Mercedes: Hey, yeaah!)
New Directions:
You get what you need (Finn: Oh, baby)
Rachel (and Finn):
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 (Finn: a 50-amp fuse)
(Sing it to me, now)
Mercedes with New Directions:
You can't always get what you want (Finn and Rachel: No, no, you can't)
You can't always get what you want (Finn and Rachel: No, oh!)
You can't always get what you want (Rachel: Can't always get what you want)
But if you try sometimes, (Finn: Try sometimes, uh) well, you just might find
New Directions:
You get what you need (Mercedes with Finn: Ohhh, yeah)
Rachel:
You get what you need! (New Directions: Huh, oh, oh, oh, oh)
Mercedes with Finn:
Huh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Rachel:
Huh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Finn:
Yeah! (Mercedes: Oooh!)
New Directions:
You can't always get what you want (Finn and Rachel: You can't always get what you want)
You can't always get what you want (Artie: Oohh)
You can't always get what you want (Finn: Can't always get what you want)
Rachel with New Directions:
But if you try sometimes, well, you just might find
You get what you need
New Directions
You can't always get what you want (Mercedes: Oh, Yeah, Yeah!) (Artie: No, no, no, no)
Mercedes with New Directions:
You can't always get what you want (Mercedes: No, no, no, no)
New Directions:
You can't always get what you want (Rachel: Ooh) (Artie: Oh, oh, oh, oh)
Rachel with New Directions:
But if you try sometimes, well,
Finn and Rachel with New Directions:
You just might find
You get what you need (Mercedes: Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Rachel:
You can't always get what you want (Artie: Ooh, ooh)
New Directions:
Get what you need
Mercedes and Rachel with New Directions:
Oh yeah what you need! (Mercedes: Yeah!)
Artie:
What you need!
New Directions:
Get
Artie and Rachel with New Directions:
What you (and Mercedes: need!)
Trivia[]
- Glee choreographer Zach Woodlee actually had actors Dijon Talton, Harry Shum Jr., Heather Morris, and Naya Rivera choreograph this song.
- This song is featured in Chapter 1 of the Glee Forever! app.
- This is the only Rolling Stones song that isn't featured in a mashup.
- According to Glee Encore, Jenna Ushkowitz and Chris Colfer recorded background vocals for this song.