The hippy movement was in full swing at that time. The core hippy philosophy was to remain aloof to politics and politicians and be supportive of freedom of speech and civil rights. Hippies rejected established institutions. Calling them “The Establishment”, “Big Brother”, and “The Man”, and believed the dominant mainstream culture was corrupt and flawed. They rejected middle class values, opposed political and social violence, and promoted a gentle ideology that focused on peace, love, and personal freedom. They opposed nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War, and created their own counter culture founded on psychedelic rock and the embracement of the sexual revolution. In their song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, The Rolling Stones touched on some major topics of the 1960s such as the political turmoil, free love, and the culture of drugs. It was an anthem that recognized the overlong party that went on through the 60’s and offered some caution and restraint. A line in the song, “You can try, sometime, to get what you need”, captured the essence of optimism that was needed in 1969 during the Vietnam War. It supported peaceful demonstration as a means to campaign for an end to the war but also considered the themes of drug use and free love. It offered the premise that the freedom a person demands may only come from a drug induced state. The sing-a-long chorus chants out the need for restraint; accept that you can’t always get what you want but don’t stop trying. The inclusion of a gospel choir at the beginning of the song further gives the feel of a religious
The hippy movement was in full swing at that time. The core hippy philosophy was to remain aloof to politics and politicians and be supportive of freedom of speech and civil rights. Hippies rejected established institutions. Calling them “The Establishment”, “Big Brother”, and “The Man”, and believed the dominant mainstream culture was corrupt and flawed. They rejected middle class values, opposed political and social violence, and promoted a gentle ideology that focused on peace, love, and personal freedom. They opposed nuclear weapons and the Vietnam War, and created their own counter culture founded on psychedelic rock and the embracement of the sexual revolution. In their song, “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”, The Rolling Stones touched on some major topics of the 1960s such as the political turmoil, free love, and the culture of drugs. It was an anthem that recognized the overlong party that went on through the 60’s and offered some caution and restraint. A line in the song, “You can try, sometime, to get what you need”, captured the essence of optimism that was needed in 1969 during the Vietnam War. It supported peaceful demonstration as a means to campaign for an end to the war but also considered the themes of drug use and free love. It offered the premise that the freedom a person demands may only come from a drug induced state. The sing-a-long chorus chants out the need for restraint; accept that you can’t always get what you want but don’t stop trying. The inclusion of a gospel choir at the beginning of the song further gives the feel of a religious