Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want

"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"
Song by The Smiths
Released	20 August 1984 (1984-08-20)
Recorded	Jam Studios, July 1984
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	1:50
Label	Rough Trade
Writer	Johnny Marr Morrissey
Producer	John Porter

"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" is a song originally performed by British group The Smiths. It was released as the B-side of "William, It Was Really Nothing" in 1984 and later featured on the compilation albums Hatful of Hollow and Louder Than Bombs. The song has been covered by several artists, including The Decemberists, The Halo Benders, Franz Ferdinand, OK Go, Deftones, Emilie Autumn, Amanda Palmer, Hootie & the Blowfish, Muse, Kaia Wilson, Third Eye Blind, Kate Walsh, The Dream Academy, Josh Rouse, She & Him, Slow Moving Millie and William Fitzsimmons. British band Clayhill have covered the song and their version can be heard at the end of the Shane Meadows film This Is England. Canadian electronic artist Venetian Snares also sampled the original song in "Nobody Really Understands Anybody".

It is included in the soundtracks of the movies Pretty in Pink, Starter for 10, (500) Days of Summer, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, as well as in the Christmas special finale of UK TV show Extras, which was broadcast in the UK on 27 December 2007. It also appears in the prom scene in the film Never Been Kissed but was not included on the official soundtrack. The song is also the intro and closing song for Wednesdays with Reda on The Berrics. British department store John Lewis used the song sung by Slow Moving Millie in their Christmas 2011 advertising campaign.

Morrissey cover version

Morrissey, former lead singer for The Smiths who originally performed the song, has covered this song in his live concerts on various occasions, with a sole altered lyric. He has been known to break down visibly during the mandolin solo.

The Dream Academy cover version

"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"
Single by The Dream Academy
Released	1985 (UK)
Format	Vinyl record (7" and 12"), cassette tape and CD
Recorded	1984
Genre	Rock
Length	3:09
Label	Blanco y Negro
Producer	David Gilmour and Nick Laird-Clowes
The Dream Academy singles chronology
"The Love Parade" (1986) "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (1986) "Indian Summer" (1987)

The Dream Academy covered "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" in 1984. This version peaked at #83 in the UK Singles Chart. The instrumental version of the song is the better known cover version, since it was used in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (during the Art Institute scene) along with an other Dream Academy song "The Edge of Forever". A similar (but vocal) single later appeared on the compilation album, Somewhere in the Sun... Best of the Dream Academy as well as the "Boutique Chill" album of various artists from 2005.

Track listing

Version one

1. "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"
2. "In Places on the Run"

Version two

1. "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"
2. "The Party" (acoustic)
3. "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (instrumental)
4. "In Places on the Run" (edit)

Chart performance

Charts (1985)	Peak position
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)	83

Slow Moving Millie cover version

"Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want"
Single by Slow Moving Millie
from the album Renditions
Released	11 November 2011
Format	Digital download
Recorded	2011
Genre	Alternative
Length	3:09
Label	Island Records
Slow Moving Millie singles chronology
"Beasts" (2009) "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" (2011)

English actress and songwriter Slow Moving Millie released a cover version of the song, it was released on 11 November 2011 as a Digital download from her upcoming debut studio album Renditions. The song was selected as the soundtrack to the John Lewis 2011 Christmas advertisement.

Music video

A music video to accompany the release of "Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want" was first released onto YouTube on 11 November 2011 at a total length of three minutes and six seconds.

Track listing

Digital download
No.	Title	Length
1.	"Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"	2:51

Chart performance

Charts (2011)	Peak position
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)	31

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Label
United Kingdom	11 September 2011	Digital Download	Island Records

Other cover versions

• A cover by Elefant was included on the soundtrack for the 2005 Disney superhero movie Sky High.
• A cover by She & Him (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward) was included with the original version by Smiths on the soundtrack for the 2009 movie (500) Days of Summer in which Deschanel starred.
• A cover by Deftones was included on their 2005 compilation B-Sides & Rarities.
• A cover by Clayhill was included on the soundtrack for the 2007 film This is England.
• A cover by Luxure was included on the 1997 compilation There Is A Light That Never Goes Out - A Tribute to The Smiths.
• A cover by SIANspheric, on the album The Sound of the Colour of the Sun, appears as an uncredited track, beginning at 3:38 of track 6: "Radiodiffusion".
• A cover by Muse was included as a B-side on their 2001 single "Feeling Good"/"Hyper Music".
• A cover by My Sick Uncle on his independent Lil Wayne/(500) Days of Summer mashup album 500 Days of Weezy.
• A cover by The Scattered Pages was featured on the 2006 charity compilation album At The Crossroads: A Benefit For Homeless Youth.
• A cover by Brazilian folk duo Agridoce (Pitty and Martin) was included on their self-titled debut album.