Eigen RadarArts
Archive
Analysis

Sam Fender brings his former school choir into a Rolling Stones cover

Sam Fender has recorded You Can’t Always Get What You Want with pupils from his former school and the Easington Colliery Band. The new arrangement accompanies John Lewis’s 2026 Christmas film. The recording also has a charitable release plan, with proceeds directed to different organisations according to where the single is sold.

Arts··Midday
Close-up of a vinyl single partly emerging from a plain paper sleeve on a record-shop counter, showing its grooves and curved edge.

A school choir joins the new recording

British singer and songwriter Sam Fender has made a fresh recording of You Can’t Always Get What You Want for department store John Lewis’s 2026 Christmas film. His band performs with the choir of John Spence Community High School and the Easington Colliery Band, bringing children’s voices and brass instruments into the arrangement.[1], [2]

Fender previously attended the North Shields school. He said pupils there recorded the children’s choir anew and that the brass part was arranged with Easington’s musicians. The Rolling Stones originally released the song on Let It Bleed in 1969. Their singer Mick Jagger said he liked Fender’s interpretation.[1]

Kristin Scott Thomas plays the grandmother

The short film appeared on November 3. Kristin Scott Thomas plays a grandmother trying to find presents for her grandchildren. The actor’s part in that story accompanies Fender’s musical contribution. His recording follows earlier John Lewis Christmas campaigns that used new performances of familiar songs, with artists including Lily Allen, Aurora and Tom Odell.[1]

Single proceeds are allocated to charities

Physical editions pair the new recording with Winter Song, Fender’s 2020 interpretation of a Lindisfarne song, which has not previously had a physical release. Net proceeds from singles bought through his online store go to Teenage Cancer Trust. John Lewis allocates its record-sale profits to Action for Children. The two donation arrangements apply through their respective outlets.[1]

References

  1. News sourceNMESam Fender records Rolling Stones cover with school choir and brass band↩1↩2↩3↩4
  2. News sourceRadio XSam Fender records a Rolling Stones cover with school choir and brass band↩

More analysis from this desk

View all Brief analyses from the Arts desk →