Exactly What You Wanted
Helmet Lyrics

The lyrics of "Exactly What You Wanted" by Helmet seem to be reflecting the idea that trust is not something that comes easily to the singer. They seem to have a sense that people can be disappointed and therefore hold back from revealing too much about themselves, although they acknowledge that sometimes they may have to resort to 'harmless lies' to navigate social situations.

The singer, however, seems to have a somewhat fatalistic outlook on things, as they state that they 'get a D for disappointment' and imply that they have given up trying to avoid certain outcomes. In a way, this can be seen as a defense mechanism. The singer seems resigned to being let down, or to letting others down, and so they cope by trying to keep things vague and by not raising expectations too high.

Despite this, the singer still feels guilty over letting people down and resorts to telling a harmless lie to appease their friends. The line 'Now you can be disappointed' seems to imply that the singer has given up trying to avoid causing disappointment and has simply accepted that it is an inevitable outcome. The final line 'I thought I gave you just exactly what you wanted' is somewhat ironic, as the singer is acknowledging that they have not given the person what they truly wanted, but rather a manufactured version of it.

Overall, the song can be seen as a commentary on the pitfalls of social interaction and the difficulty of trust in the modern world. It's a vulnerable call for honesty but also a recognition that even the most well-intentioned lies can still cause harm.