Pay For What You Get
Dave Matthews Lyrics

The opening lines of Dave Matthews' "Pay For What You Get" capture the idea of toiling endlessly, putting in hard work only to scrape by, a sentiment that is familiar to many of us. The first verse sets the scene for this idea with the lines, "Work ourselves, fingers to the bone, suck the marrow, drain my soul, fingers to the bone." The metaphor of the bone underscores the exhausting nature of work, how it saps the energy out of someone, forcing them to dig deep, so to say.

The next few lines build upon this struggle further by highlighting the notion of paying for what one receives. One must pay their dues and debts, acknowledge and respect others in order to get by. In other words, like a horse with blinders on, we have to keep our eyes on the prize and follow the rules to get ahead. The chorus is a reprisal of this idea: "Pay for what you get," which repeats three times and is repeated again at the end of the song.

The second verse jumps into the realm of personal relationships, with Matthews singing, "Everybody asks me how she's doing, has she really lost her mind? I said, I couldn't tell you, I've lost mine." This line shows that Matthews is also dealing with a personal stress in his life. The idea of having lost one's own mind implies the harsh and debilitating effects of love and relationships can have on a person.

Overall, the song presents the idea of the pain of hard work and how one must pay their dues to succeed. It also offers a broader contemplation on the human struggle in general, including the challenges we face in our relationships with others.