Pay For What You Get
Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds Lyrics


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Work ourselves, fingers to the bone
Suck the marrow, drain my soul
Pay your dues, and your debts
Pay your respects, everybody tells you
You pay for what you get
You pay for what you get

Everybody asks me how she's doin'
Has she really lost her mind?
I said, I couldn't tell you
I've lost mine

Words, words, words, have you heard
A bird in hand is much better than,
Any number free to wander
Fly away... Stay
You pay for what you get
You pay for what you get

Everybody asks me how she's doing
Is she really all she says...
Everybody asks me how she's doing
Since she went away
I said I couldn't tell you
I'm OK I'm OK (I'm OK)

Surprise, surprise
You pay for what you get
You pay for what you get

Everybody asks me how she's doing
Has she really lost her...
Everybody asks me how she's doing
Since she went away
I said I couldn't tell you
I'm OK I'm OK I'm OK (How are you?)

Pay for what you get
Pay for what you get...oh...
Pay for what you get




Pay for what you get oh...
Oh...

Overall Meaning

The song Pay For What You Get by Dave Matthews & Tim Reynolds is a commentary on the reality of life. The lyrics speak to the idea of hard work and effort, suggesting that if you want to get something, you need to work hard for it. The title of the song, "Pay For What You Get", emphasizes this message, suggesting that everything has a cost.


The first stanza of the song speaks to the idea of hard work, and how we often work ourselves to the bone. The lines "Work ourselves, fingers to the bone / Suck the marrow, drain my soul" suggest that we put a lot of effort into everything we do, and that it can be draining. The following lines "Pay your dues, and your debts / Pay your respects, everybody tells you / You pay for what you get" suggest that everything has a cost, and that we should be prepared to pay that cost.


In the second stanza, the lyrics shift to a more personal tone. The lyrics "Everybody asks me how she's doin' / Has she really lost her mind? / I said, I couldn't tell you / I've lost mine" suggest that the singer is struggling with their own problems, and cannot speak to anyone else's. The lyrics "Words, words, words, have you heard / A bird in hand is much better than, / Any number free to wander / Fly away... Stay" suggest that it is better to have something that is yours, even if it is just one thing, than to have many things that can come and go.


Overall, the song Pay For What You Get speaks to the idea that life is hard, and that success requires effort and sacrifice.


Line by Line Meaning

Work ourselves, fingers to bone
We exert ourselves through hard work, putting in maximum effort.


Suck the marrow, drain my soul
We are committed to this, we give everything we have until there's nothing left.


Pay your dues, and your debts
It's important to pay what you owe, whether it be financially or through other commitments.


Pay your respects, everybody tells you
It's customary to show respect for others and their beliefs, it's an expectation in society.


You pay for what you get
You receive the results of what you put in, whether it be positive or negative.


You pay for what you get
The same message as before, we only reap what we sow.


Everybody asks me how she's doin'
Others are curious about the status of a certain person.


Has she really lost her mind?
The person in question is thought to have gone crazy, or is acting differently than before.


I said, I couldn't tell you
The artist is unable to provide an answer to the question posed.


I've lost mine
Instead, the artist implies that they have lost their own mind as well.


Words, words, words, have you heard
The singer is drawing attention to the meaningless chatter around them.


A bird in hand is much better than, any number free to wander
It's better to have a sure thing in your grasp than to take a risk on something unknown.


Fly away...Stay
The risk in question is whether or not the bird will return or stay gone.


You pay for what you get
The previous message of reaping what you sow is reprised here.


You pay for what you get
Again, the theme of accountability is repeated for emphasis.


Everybody asks me how she's doing
This line was used previously and is being repeated again for emphasis and continuity.


Is she really all she says?
There is doubt about whether or not the person in question is telling the truth.


Since she went away
This line implies that the unidentified woman at the center of the conversations has left for an unknown destination.


I said I couldn't tell you
Again, the singer is unable to provide a clear answer to the question.


I'm OK I'm OK
The artist tries to allay concerns by repeatedly insisting they are doing fine.


Surprise, surprise, you pay for what you get
The repeated line about accountability appears here again, this time with a slight sense of disappointment.


Everybody asks me how she's doing
The woman again becomes the topic of conversation.


Has she really lost her...
The line is cut off before completing, leaving the listener to fill in the missing pieces.


Since she went away
This line is repeated for continuity.


I said I couldn't tell you
The singer still cannot provide a clear answer to the questions they are being asked.


I'm OK I'm OK I'm OK (How are you?)
The singer invites another person to share their own emotional state, in turn.


Pay for what you get
The theme of accountability is finally repeated, bringing the song full circle.


Pay for what you get oh...
The song ends with one last reminder that we will always be responsible for the consequences of our own actions.




Contributed by David F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Roadtrip Thrifts

This will always be my favorite Dave song.

Jack O'Brien

This is great! More archived vids please!

Tyler Hischier

Spot on perfect performance by Dave and Tim. If you can’t hear it you don’t know music the way we do lol

Holly Turkovich

Well this is an absolutely beautiful performance ❤️‍🩹

David Clements

One of my absolute favorites. Haven't heard it live aside from the time I heard it in Charlottesville. Dave was just a young kid with a guitar then.

David Clements

Saw this performance! Still love this song to this day.

Braygore

Beautiful! Crazy to think that just under a year later they'd be playing at Red Rocks, and recording one of their most iconic live albums.

Ryan Hutchinsen

I can't believe he's 26-27 here. What I mean is that I can believe it took I until the late 90s for them to really blow up. He's so good here in 94.

David Saylor

They blew up in 95. I saw them in a small club in April 95 in Orlando and by the time the summer was over they were playing amphitheater’s to sold out shows. Then in the summer of 96 they were so popular they played four shows in Pittsburgh that year, 2 in June and came back for 2 in August. All sold out.

Cleon McMillan

@David Saylor - I saw them in `94 at American University in DC. The show was completely packed, but the band is from 2 hours down the road so it was mostly a locals gig. I actually only live 2 miles from the Birchmere now.

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