The lyrics
just when everything was making sense
you took away all my self-confidence
now all that I've been hearing must be true
I guess I'm not the only boy for you
but that's what I get
that's what I get [3x]
how could you turn us into this?
after you just taught me how to kiss- you
I told you I'd never say goodbye
now I'm slipping on the tears you made me cry
but that's what I get
that's what I get [3x]
why does it come as a surprise
to think that I was so naive
maybe didn't mean so much
but it meant everything to me
but that's what I get
that's what I get [3x]
(Pre 5-12-98)
That's What I Get is about materialism and poverty. As Trent explores his wants and needs his desire for more turns to regret as he receives nothing. The song explores his reactions towards the rejection, neither emotion or physical but socially as everyone avoids the character. Everyone takes from the character and uses him. This creates the regret and despair within the song.
-STRESSBALL
(Pre 5-12-98)
Simple really, the character in the song got their hopes up about a relationship
and was crushed to find out that the one person he loved and cared for, wasn't
taking the relationship even remotely seriously. She didn't care and he did
hench the line "Maybe didn't mean that much, but it meant everything to me"
and now he is crushed, but that's what he gets for getting is hopes up.
(Pre 5-12-98)
This song sounds like a bad experience in a relationship. Maybe Reznor is telling the story of a relationship that he has had in the past. From the title of the song I assume that the other person has either dumped him or cheated on him ("I guess I`m not the only boy for you") after he put a lot of effort into the relationship. The lyrics "How could you turn me into this, After you just taught me how to kiss you" could mean that he was comfortable with the person and had maybe been with her for a long time. "I told you that I`d never say goodbye, Now I`m slipping on the tears you`ve made me cry" could represent the hurt that he felt afterwards. Maybe he told her that he would never leave her (again, I think that he put a lot into the relationship) but she hurt him and he finds it hard to believe that she did that to him. To conclude I would say that "That`s What I Get" is Reznor being sarcastic. It`s like, yeah thats what I get after all the hard work I put into making you happy and doing the best I can for you and this is what you do to me.
-G.S.
(Pre 5-12-98)
Okay, I've heard rumors about the chicks that broke Trent's heart,
so I think that's what this song is about. I'm sure the song "Ringfinger"
could give insight about the meaning of "That's What I Get." Trent and the
chick must have been going out a long time, marriage was most likely brought
up, and some how things went awry, then they broke up. Trent seems to have an
affinity for emotional pain, so trusting people must be very difficult for him.
Hence, the pain he felt when he/she left, because he did trust her. I don't
find "That's What I Get" to be one of his stronger lyrical pieces. It seems too
cut and dry, if you will, for him. He whines too much and doesn't mystify or
mesmerize me the way he does in later music. Although it's a cool song, but
not one of my favorites.
-Sabrina Lynn
(Pre 5-12-98)
I don't really want to give an interpretation of the song because only Trent really knows what it means, but I feel that it was written about a best(female) friend who he was extremely close to...
"just when everything was making sense.
you took away all my self-confidence."
When you have finally found a person that you can trust, a soul mate! Someone who makes you complete, and fills that empty part of you. Just when you think that you've found something real in this world.. something true.. it's gone, leaving only the memory of your existence.
"now all that i've been hearing must be true.
i guess i'm not the only boy for you"
Feeling close to someone, and wanting the relationship to be more than it was ever meant to be. Trying to bring your feelings to a higher level and being rejected. Knowing the one person who makes you complete, makes you real again has found someone else.
"but that's what i get"
That's what I get for falling so hard for something I know I can never have. I've learned that there is a fine line between true friendship and love, I tried to bring you to the other side and failed. Now I'll be lucky to keep you as a friend.. and I know it will never be as it once was - perfect.
"how could you turn me into this?
after you just taught me how to kiss you."
You made me what I am. You were the one who taught me how to feel, how to love agian. You helped me see things for what they were, and carry on when I felt weak. I've grown cold again, shut down all emotions, forgotten how to feel.
"i told you i'd never say goodbye.
now i'm slipping on the tears you made me cry"
I gave you my world and you threw it back in my face. I know you never meant to hurt me.. but you did. How can you stand to see me in such pain? Don't you hurt?
"but that's what i get"
"why does it come as a surprise.
to think that i was so naive.
maybe didn't mean so much.
but it meant eveything to me"
I knew from the start it was never meant to be, but I had to try, to see for myself. Maybe to you I was just a friend and everything we had didn't mean much.. but it meant everything to me...
(Pre 5-12-98)
Okay, I think "That's What I Get" is all about Trent's (or whoever the song is aimed at) sorrowful breakup with his girlfriend. He is angry at her, and she was his first love. She taught him how to do everything: how kiss, love, hold, treat a woman- but only her. For he couldn't find anyone after her. He misses her. He loved her and only her. Then she treats him like dirt and throws him away.
"Maybe it didn't mean much to you, but it meant everything to me."
She didn't even care. She thought of him as just a regular boyfriend and wasn't serious about him. But then he starts thinking, "You know, after all that I've been through, maybe I deserve it all. THAT'S WHAT I GET." But he's letting her control him. That's where he came up with the name _Pretty Hate Machine_, deriving from the fact that the woman that he has been mistreated by is very beautiful but is also telling you that she is nothing to mess with because she will leave you in pieces, i.e. the Hate Machine part. This song is very relevant to myself because I have been mistreated and abused by many men in my life and can really relate to this whole album and most of all, this song. But maybe that's what I get...
(5-20-98)
Well, my first interpretation. Looking over the lyrics right now, there is a fairly distinct train of thought. "Just when everything was making sense, you took away all my self-confidence" Everything was clicking into place, finally things were looking right. "Now all that I've been hearing must be true, I guess I'm not the only boy for you" The second part of this would imply that the person has given a verbal commitment, one that obviously was false.
"but thats what I get" Thats what I get for letting my guard down, for letting my feelings out, for loving you.
"how could you turn me into this, after you just taught me how to kiss you" This would be true for me personally if I weren't so shy (I have never kissed anyone, though I do love someone). Basically I think that this means that he never fully opened up to anyone before this person. "I told you I'd never say goodbye, now I'm slipping on the tears you made me cry." More of the same.
"Why does it come as a surprise to think that I was so naive." To you, this was just another relationship, something to pass the time. To me it was so much more." Maybe didnt mean that much, but it meant everything to me." I loved you so much, and you didn't care.
Wow, I didnt realise how beautiful this song was until now. And it reflects excellently with how I see the social structure of dating these days. How do you know when a relationship is serious, or when it is just for fun? Also, with the traditional macho male attitude, what happens when the man loves the woman, but the woman doesn't love the man (a theme that hits square through my heart)? Once again, a brilliant song.
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