Feb 2022 folk-rock
An expression I hear at the school where I teach is "You get what you get, and you don't get upset."
It's always really bothered me...
You Get What You Get
FAWM 2022 - P. Henry
You get what you get and you don’t get upset
You’re just another hard luck kid and don’t you forget it
Don’t expect too much and you’ll never get your dumb heart broke
When you grow up poor, they're gonna tell you life ain't fair
Someone's always there to slam the door if you dare to dream yourself away
Well don't believe them when they say:
You get what you get and you don’t get upset
You’re just another hard luck kid and don’t you forget it
Don’t expect too much and you’ll never get your dumb heart broke
You get what you get, yeah, and like it or not
You gotta take what they give you, ‘cause that’s all that you got
You better thank your lucky stars they’re even here talking to you
When you grow up here, seems everybody’s dreaming small
You get a union job and weekends off, and that’s all anybody wants
Or anyway, no one can say:
You get what you get and you don’t get upset
You’re just another hard luck kid and don’t you forget it
Don’t expect too much and you’ll never get your dumb heart broke
You get what you get, yeah, and like it or not
You gotta take what they give you, ‘cause that’s all that you got
You better thank your lucky stars they’re even here talking to you
You get what you get and you don’t get upset
You’re just another hard luck kid and don’t you forget it
Don’t expect too much and you’ll never get your dumb heart broke
@nancyrost Feb 2022
It bothers me too! You'd think that repeating those phrases would drill it into your head like a mantra, but that's not the effect here - it's exposing it as others' low expectations. The uplifting music pulls against that. Really like this one!
@lonnie Feb 2022
I really get the feelings that you express. It is found in most small towns and even in big cities. So much of the "hard luck kid" is someone else's expectations. Wonderful expression of the frustrations.
@bethdesombre Feb 2022
How did I miss this when it was posted? Love what you did with your frustration with that phrase. Nice job with the specific ways you frame/elaborate (even "you gotta take what they give you 'cause that's all that you got"), and some of the specifics ("everyone's dreaming small/union job"). And I think I like that you don't fix (offer us some false hope that this will resolve) it but just observe it.
@jtsteam Feb 2022
I like this. Life may not be fair, but that doesn't mean one should use that as an excuse to not care or do something about it.
@karlsburg25 Feb 2022
REally enjoyed this and oh my lord. After 12 years of teaching in a secondary school, my big beef ended up basically boxing kids into catagories. Thats a bad kid, he can't concentrate , he wno't be able to do that etc. I could see and feel the hope ebbing out of so many kids. The whole ethos of my school was simply wrong to develop these kids, so i left and now teach on my own. It was the system as of course there were amazing teachers . Anyway beautiful song. I am so glad to ahve FAWM discovered you
@gregwere Feb 2022
Very nice sound - production - live drums?? Really nice vocal particularly in chorus. Nice write. I hear female backing vocal on this one.