Ok so "Pay for what you get" can only be taken two ways.
You get what you put into something
You get something and you will have to pay for it
Personally I think he means it both ways in the song, he puts in the time and effort to get something let's just say a successful band hypothetically. Say in getting your goal it far exceeds what you've worked for and maybe due to the touring and schedule your girl leaves you.. It would almost seem that you're paying for the excess you've received.
Reasons for assumption
Dead sister is after song written so it probably has nothing to do with her.
Song goes from working for something to
"pay for what you get"
to everybody asks me without her leaving yet and it seems shed be going through alot with everything and he'd be ok at this point inthe game and I think you can here that it's not sarcastic or feigned in this one
to bird in hand where he seems to show a hint that he isn't sure if he wants to be with her or do his own thing (fly away stay) the more I think about that part the more I think it may be literal stay here or fly around with us on tour like him being a shitty inconsiderate boyfriend
"you pay for"
to everybody asks me with her leaving, without her losing her mind this happens in every rendition of the song. And he'd still be ok at this point in the game. His inflection almost seems like he really is doing great and is blowing over the thought of her focusing on himself
Sax solo (long TIME passes)
Surprise Surprise you pay for what you get. Sounds like hes feeling the loss of her then he loses his.
Work to get famous instead get crazy famous causes you to lose something you wish you kept
Get what you work for but you'll pay for what you get
Get it? Could be wrong but it seems to fit pretty well and accounts for the slight changes in the chorus over the song.
Ok so "Pay for what you get" can only be taken two ways.
Reasons for assumption Dead sister is after song written so it probably has nothing to do with her.
Song goes from working for something to "pay for what you get" to everybody asks me without her leaving yet and it seems shed be going through alot with everything and he'd be ok at this point inthe game and I think you can here that it's not sarcastic or feigned in this one to bird in hand where he seems to show a hint that he isn't sure if he wants to be with her or do his own thing (fly away stay) the more I think about that part the more I think it may be literal stay here or fly around with us on tour like him being a shitty inconsiderate boyfriend "you pay for" to everybody asks me with her leaving, without her losing her mind this happens in every rendition of the song. And he'd still be ok at this point in the game. His inflection almost seems like he really is doing great and is blowing over the thought of her focusing on himself Sax solo (long TIME passes)
Surprise Surprise you pay for what you get. Sounds like hes feeling the loss of her then he loses his.
Work to get famous instead get crazy famous causes you to lose something you wish you kept Get what you work for but you'll pay for what you get
Get it? Could be wrong but it seems to fit pretty well and accounts for the slight changes in the chorus over the song.
-Joel