My Gen X Playlist: What Do I Get? – Buzzcocks

Oh man, it’s so easy to get in the rut of complaining. It’s like a weed. It begins to grow and suddenly, it’s taken over the entire garden. The infestation can take over your daily conversation. The trick is to tackle it before it spreads. Or have a good friend tell you some unabashed, hard truths.

When I was in college, I got into one of those complaining ruts. When I look back, I didn’t really have anything of consequence to complain about. Just young people issues. One of my friends I hung out with was already out in the working world and was fairly successful, so when he stopped to give his sage advice, I listened. The good thing about good friends, they can just tell you like it is. No sugar coating. No pulled punches. He didn’t gently pull me aside for a private conversation, either. He made sure it was loud and clear.

“Stop your f*ing bitching. Complaining is such a waste of energy. You know what you should do? Use that energy to find a solution so you aren’t complaining anymore.”

Um, yeah, that stung. But the shock value has it’s upside. It stuck. The weird part was I didn’t even realize I was complaining so much. There’s that weed thing again. This punch in the face was all the weed killer I needed to turn over a new leaf. This is not to say that I don’t complain anymore. I do. I’m still human. A little complaining can even be cathartic. But the tough love stuck and I monitor myself. No weeds allowed.

The Buzzcocks released What Do I Get? back in 1978. Although the Buzzcocks were considered a punk band, it’s not the incoherent screaming I associate (rightly or wrongly) with punk rock. I like the guitar and drums and the lyrics are straight forward and simple.

The Buzzcocks are the perfect mesh of punk and pop, a cleaned up version of the grittier Sex Pistols, but still pretty bratty themselves. Pete Shelley’s voice has a melodic, high-register flair. He sounds downright desperate and pleading on songs like “What do I Get?” and “Ever Fallen in Love?,” but it’s OK because the chunky music that surrounds him is so easy on the ears.

– Collapse Board

One thing is for sure. They could have benefitted from a quit your bitching tough love conversation with my friend.

I just want a lover like any other
What do I get
I only want a friend who will stay to the end
What do I get

What do I get
Oh oh what do I get
What do I get
Oh oh what do I get

I'm in distress I need a caress
What do I get
I'm not on the make I just need a break
What do I get

What do I get
Oh oh what do I get
What do I get
Oh oh what do I get

I only get sleepless nights
Alone here in my half-empty bed
For you things seem to turn out right
I wish they'd only happen to me instead

What do I get
Oh oh what do I get
What do I get
Oh oh what do I get

[Solo]

What do I get
Oh oh what do I get
What do I get
Oh oh what do I get

I only get sleepless nights
Alone here in my half-empty bed
For you things seem to turn out right
I wish they'd only happen to me instead

What do I get
Oh oh what do I get
What do I get
Oh oh what do I get

I just want a lover like any other
What do I get
I only want a friend who will love to the end
What do I get

What do I get
Oh oh what do I get
What do I get
Oh oh what do I get

Well let me tell you now
I get no love
I get no sleep at nights
I get nothing that's nice
I get nothing at all
At all, at all, at all
At all, at all, at all
Cos I don't get you