i can't believe
that what i feel
is finally happening to me
make it hurt
and point a finger
at my insecurites
well i guess i just don't understand
about those complexities in your mind
and i guess i just don't understand
why this world seems so unkind


maybe
maybe just one
i get just what's coming
maybe
maybe just once
i get what's coming to me


so once again
the way you feel
you'll never ever stay the same
and i'm to blame
i wonder just who made
the rules up for this game
well i guess i just don't understand
about what you want and what you need
and i guess i just don't understand
about why this is how it has to be


maybe
maybe just one
i get just what's coming
maybe
maybe just once
i get what's coming to me


so go around
you say those thousand things
you think you have to say
look at me
and tell me love's not such
a hard word word anyway
well how can you can count on me
i thought you realized for sure
and how can you just believe
i thought i deserved a little more


maybe
maybe just once
i get what's coming
maybe
maybe just once
i get what's coming to me


oh god
what's coming
oh god
what's coming to me



Lyrics submitted by iNclet


Maybe Just Once song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • +1
    Song Meaning:This song is, IMO, about always being the 'giver' in relationships & being sick & tired of it. I completely know how he feels too, I'm the same way. I always give of myself until there's nothing left & people always just take & take and then leave. Trent's tired of being used & abused.

    I personally love this song, even though it's a tad new wave-y. You can really tell that this was done during his transition from the Exotic Birds to NIN.
    Flag Cenobyteon October 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Am I wrong in thinking that the start says something along the lines of,

    "Of course, Beth. I mean, there was plenty of girls around for a quick pop. That's what I wanted. But I gotta tell you, you were good."

    I haven't seen the start in any of the lyrics I've come across. Maybe I just have a different version?
    Flag ohlukitskassyon April 02, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:does anyone know what or where the samples at the beginning and the midpoint are from (the spoken words) they sound something like
    Beginning: "...not just because you could do stuff to me, but because you really cared..." and there's more but you probably get the gist
    Midpoint: "..so we st down on his (this?) bed, and he said (price?) wheat the hell do you think this place is..." as above, you get it if you've heard it.

    it's always piqued my curiosity

    BTW, Maybe Just Once is one of my three fav NIN songs, the others being "A Warm Place" and "La Mer"
    Flag Josh Battinon August 03, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This fucking song was super gay. I was like, " Whoa, Trent! Are you still in Option30? "

    But I still like it. : ]
    Flag angstiosison March 29, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:"maybe, just once, i'l get what's coming to me."

    Come on people.... this song was written way before he discovered Marilyn Manson and while Courtney Love was trying to graduate high school...

    "maybe, just once, i'l get what's coming to me."

    At any rate, this song can be taken one of two ways, which is up to us, the audience (which is why music/poetry are such great mediums):

    either

    1) the speaker has been hurt too many times and wants "true love" like everyone else seems to have (good karma), as seems to be the case in Verse 1 and seemingly Verse 2.

    "maybe, just once, i'l get what's coming to me."

    or

    2) the speaker realizes he has hurt too many females he's dated and, after his last encounter, realizes that eventually he will be hurt = (bad karma); Verse 2 (from a certain point of view) and Verse 3.

    "maybe, just once, i'l get what's coming to me."

    Even the ending is cryptic:
    "oh god what's coming, oh god what's coming to me"

    Is the speaker reacting to Love or to Heartbreak?

    "maybe, just once, i'l get what's coming to me."

    Throughtout the song, his tone of voice, and the lyrics in general, don't really reveal the emotion one way or the other.

    "maybe, just once, i'l get what's coming to me."

    In my opinion, this song all comes down to one thing: personal perspective.

    At least, in my opinion.

    "maybe, just once, i'l get what's coming to me."
    Flag qtiplordon August 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'll have to read Manson's autobiography then, thank you for telling about that. I agree that this song definitely is not about her, this song is way too old. "Starfuckers, Inc." probably has to do with her, or so I've heard, and it seems pretty clear, anyway.

    However, I'm sure Trent Reznor is a real prick, he's obviously arrogant. I mean, when I saw him live he said to the audience, "what was that, did you say Rob Zombie sucks?" Haha. His asshole persona is pretty funny and almost attractive, but I'm sure it screws up alot of things in his personal life and is damaging to relationships. But still...a long time, maybe he was just a really nice guy that kept getting hurt. I wouldn't know though, I'm just a fan, not his shrink.
    Flag libertykillingconson April 01, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:....i guess it's just one side of the story.....he ain't no angel either.....as can be read in Marilyn Manson's autobiography.Understand me correctly, I'm no Courtney Love fan, but how is described in the book how he treated her....bad bad boy....I can't blame him actually, I think she's a total c*nt.....but that's just one of the many women that passed the revue.....I don't think this one's about her.....
    Flag Chica*on March 29, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Most people don't see the good in others, to be honest. I'm sure Reznor has been hurt very badly before, but I think he has used this pain a little too much as a lyrical tool for his songs on this album. But nevertheless, as scarce as good men are, most women don't see them, and if they do realize who they are, sometimes they've already hurt them and then it's too late to salvage a relationship.
    Flag libertykillingconson March 27, 2006   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:why is this man having such 'malchance' when it comes to love? it seems as if he's always giving his all to this women, just to have it all smacked right in the face! women abusing his love,sensitivity and trust....i don't get it...i can see a good man when i see him....so scarce....
    Flag Chica*on March 19, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I guess Trent thought the girl loved him, but she played him and he's hurt like crazy. x.x Maybe..
    Flag starfireon January 18, 2006   Link

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