You always wanted a lover
I only wanted a job
I've always worked for a living
How am I gonna get through?
How am I gonna get through?

I come here looking for money
Got to have it
And end up leaving with love, oh, oh
Now you've left me with nothing
Can't take it
How am I gonna get through?
How am I gonna get through?

I bought you drinks, I brought you flowers
I read you books and talked for hours
Every day, so many drinks
Such pretty flowers, so tell me
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
What have I, what have I, what have I

Since you went away I've been hanging around
I've been wondering why I'm feeling down
You went away, it should make me feel better
But I don't know, oh
How I'm gonna get through? (What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
How I'm gonna get through? (What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)

You always wanted me to be something I wasn't
You always wanted too much, oh, oh
Now I can do what I want to, forever
How am I gonna get through?
How am I gonna get through?

At night, the people come and go
They talk too fast, and walk too slow
Chasing time from hour to hour
I pour the drinks and crush the flowers
What have I, what have I done to deserve this?
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
What have I, what have I, what have I

Since you went away I've been hanging around
I've been wondering why I'm feeling down
You went away, it should make me feel better
But I don't know, oh
How I'm gonna get through, baby? (What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
How I'm gonna get through? (What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
How I'm gonna get through, baby? (What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
How I'm gonna get through? Tell me (what have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
How I'm gonna get through, baby? (What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
How I'm gonna get through, ahh (what have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)

Gonna get through
Gonna get through

(What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
I'm gonna get through, right?
(What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)

We don't have to fall apart (what have I, what have I)
We don't have to fight (what have I done to deserve this?)
We don't need to go to hell and back (what have I, what have I)
Every night (what have I done to deserve this?)
You never ever love me (what have I, what have I)
Can you think of me? (What have I done to deserve this?)
Ohh-oh (what have I, what have I)
Babe (what have I done to deserve this?)

We don't have to fall apart (what have I, what have I)
We don't have to fight (what have I done to deserve this?)
We don't need to go to hell and back (what have I, what have I)
Every night (what have I done to deserve this?)

(What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?) Ooh baby
(What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?)
Ow, how am I gonna get through?
(What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?) Baby yeah
How I'm gonna get through?
(What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?) Ooh-ooh

How I'm gonna get through?


Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget

What Have I Done to Deserve This? Lyrics as written by Christopher Sean Lowe Neil Francis Tennant

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

What Have I Done To Deserve This? song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    Maybe I'm wrong, but I always thought it was about a woman and he gigalo... He falls in love with her, but she has no use for him anymore.

    "You always wanted a lover I only wanted a job I've always worked for my living"

    "I come here looking for money (Got to have it) And end up living with love, oh, oh Now you left me with nothing"

    jsmithon February 20, 2007   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    maybe he was a rent boy?

    rudegiirldeeon October 03, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    for me this is one of those typical song ...boy meets girl girl ditches boy . however i have always felt that PSB song are very issue specific in a very simple manner (unlike the regular fire-desire songs) ..they always hit the right spot & this is what makes them stand out from the other bands/artists . The depiction of what was & what it has become suddenly for no apparent reason is breathtaking

    baitnswitchon December 13, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is about two people who have met at their job and have fell in love, and then split up. Neil sings about how he used to treat his partner

    "I bought you drinks, I brought you flowers I read you books and talked for hours Every day, so many drinks Such pretty flowers, so tell me What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?"

    Dusty Springfield (who duets on this song) is singing about how will she get through without her former partner, because she thought she could get on without him, but couldnt. This song is one of my favourite duets, with Neils and Dusty's voices complimenting each other.

    DC10on February 18, 2006   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song is on my gym mix, and it seems to me to be about a guy who falls for a prostitute. Or a prosititute who falls for a client, who only wanted one thing from him. Hmm.

    powerballadon December 04, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    To me, this song is about a guy who meets a girl at work, they begin a relationship, and she eventually leaves him, crushed, for no apparent reason to him. But, my interpretation of the lyrics leaves to believe he was too infatuated with her, she wanted him to be something that he wasn't, perhaps back off a little, which made him try harder, smother her, and she ends up leaving him. "I brought you drinks, I brought you flowers, I read you books and talked for hours...EVERY day, so many drinks, such pretty flowers, so tell me, what have i done to deserve this..." I read trying too hard, smothering...and then saying, "what did I do?? only good things for you.."

    The lyric that Dusty sings, "..you went away, it should make me feel better.." is telling in that he knows that he wasn't in a good place, it wasn't the right relationship, and maybe ending it was the best thing for him, but he can't see that yet...

    pmt419on October 05, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song asks alot of damn questions,that nobody answers!

    Thia007on December 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Great songgggg

    mrszaynmalikon April 23, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yeah, it's pretty self-explanatory. He goes looking for a job, falls in love hard and ends up getting hurt in the end.

    thxneon September 10, 2013   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    I've always imagined this song being about a guy getting a job at a hospital; a job that involves talking to and comforting the patients, like maybe a social worker. Most likely, I'm wrong, but this is just how I've interpreted it since the first time I've heard it.

    elixir808on December 02, 2004   Link

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