This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
You always wanted a lover
I only wanted a job
I've always worked for my 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 living with love, oh, oh
Now you 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? (baby)
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? (yeah)
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, we don't have to fight
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
We don't need to go to hell and back every night
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
You never ever left me, baby, think of me...
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Oh, babe
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
We don't have to fall apart, we don't have to fight
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
We don't need to go to hell and back every night
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Gonna get through, baby, I'm gonna get
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Forever
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Gonna get through, baby, yeah,
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Gonna get through, get through, baby, ooh
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
I only wanted a job
I've always worked for my 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 living with love, oh, oh
Now you 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? (baby)
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? (yeah)
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, we don't have to fight
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
We don't need to go to hell and back every night
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
You never ever left me, baby, think of me...
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Oh, babe
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
We don't have to fall apart, we don't have to fight
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
We don't need to go to hell and back every night
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Gonna get through, baby, I'm gonna get
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Forever
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Gonna get through, baby, yeah,
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Gonna get through, get through, baby, ooh
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget
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Somewhere Only We Know
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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"
@jsmith I agree with your interpretation. In fact, until I came here, it never occurred to me that there was another way to look at it. <br /> <br /> When he says, "what have I done to deserve this?" I see that as irony on the part of the songwriters. Like he's saying, "How can you leave me after all this hard work I've put in?" <br /> <br />
maybe he was a rent boy?
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
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.
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.
This song asks alot of damn questions,that nobody answers!
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...
Great songgggg
Yeah, it's pretty self-explanatory. He goes looking for a job, falls in love hard and ends up getting hurt in the end.
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.