Released: August 10, 1987
Featuring: Dusty Springfield
Songwriter: Allee Willis Neil Tennant Chris Lowe
Producer: Stephen Hague
[Verse 1: Neil Tennant, Dusty Springfield & Both]
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?
[Verse 2: Neil Tennant, Dusty Springfield & Both]
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?
[Pre-Chorus: Neil Tennant]
I bought you drinks, I brought you flowers
I read your 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
[Chorus: Dusty Springfield, Neil Tennant & Both]
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?
[Verse 3: Neil Tennant, Dusty Springfield & Both]
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?
[Pre-Chorus: Neil Tennant]
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
[Chorus: Dusty Springfield, Neil Tennant & Both]
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?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Tell me
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Yeah
[Outro: Dusty Springfield & Neil Tennant]
I'm gonna get through
I'm 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?
We can make a deal
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?
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?
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 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 done to deserve this?
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?
[Verse 2: Neil Tennant, Dusty Springfield & Both]
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?
[Pre-Chorus: Neil Tennant]
I bought you drinks, I brought you flowers
I read your 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
[Chorus: Dusty Springfield, Neil Tennant & Both]
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?
[Verse 3: Neil Tennant, Dusty Springfield & Both]
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?
[Pre-Chorus: Neil Tennant]
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
[Chorus: Dusty Springfield, Neil Tennant & Both]
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?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Tell me
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Baby
How I'm gonna get through
What have I, what have I, what have I done to deserve this?
Yeah
[Outro: Dusty Springfield & Neil Tennant]
I'm gonna get through
I'm 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?
We can make a deal
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?
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?
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 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 done to deserve this?
more tracks from the album
Videography (The Singles Collection on Video)
- Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)
- West End Girls [7"Version]
- Being Boring [7" Edit]
- Domino Dancing (7" Version)
- It’s Alright [7" Version]
- Left to My Own Devices [7" Version]
- Rent [7" Version]
- How Can You Expect to Be Taken Seriously? [Single Version]
- Heart [Video Mix]
- Always on My Mind [Video Mix]
- Jealousy [7" Version]
- Where the Streets Have No Name (I Can’t Take My Eyes Off You)
- It’s a Sin
- DJ Culture
- So Hard
- Love Comes Quickly
- What Have I Done to Deserve This?
- Suburbia [Video Mix]
From the albums
- Actually (1987)
- Discography (1991)
- Videography (The Singles Collection on Video) (1991)
- Actually: Further Listening 1987 – 1988 (2001)
- PopArt: The Hits (2003)
- PopArt (The Videos) (2003)
- Story (25 Years of Hits) (2009)
- Ultimate (2010)
Pet Shop Boys popular songs
- West End Girls
- It’s a Sin
- Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)
- Go West
- Always On My Mind
- Being Boring
- Suburbia
- What Have I Done to Deserve This?
- Domino Dancing
- The Pop Kids
- Left to My Own Devices
- Rent
- New York City Boy
- Love etc.
- Love is a Bourgeois Construct
- Burning the heather
- Dreamland
- Closer to Heaven 3
- Footsteps
- Closer To Heaven / Left To My Own Devices
- Je T’aime Moi Non Plus
- Yesterday, When I Was Mad (Coconut 1 12" Mix) [Disco 2 Version]
- In His Imagination
- Sail Away