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    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - UK 7'' Cover - Front
    1987 Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield Singles

    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield – What Have I Done To Deserve This?

    5 Views1 Min Read

    The Eighties Archive

    Song Number 0043
    Released in 1987 as the second single from their brilliant sophomore album Actually, What Have I Done to Deserve This remains one of the definitive pop masterpieces of the decade. The track represents a flawless collision of synth-pop genius, kitchen-sink drama, and music history, elevated significantly by the haunting presence of soul legend Dusty Springfield. At its core, the song is a masterclass in contrasting dynamics, balancing Neil Tennant’s deadpan, disaffected British delivery against Springfield’s soaring, emotionally bruised vocals. It is an exploration of romantic exploitation, fiscal desperation, and the transactional nature of modern relationships, disguised as an infectious dancefloor anthem.
    The genesis of the track reveals the meticulous and collaborative nature of the Pet Shop Boys’ artistry. Co-written with the American songwriter Allee Willis, famous for her work with Earth, Wind & Fire, the song bridges the gap between sleek European electronic textures and classic American pop-soul sensibilities. Structurally, it is uniquely fragmented, acting almost as a suite of different musical ideas stitched together by a driving bassline and crisp drum machines. Rather than sticking to a traditional verse-chorus blueprint, the song shifts gears constantly, mirroring the fragmented and unstable nature of the relationship it describes.
    Securing Dusty Springfield for the vocal duet was both a creative triumph and a cultural rescue mission. By the mid-1980s, Springfield’s career had stalled, leaving one of Britain’s greatest vocal talents largely overlooked by the mainstream industry. Tennant, a lifelong fan obsessed with her iconic 1969 album Dusty in Memphis, insisted that only her voice could provide the necessary weight to the track. When Springfield finally stepped into the studio, her performance injected a profound sense of world-weary melancholy into the shiny synthetic landscape crafted by Chris Lowe. Her entry on the chorus is nothing short of transcendent, transforming a clever pop song into a heartbreaking epic of romantic disillusionment.
    Lyrically, the song operates on multiple levels, capturing the specific sociopolitical anxieties of late-1980s Thatcherite Britain while remaining universally relatable. Tennant’s verses describe a high-flying, career-obsessed individual who has sacrificed personal connection for material gain. He sings of buying drinks, making deals, and checking messages, painting a portrait of a yuppie lifestyle that feels hollow and exhausting. The phrase what have I done to deserve this is deeply ironic here. In the context of the verses, it sounds like the complaint of a wealthy person inconvenienced by emotional fallout. However, when Springfield sings the exact same line, the meaning shifts entirely, becoming a genuine, agonising plea from someone who has given everything to a partner only to be cast aside.
    The interplay between the two vocalists creates a compelling narrative of mismatched expectations. Tennant plays the part of the neglectful partner who only values the relationship once it is gone, admitting that he wants his lover back simply because he is unravelling without them. Springfield embodies the casualty of this selfishness, her voice rich with the pain of someone who understands she was merely an accessory to someone else’s ambition. When she sings about hanging around and waiting for a call, the vulnerability is palpable, contrasting sharply with Lowe’s upbeat, danceable production. This juxtaposition of sad lyrics and happy music is a hallmark of the Pet Shop Boys’ catalogue, but it arguably reaches its zenith on this track.
    The cultural impact of the single was immense, climbing to number two on both the UK Singles Chart and the US Billboard Hot 100. It effectively revitalised Springfield’s career, introducing her incomparable voice to a brand-new generation of listeners and leading to further successful collaborations with the duo, including her 1989 album Reputation. Beyond its commercial success, the song set a new benchmark for what a pop duet could be, moving away from cheesy, performative romance toward something much darker, more theatrical, and psychologically complex.
    Decades after its release, the track has lost none of its sophisticated luster or emotional punch. It stands as a monument to a time when pop music could be fiercely intelligent, commercially dominant, and deeply moving all at once. Through its innovative electronic arrangement, sharp social commentary, and the sublime vocal pairing of Tennant and Springfield, the song endures as a timeless examination of love, currency, and the high cost of emotional neglect.
    The song peaked at No. 02 in the UK charts on 29th August 1987.
    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - Eighties Archive Promo Image
    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - UK 7'' Cover - Front
    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - UK 7'' Cover (Front)
    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - UK 7'' Cover - Back
    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - UK 7'' Cover (Back)
    A-Side What Have I Done To Deserve This? (4:23)
    (Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, Allee Willis)
    Produced By Stephen Hague
    B-Side A New Life (4:55)
    (Neil Tennant, Chris Lowe, Helena Springs)
    Produced By Pet Shop Boys & David Jacob
    UK Top 40 Chart Run  [7 Weeks] – 22nd August 1987 – 17th October 1987
    10
    02
    02
    03
    08
    15
    25

    Officially Released Versions

    What Have I Done To Deserve This [Single Version] [4:23]
    What Have I Done To Deserve This [Extended Mix] [6:50]
    What Have I Done To Deserve This [Disco Mix] [8:13]
    What Have I Done To Deserve This [Shep Pettibone Remix] [8:30]
    What Have I Done To Deserve This [Dub Mix] [6:50]

    See ALL releases of ‘What Have I Done To Deserve This?’ on Discogs.

    Lyrics

    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?

    Written by Chris Lowe, Neil Tennant, Allee Willis

    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - Promo Advert

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    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield
    What Have I Done To Deserve This?
    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - UK 7'' Cover - Front
    Pet Shop Boys & Dusty Springfield - What Have I Done To Deserve This? - VIT Album

    Date Released

    10th August 1987

    Highest Chart Position

    No. 02

    Genre

    Electronic, SynthPop, Pop

    Date Of UK Top 40 Entry

    22nd August 1987

    Record Label

    PARLOPHONE RECORDS

    Catalogue Number

    R 6163

    Other Songs In Archive

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