What Have You Done for Me Lately Lyrics
"What's up, girl?"
"He stood me up again"
"Again?"
"Mmhmm"
"Well, what's up with this guy?
Do you really like him that much?"
"Yes honey, I love him, he is fun
He does a lot of nice things for me"
I know he used to do nice stuff for you
But what has he done for you lately?
[Verse 1]
Used to be a time when you would pamper me
Used to brag about it all the time
Your friends seem to think that you're so peachy keen
But my friends say neglect is on your mind
Who's right?
[Refrain]
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
[Verse 2]
Used to go to dinner almost every night
Dancing 'til I thought I'd lose my breath (Ah)
Now it seems your dancing feet are always on my couch
Good thing I cook or else we'd starve to death
Ain't that a shame?
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
[Bridge]
I never ask for more than I deserve
You know it's the truth
You seem to think you're God's gift to this Earth
I'm telling you, no way
You ought to be thankful for the little things
But little things are all you seem to give
You're always putting off what we can do today
Soap opera says, you've got one life to live
Who's right, who's wrong?
[Refrain]
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
Get with it
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately?
Ooh-ooh-ooh, yeah
What have you done for me lately? (This is wild, I swear)
About
“What Have You Done For Me Lately”, the lead single from Control, is a general tune about dissatisfaction with one’s partner, but it was written, in part, to convey Jackson’s feelings about the recent annulment of her marriage to singer James DeBarge. The song has been credited as a female empowerment anthem with its message of not settling for less.
The song marked her emergence as an international superstar. The single peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold in the US, while the single also peaked at #1 on the US R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart and in the Netherlands. The music video was choreographed by Paula Abdul—who also appeared in the video herself—and the video won a Soul Train Music Award for Best R&B/Soul or Rap Music Video in 1987.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
Janet Jackson and a friend (the voice of the friend has been unidentified) can be heard in during the intro. Jackson’s words during the intro can be seen in italics.
- 1.Control
- 2.Nasty
- 3.What Have You Done for Me Lately
- 10.Start Anew