I wrote this song with Shel Silverstein I made up the chorus, I never did have any verses for it I sang it to him once so he mailed me this verse What have you done for me lately Is such a common attitude What have you done for me lately Is how old friends show their gratitude Now just when you need a little support Their faces get long and their memories get short What have you done for me lately Lately I've been doing without you She was young and beautiful and drowning And I was the only hero in the crowd Gave her artificial respiration Mouth to mouth resuscitation Took her home and dried her out Fed her lots of chicken soup and chocolate And tucked her right in a feather bed Nursed her through the night and with the Morning light she rolled over, looked up At me and said What have you done for me lately 'Cause lately I've been doing without you Now what have you done for me lately Don't let me be misconstrued Cast your bread on the water What do you get? Some hard luck Story and your bread gets wet What have you done for me lately 'Cause lately I've been doing without you