He received the Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance for "Jessie's Girl", which proved to be a career breakout moment. He followed with four more top 10 U.S. rock hits: "I've Done Everything for You", "Don't Talk to Strangers", "Affair of the Heart", and "Love Somebody". His two U.S. top 10 albums are 1981's 'Working Class Dog' and 1982's 'Success Hasn't Spoiled Me Yet', releases featuring an energetic sound earning both commercial and critical successes. As an actor, he portrayed the popular Dr. Noah Drake on the daytime drama 'General Hospital' from 1981 to 1983, and he sprang back into the role during 2005 to 2008 and 2012, returning again in 2013 for the show's 50th anniversary with his son (and fellow actor) Liam Springthorpe.
Though having gigantic success in the early to mid-80s, Springfield felt totally exhausted with the pressures of stardom. He would end up devoting more time to his personal and family life, though still releasing albums through the late 80s and onward. In 2010, Springfield published his well-received autobiography, titled 'Late, Late at Night: A Memoir', which detailed these struggles.
Born Richard Lewis Springthorpe, later adopting "Rick Springfield" in his performing days, in South Wentworthville on 23 August 1949, he spent the early part of his life around the western suburbs of Sydney, Australia. The son of Eileen and Norman Springthorpe, the latter a Australian Army career officer, he also has an older brother, Mike Springthorpe. Due to his father's Army career, the Springthorpe family moved to London, England, where they lived between 1960 to 1962. The family moved back to Australia in June 1962, where they settled in the Melbourne suburb of Ormond.
Inspired by the 60s pop rock boom around him, the young Rick Springfield took naturally to singing and songwriting. However, commercial success would come in sudden bursts for him, with the performer facing bouts of 'teen idol' worship (even spending a time doing music for kids as a sort of cartoon Mister Rogers from 1973 to 1975, with those songs put into his 'Mission Magic!' album) that concealed his desire to be taken seriously as a musician. Fully embracing a power pop and new wave sound, as played by contemporaries such as Cheap Trick, The Cars, and others, finally helped him hit the big time in a dramatic way. As well, in October 1984, Springfield married his longtime girlfriend, Barbara Porter, in his family's church in Australia.
When being interviewed about his autobiography, Springfield admitted that he dated while married, and that it was a problem that he has overcome. He mentioned in particular dating Linda Blair, Demi Moore, Connie Hamzy, Morgana Welch, and Geraldine Edwards (the inspiration for Penny Lane in 'Almost Famous'). Though on top of the world for a time, things proved unstable and uncertain. In 1985, when his first son was born and after the release of his 'Tao' album, Springfield took a break from his musical career to spend more time with his family, as stated before. He also resolved to deal with the off-and-on depression that had affected him since his adolescence. Springfield had suffered much in the 70s due to both the serious illness of his father, who died on 24 April 1981, and difficulties dealing with people in the music industry.
Recently, a new feature documentary, titled 'An Affair of the Heart: The Journey of Rick Springfield and his Devoted Fans, was filmed in 2010. The movie started on the film festival circuit in the spring of 2012. The performer's latest work is 2015's 'Stripped Down', a combination of covers, new material, and re-recorded tracks from his past that has attracted some critical praise.
I've Done Everything for You
Rick Springfield Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's all give and take and you just take
I can't take it you see
Well, I'm givin' up on love this time
Me and my friends, we'll do just fine
I've done everything for you
You've done nothing for me
You've done nothing for me
You said someday I'd have a whole lotta money,
I'd be a millionaire
But when that didn't happen over night
I found out how much you really cared
Well, all you want is a whole lotta money
All the rest is just jivin' honey
I've done everything for you
You've done nothing for me
I've done everything for you
You've done nothing for me
I've done everything for you
You've done nothing for me
I've done everything for you
You've done nothing for me
Well, I'm going out on the town tonight
And get as wild as I can be
I'm gonna find out what it's really like to be lose, high and free
Well, I don't care what the people say
I'm changin' my mind, I'm changin' to stay
I've done everything for you
You've done nothing for me
I've done everything for you
You've done nothing for me
You've done nothing for me
You've done nothing
You've done nothing
You've done nothing for me
The lyrics of Rick Springfield's song "I've Done Everything for You" portray the frustration of a one-sided love affair. The singer complains that the relationship is all give and take, but the other person is only taking without giving anything in return. He/she has done everything for the other person, but they have done nothing for him/her. The other person promised that the singer would become wealthy, but when that didn't happen, he/she realized how little the other person actually cared. All they want is money, and the rest is just talk.
The singer decides to give up on love and go out with his/her friends instead. They plan to have a good time and experience the freedom of living wildly and without constraints. The singer doesn't care what others think and is determined to change his/her mind and lifestyle to enjoy themselves.
The song is about the frustrations of trying to maintain a relationship in which only one person is putting in effort. The singer feels unappreciated and used, so he/she decides to move on and enjoy themselves without worrying about someone who doesn't care.
Line by Line Meaning
This one way love affair ain't fair, it ain't fair to me
It's not fair that you're the only one receiving love, I'm not being treated equally
It's all give and take and you just take
In this relationship, I am giving everything and getting nothing in return
I can't take it you see
I'm at my breaking point because of the imbalance in our relationship
Well, I'm givin' up on love this time
I'm done with this kind of love and relationship
Me and my friends, we'll do just fine
I don't need a romantic relationship to be happy, my friends are enough
You said someday I'd have a whole lotta money, I'd be a millionaire
You promised me wealth and prosperity
But when that didn't happen over night, I found out how much you really cared
When I didn't become rich immediately, I realized you were only in it for the money
All you want is a whole lotta money, all the rest is just jivin' honey
Money is the only thing you care about, everything else you say is just talk
Well, I'm going out on the town tonight, and get as wild as I can be
I'm going out to experience life to the fullest
I'm gonna find out what it's really like to be lose, high and free
I want to experience the freedom that comes from living without the constraints of a one-sided love affair
Well, I don't care what the people say, I'm changin' my mind, I'm changin' to stay
I don't care what others think, I'm changing my ways and staying true to myself
You've done nothing for me
You have not given me anything in return for everything I've done for you
You've done nothing
You have not contributed anything to this relationship
You've done nothing for me
You continue to take without giving, and it's not fair to me
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SAMMY HAGAR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
RAB
Here to give Sammy some love for writing yet another hit. Happy to see both guys still alive and rocking. Time flies🤘🏼
George Gleixner
I LIKE BOTH VERSIONS, BUT SAMMY'S ROCKS
West Virginia Patriot
Did you all see Sammy and Rick sing this together? Look it up! Funny but good!
Sothia Chhoeum
The 80s best decade ever! Rick Springfield ❤️🥰💕🎶🎵🎸🤘🏻
Scott McGibeny
Check out CHEAP TRICK's "SHE'S TIGHT"
Ally Atkins
Sammy hagar wrote this song
Tracy Bosworth
@Ally Atkins I like his version but, I think Rick’s is better. Just my opinion…
Alexander F.
I've seen him in concert, and amazingly enough I'm not afraid to admit it.
The Reluctant Gearhead
Me too, had a hell of a time. Glad I got to see Rick play live.
Kevin Logozzo
He was supposed to open for George Thorogood on 1/1/22 in CT but he got Covid.