What's Goin' On Lyrics
Donny Hathaway
Lyrics
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
War is not the answer
For only love, love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
What's going on, hey yeah yeah yeah
What's going on
I wanna know what's going on
Hey hey yeah yeah
Mother, mother, mother,
Everybody says that we're wrong, mmm
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some loving here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Song & Lyrics Facts
"What's Goin' On" is a classic soul song written by Renaldo Benson, Al Cleveland and Marvin Gaye. It was released on May 21, 1971 as the title track to Gaye's album of the same name.
The song has become an anthem for peace and social justice and is considered one of the greatest songs ever recorded. The lyrics are about a man who returns from Vietnam only to find his hometown in disarray due to poverty, racism and violence. Donny Hathaway provides backing vocals for the song and it features instrumentation from bassist James Jamerson, guitarist Robert White and drummer Uriel Jones. The song topped the Billboard R&B Singles chart and peaked at number two on the Hot 100. Its message of unity and understanding remains timeless and its influence can still be heard today.