What Goes On
Producer
What Goes On Lyrics
[Chorus]
What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearin' me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?
[Verse 1]
The other day I saw you as I walked along the road
But when I saw him with you, I could feel my future fold
It's so easy for a girl like you to lie
Tell me why
[Chorus]
What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearin' me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?
[Verse 2]
(Uuuuh)
I met you in the morning waiting for the tides of time
But now the tide is turning, I can see that I was blind
(Uuuuh)
It's so easy for a girl like you to lie
(Uuuuh)
Tell me why
What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearin' me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?
[Verse 1]
The other day I saw you as I walked along the road
But when I saw him with you, I could feel my future fold
It's so easy for a girl like you to lie
Tell me why
[Chorus]
What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearin' me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?
[Verse 2]
(Uuuuh)
I met you in the morning waiting for the tides of time
But now the tide is turning, I can see that I was blind
(Uuuuh)
It's so easy for a girl like you to lie
(Uuuuh)
Tell me why
What goes on in your heart?
[Instrumental Break]
[Verse 3]
(Uuuuh)
I used to think of no one else but you were just the same
(Uuuuh)
You didn't even think of me as someone with a name
(Uuuuh)
Did you mean to break my heart and watch me die?
Tell me why
[Chorus]
What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearing me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?
[Verse 3]
(Uuuuh)
I used to think of no one else but you were just the same
(Uuuuh)
You didn't even think of me as someone with a name
(Uuuuh)
Did you mean to break my heart and watch me die?
Tell me why
[Chorus]
What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearing me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?
About
Genius Annotation
The eighth track of The Beatles' album Rubber Soul, “What Goes On” is the first song in which Ringo receives songwriting credits, as well as the only song ever credited to Lennon-McCartney-Starkey.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
What did The Beatles say about "What Goes On"?
Genius Answer
I would meet them in the studio to hear a new number. I would perch myself on a high stool and John and Paul would stand around me with their acoustic guitars ans play and sing it – usually without Ringo or George, unless George joined in the harmony. Then I would make suggestions to improve it, and we’d try it again. That’s what is known in the business as a ‘head arrangement.’
- George Martin via Beatles Ebooks
- 2.Misery
- 4.Chains
- 5.Boys
- 6.Ask Me Why
- 10.Baby It’s You
- 12.A Taste of Honey
- 13.There’s a Place
- 14.Twist and Shout
- 16.It Won’t Be Long
- 18.All My Loving
- 19.Don’t Bother Me
- 20.Little Child
- 24.Hold Me Tight
- 33.If I Fell
- 35.And I Love Her
- 36.Tell Me Why
- 38.Any Time at All
- 39.I’ll Cry Instead
- 41.When I Get Home
- 43.I’ll Be Back
- 45.No Reply
- 46.I’m a Loser
- 47.Baby’s in Black
- 50.Mr. Moonlight
- 53.Words of Love
- 54.Honey Don’t
- 60.Help!
- 61.The Night Before
- 63.I Need You
- 64.Another Girl
- 66.Ticket to Ride
- 67.Act Naturally
- 68.It’s Only Love
- 72.Yesterday
- 73.Dizzy Miss Lizzy
- 75.Drive My Car
- 77.You Won’t See Me
- 78.Nowhere Man
- 80.The Word
- 81.Michelle
- 82.What Goes On
- 83.Girl
- 85.In My Life
- 86.Wait
- 90.Taxman
- 91.Eleanor Rigby
- 93.Love You To
- 99.For No One
- 100.Doctor Robert
- 101.I Want to Tell You
- 103.Tomorrow Never Knows
- 108.Getting Better
- 109.Fixing a Hole
- 110.She’s Leaving Home
- 113.When I’m Sixty-Four
- 114.Lovely Rita
- 117.A Day in the Life
- 119.Magical Mystery Tour
- 120.The Fool on the Hill
- 121.Flying
- 122.Blue Jay Way
- 124.I Am the Walrus
- 125.Hello, Goodbye
- 127.Penny Lane
- 131.Back in the U.S.S.R.
- 132.Dear Prudence
- 133.Glass Onion
- 134.Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da
- 135.Wild Honey Pie
- 139.Martha My Dear
- 140.I’m So Tired
- 141.Blackbird
- 142.Piggies
- 143.Rocky Raccoon
- 144.Don’t Pass Me By
- 146.I Will
- 147.Julia
- 148.Birthday
- 149.Yer Blues
- 150.Mother Nature’s Son
- 152.Sexy Sadie
- 153.Helter Skelter
- 154.Long, Long, Long
- 155.Revolution 1
- 156.Honey Pie
- 157.Savoy Truffle
- 158.Cry Baby Cry
- 159.Revolution 9
- 160.Good Night
- 162.Yellow Submarine
- 163.Only a Northern Song
- 164.All Together Now
- 165.Hey Bulldog
- 166.It’s All Too Much
- 167.All You Need Is Love
- 168.Pepperland
- 169.Sea of Time
- 170.Sea of Holes
- 171.Sea of Monsters
- 172.March of the Meanies
- 176.Come Together
- 177.Something
- 179.Oh! Darling
- 180.Octopus’s Garden
- 182.Here Comes the Sun
- 183.Because
- 185.Sun King
- 186.Mean Mr. Mustard
- 187.Polythene Pam
- 189.Golden Slumbers
- 190.Carry That Weight
- 191.The End
- 192.Her Majesty
- 194.Two of Us
- 195.Dig a Pony
- 196.Across the Universe
- 197.I Me Mine
- 198.Dig It
- 199.Let It Be
- 200.Maggie Mae
- 201.I’ve Got a Feeling
- 202.One After 909
- 204.For You Blue
- 205.Get Back
- 207.Love Me Do
- 208.From Me to You
- 209.Thank You Girl
- 210.She Loves You
- 211.I’ll Get You
- 213.This Boy
- 215.Sie Liebt Dich
- 216.Long Tall Sally
- 217.I Call Your Name
- 218.Slow Down
- 219.Matchbox
- 220.I Feel Fine
- 221.She’s a Woman
- 222.Bad Boy
- 223.Yes It Is
- 224.I’m Down
- 225.Day Tripper
- 226.We Can Work It Out
- 227.Paperback Writer
- 228.Rain
- 229.Lady Madonna
- 230.The Inner Light
- 231.Hey Jude
- 232.Revolution
- 234.Don’t Let Me Down
- 236.Old Brown Shoe
Credits
Producer
Writers
Background Vocals
Engineer
Drums
Bass
Rhythm Guitar
Lead Vocals
Released on
December 3, 1965
What Goes On Live Performances
What Goes On Translations
Tags
Comments
Sign Up And Drop Knowledge 🤓
Genius is the ultimate source of music knowledge, created by scholars like you who share facts and insight about the songs and artists they love.
