What You’re Doing
Producer
What You’re Doing Lyrics
Look what you're doing
I'm feeling blue and lonely
Would it be too much to ask of you
What you're doing to me?
[Verse 2]
You got me running
And there's no fun in it
Why should it be so much to ask of you
What you're doing to me?
[Bridge]
I've been waiting here for you
Wondering what you're gonna do
And should you need a love that's true
It's me
[Verse 3]
Please stop your lying
You got me crying, girl
Why should it be so much to ask of you
What you're doing to me?
[Instrumental Break]
I've been waiting here for you
Wondering what you're gonna do
And should you need a love that's true
It's me
[Verse 3]
Please stop your lying
You got me crying, girl
Why should it be so much to ask of you
What you're doing to me?
[Outro]
What you're doing to me?
What you're doing to me?
About
Penned primarily by Paul, “What You’re Doing” sounds like several other Beatles songs, before and after, despite a few notable aspects like the introduction’s four-bar solo drum pattern.
Paul’s confession to crying is unusual. The emotional candor in these lyrics are apparent repercussions of his floundering relationship with longtime girlfriend, Jane Asher. McCartney has admitted that the song was a bit of a failure: “You sometimes start a song and hope the best will arrive by the time you get to the chorus…but sometimes that’s all you get.”
Jane Asher in all her red-headed glory
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
“What You’re Doing” was a bit of filler. I think it was a little more mine than John’s … You sometimes start a song and hope the best will arrive by the time you get to the chorus, but sometimes that’s all you get, and I suspect this was one of them. Maybe it’s a better recording than it is a song, some of them are. Sometimes a good recording would enhance a song.
— Paul McCartney, Many Years from Now
- 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
- 57.What You’re Doing
- 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
