Lennon/McCartney/Starkey

 

 

Rating: *** (good)

 

 

 

 

This country rock song had been written some years before 1965, but it was finally recorded for Rubber Soul. It’s sung by Ringo and it seems that the Beatles wanted to record another ‘Act Naturally’; but this (‘What Goes On’) is far better, of course.

 

 

Ringo (1966): “I contributed about five words to ‘What Goes On.’ (laughs) And I haven’t done a thing since!”


John (1972): “A very early song of mine. Ringo and Paul wrote a new middle-eight together when we recorded it.”


John (1980): “That was an early Lennon, written before the Beatles when we were the Quarrymen or something like that. And resurrected with a middle-eight thrown in, probably with Paul’s help, to give Ringo a song... and also to use the bits, because I never liked to waste anything.”

 

 

Recording

Recorded:

November 4, 1965 at Abbey Road, London, England

 

Instrumentation:
John Lennon - rhythm guitar, backing vocal

Paul McCartney - bass guitar, backing vocal

George Harrison - lead guitar

Ringo Starr - lead vocal, drums

 

 

 

Releasing

 

Release Date

Title

Format

Label

UK

1965, December 3

RUBBER SOUL (UK)

LP

Parlophone

US

1966, February 21

Nowhere Man / What Goes On

Single

Capitol

1966, June 20

YESTERDAY AND TODAY

LP

Capitol

 

 

Lyrics

 

WHAT GOES ON

 

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?

 

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

 

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?

 

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

It’s so easy for a girl like you to lie

Tell me why


What goes on in your heart?

 

I used to think of no on else but you were just the same

You didn’t even think of me as someone with a name

Did you mean to break my heart and watch me die

Tell me why

 

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?

 

 

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