He lives in his imagination with those friends of his very own
He doesn't get along with the outside world, he'd rather be alone

Sometimes when it's late at night, he starts to wonder why
The plans he made can never happen so all he does is cry

His parents, they can't understand why their son, he turned out wrong
He runs away from all the pain, forgets them when he's gone

He'd rather be all by himself because his plans they seem the best
He finally gets the nerve one day, now life becomes a test

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say

Mom and dad, I'm sorry
Mom and dad, don't worry

I'm not the son you wanted but what could you expect?
I've made my world of happiness to combat your neglect

Mom and dad, I'm sorry
Mom and dad, don't worry
Mom and dad, I'm sorry
Mom and dad, don't worry, don't worry, don't worry

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say

Whatever you want, whatever you do, wherever you go, whatever you say
Yeah-yeah, what you say, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Whatever" by Hüsker Dü revolves around a troubled individual who lives in his imagination and finds solace in the company of his fictional friends. He doesn't get along with the outside world and would rather be alone. At night, he is plagued by thoughts of the plans that can never happen and this makes him cry. The song implies that he may have been neglected and misunderstood by his parents, which has led to his mistrust of the outside world. He feels guilty for not living up to their expectations, but at the same time, he has found a way to combat their neglect by creating his own world of happiness.

The song highlights the pain and suffering of individuals who are struggling to find a place in the world. The lyrics are full of emotion and convey the idea of loneliness and isolation. The chorus emphasizes the importance of individual freedom and choice, urging the listener to choose their own path in life, whatever it may be.

Line by Line Meaning

He lives in his imagination with those friends of his very own
He spends most of his time daydreaming about his imaginary friends rather than dealing with the real world.

He doesn't get along with the outside world, he'd rather be alone
He prefers being alone because he finds it difficult to fit in with other people and their ways.

Sometimes when it's late at night, he starts to wonder why
In his quiet moments, he questions his existence and the fate he has been dealt with in life.

The plans he made can never happen so all he does is cry
Most of his goals and dreams in life never materialize, causing him to feel down and helpless.

His parents, they can't understand why their son, he turned out wrong
His parents are at a loss to explain why their child has turned out to be a social misfit in the society.

He runs away from all the pain, forgets them when he's gone
He escapes his reality and distances himself from the people that hurt him to find some temporary relief.

He'd rather be all by himself because his plans they seem the best
He prefers solitude as it permits him to have full control over his thoughts and plans, more than anyone else.

He finally gets the nerve one day, now life becomes a test
He decides to take charge of his life and make his own decisions, but struggles to deal with the consequences of his choices.

Mom and dad, I'm sorry
He acknowledges his shortcomings and apologizes to his parents for not being the child they wanted him to be.

Mom and dad, don't worry
He assures his parents that their disapproval would not deter him from finding happiness on his own terms.

I'm not the son you wanted but what could you expect?
He feels like a disappointment to his parents realizing that he has not lived up to their expectations.

I've made my world of happiness to combat your neglect
He has created his own world of joy to combat the isolation he feels as his parents fail to connect with him emotionally.

Yeah-yeah, what you say, yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah
The repeated chorus is a mantra of sorts, repeating that whatever he does in the future, he will do things on his own terms and will accept the consequences of his choices.

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