What's Going On?
All Star Tribute Lyrics

What's goin' on? / Tell me
Asking the question of what is happening in the world and seeking an answer from others.

People dyin' / Yeah
Acknowledging that people are losing their lives in various circumstances.

People cryin' / Uh-huh
Acknowledging the emotional pain and sorrow that comes with the loss of life.

Lord, help us / Come on
Making an appeal to a higher power for assistance and guidance.

Mother, mother / There's too many of you crying
Highlighting the plight of mothers who are suffering and grieving over the loss of their children.

Oh, brother, brother, brother / There's far too many of you dying
Highlighting the loss of life, particularly of men, and the need to address it.

That's right
Agreeing with the sentiment expressed in the previous line.

You know we've got to find a way / To bring some lovin' here today
Expressing the need to find a solution to the problems faced and to bring love and compassion into the world.

Oh my father, father / We don't need to escalate
Calling on a higher power for guidance and asking for a peaceful resolution to conflicts.

You see war is not the answer
Asserting that violence and conflict do not lead to solutions and that other avenues must be explored.

For only love can conquer hate
Emphasizing the need to choose love over hate as the path to peace and understanding.

Barricades can't block our way
Asserting that obstacles will not hinder their progress and determination to find solutions.

Don't punish me with brutality
Requesting that others treat them with kindness and compassion instead of resorting to violent means.

Talk to me, so you can see / Oh, what's going on?
Asking for a conversation to gain understanding about the issues at hand.

What's going on? / Yeah, what's going on?
Repeating the question asked at the beginning, emphasizing the need for an answer and action.

What's going on in a world filled with pain?
Expressing the frustration and despair at the state of the world and the suffering it's causing.

Where's the love for which we pray?
Questioning the lack of compassion and empathy in society and the need for change.

What's going on when our children can't play, / Homeless can't eat?
Highlighting the struggles faced by vulnerable members of society and the need to address these issues.

There's gotta be a better way
Asserting that there must be a solution to the problems faced and encouraging action to find it.

What's going on when we politically blind, / Can't see the signs of endangered times?
Critiquing the political system and its failure to address pressing issues and foresee potential crises.

Oh, oh, tell me / What's goin' on in the world today?
Repeating the question, emphasizing the need for an answer and awareness about the issues.

I'd rather be dead than turn my head away
Expressing the determination to face the issues and fight for change, no matter the cost.

We got a first world vision / Too comfy to lift our hands in the air and cry for a switch
Critiquing the privileged perspective of those in developed countries and their lack of action to address global issues.

Father, father / Help us, come on / Everybody thinks we're wrong
Calling on a higher power for assistance and expressing the belief that they are facing opposition and criticism from others.

Oh, but who are they to judge us? / Together, we can all be strong
Challenging those who criticize and judge them and instead calling for unity and strength in the face of adversity.

United we stand, divided we fall
Emphasizing the importance of coming together and staying together to achieve their goals.

Baby, talk to me / So you can see, yeah / What's going on
Encouraging dialogue as a means to build understanding and awareness about the issues.

Somebody tell me what's going on
Repeating the question once more, calling for someone to provide answers and solutions.

What's going on 'cross the seas? / Every minute a child dies by this disease / In record numbers, indeed / Got mommas crying out, please, my baby, hold on / My child ain't done nothing wrong
Highlighting the devastating effects of disease and its impact on families, particularly children, and expressing the injustice of it all.

Still I want to holler / Ask them why they don't bother / Oh no, oh no / Make me turn to my father / And ask him why they all got a trapped soul
Expressing the frustration and indignation at the lack of action and compassion from those who have the power to change the situation.

I can feel what was bothering Marvin / Why his words forever remain / Dealing with these modern day problems / 'Cause of ignorance surrounding me and my constituents / Too many infected, too many lives diminishing / Nobody say Protestants, Jews, Blacks and Whites, Latinos and Asians / Pray together, less fight / We better unite / As genocide and chemical war / And the rich and the poor / Know that God delivers a cure
Drawing inspiration from the late Marvin Gaye's socially conscious music and highlighting the continued relevance of his message to modern problems. Acknowledging the lack of awareness and understanding among the people. Pointing out the issues such as racism, disease, war, and poverty, and highlighting the need to unite and address them together.

It's a shame our reality is devestating / People praying for a cure, dying while they're waiting / Ask the Lord for the comfort and the strength to face it / All the kids with dreams won't get the chance to chase it / Makes me sad / Think about the lives they would've had / Think about the orphan babies got no moms and dads / How can we sit back and not try to make it right? / We gotta come together / We gotta fight for life
Expressing the heartbreak and sadness at the reality of the situation and the need for divine intervention and strength to face it. Pointing out the lost potential of so many lives and the need to take action to address the issues.

We got human beings using humans for a bomb / But everybody wanna live / Don't nobody really wanna die / You feeling me, right? / I can't be watching people die / And watching people cry / Let me break it down for a minute / If there's enough room here for you and for me / There's plenty of room for some humanity
Condemning the use of violence and suicide attacks and emphasizing the desire for life over death. Calling for empathy and action to address the issues and highlighting the need for compassion and humanity in the world.

Somebody tell me what's going on...
Repeating the question one final time, emphasizing the need for an answer, and the urgency of the situation.