The Going Ups And The Coming Downs
Gladys Knight & The Pips Lyrics


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One day you say you love me
The next day it's goodbye
The next you say you're sorry
And you wanna give it one more try

Ooh, the way you change your mind
Time and time again
Well, I don't know if I'm behind
Or just about to end, hey

Certain lies, smiles and frowns
The goin' ups and the comin' downs

Ooh, hoo
Ooh, hoo

One minute you're warm and lovin'
The next your heart's grown cold
The way you keep me guessin'
Is killin' my soul

Ooh, just when my hopes run high
And I think I've got it made
Hey...hey...along comes a rainy day
To rain on my parade, hey, hey, hey

Certain lies, smiles and frowns
The goin' ups and the comin' downs

Oh...ho...
I don't know just what it is about you
That keeps me from walkin' out the door
Mmm...mmm...hmm...
Just when I think that I can get along without you
You just say something nice
And I come struttin' back for more

One day our world's a dream
Next it falls apart, mmm, hmm
And I don't even think you know
What you're doin' to my heart

Mmm, I guess I'll never learn
Some people never do
But when I feel like givin' up
I just can't give up on you, hey, hey, hey

Certain lies, smiles and frowns, huh
The goin' ups and the comin' downs, hey, hey, hey
Certain lies, smiles and frowns
The goin' ups and the comin' downs

Certain lies, smiles and frowns
The goin' ups and the comin' downs, hey, hey, hey, hey




Certain lies, smiles and frowns
The goin' ups

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Gladys Knight & The Pips's song, "The Going Ups And The Coming Downs," speak of a tumultuous relationship where the singer is constantly experiencing highs and lows with their significant other. The first verse describes how their partner constantly changes their mind - saying they love them one minute, then leaving the next, and then apologizing and wanting to try again. The chorus describes this pattern of "certain lies, smiles and frowns, the goin' ups and the comin' downs," which the singer is struggling to keep up with.


The second verse continues with this theme of unpredictability, where the partner goes from being warm and loving to cold and distant. The singer is constantly left guessing and feeling like their hopes are dashed when it seems like they are getting along well. Yet, despite the difficulties, the singer cannot bring themselves to leave the relationship entirely, admitting that they don't even know what it is about their partner that keeps them coming back. Ultimately, the singer resigns themselves to the fact that they may never fully understand their partner's behavior, but they also cannot give up on them.


Overall, "The Going Ups And The Coming Downs" captures the emotional rollercoaster of a relationship that is kept afloat by both the good times and bad.


Line by Line Meaning

One day you say you love me
You express your love for me on one day


The next day it's goodbye
You end our relationship the very next day


The next you say you're sorry
You apologize on another day


And you wanna give it one more try
You want to try again with me


Ooh, the way you change your mind
You change your mind often and easily


Time and time again
Repeatedly over time


Hey hey, I don't know if I'm behind
I don't know if I'm ahead or behind


Or just about to end, hey hey
Or if it's about to end


Certain lies, smiles and frowns
There are certain lies, smiles, and frowns


The goin' ups and the comin' downs
There are the highs and lows of our relationship


(Goin' ups, goin' ups, goin' ups, comin' down)
(The highs and lows)


One minute you're warm and lovin'
You are loving and affectionate in one moment


The next your heart's grown cold
Your love and warmth quickly disappear


The way you keep me guessin'
You always keep me guessing


Is killin' my soul
It's slowly breaking me down


Ooh, just when my hopes run high
Just when I have hope


And I think I've got it made
And think our relationship is stable


Hey hey hey, along comes a rainy day
A tough time suddenly appears


To rain on my parade, hey hey hey
To ruin everything


I don't know just what it is about you
I don't know what makes me stay with you


That keeps me from walkin' out the door
That makes me not want to leave


Just when I think that I can get along without you
Just when I think I don't need you


You just say something nice and I come struttin' back for more
You say something sweet and I come running back to you


One day our world's a dream
Our world is perfect and wonderful in one moment


And next it falls apart
In the next moment, everything falls apart


I don't even think you know
I don't even think you're aware


What you're doin' to my heart
How much you're hurting me


I guess I'll never learn
I'll never learn my lesson


Some people never do
Some people never change


But when I feel like givin' up
When I feel like giving up on us


I just can't give up on you, hey hey hey
I can't bring myself to give up on our relationship


(I don't know)
(I don't know)


Certain lies, smiles and frowns
There are certain lies, smiles, and frowns


The goin' ups and the comin' downs, hey hey hey
There are the highs and lows of our relationship


(Goin' ups, goin' ups, goin' ups, comin' down)
(The highs and lows)


Certain lies, smiles and frowns
There are certain lies, smiles, and frowns


The goin' ups and the comin' downs
There are the highs and lows of our relationship


(Goin' ups, goin' ups)
(The highs)




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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