What You Gonna Do
Lisa Lyrics


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Take a look around

You got to hear the voices

Deep in your heart

You got to make the choices
What ya gonna do

When they calling you

What ya gonna say

When they answer you

What ya gonna do

When your world comes down

Where ya gonna go

When the war's inside

What ya gonna do

When there's no way in

What ya gonna do

When there's no way out

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Making you a fighter

To fight this out

Making you a winner

To win this time

Take a look around

You got to hear the voices

Deep in your heart

You got to make the choices

What ya gonna do

When they calling you

What ya gonna say

When they answer you

What ya gonna do

When your world comes down

Where ya gonna go

When the war's inside

What ya gonna do

When there's no way in

What ya gonna do

When there's no way out

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Making you a fighter

To fight this out

Making you a winner

To win this time


Take a look around

You got to hear the voices

Deep in your heart

You got to make the choices

What ya gonna do

When they calling you

What ya gonna say

When they answer you

What ya gonna do

When your world comes down

Where ya gonna go

When the war's inside

What ya gonna do

When there's no way in

What ya gonna do

When there's no way out

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Making you a fighter

To fight this out

Making you a winner

To win this time


Take a look around

You got to hear the voices

Deep in your heart

You got to make the choices

What ya gonna do

When they calling you

What ya gonna say

When they answer you

What ya gonna do

When your world comes down

Where ya gonna go

When the war's inside

What ya gonna do

When there's no way in

What ya gonna do

When there's no way out

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Nothing you can do

But scream and shout

Making you a fighter

To fight this out

Making you a winner





To win this time

Overall Meaning

The song "Ain't What You Do" by Lisa Stansfield is a jazz-pop track with upbeat and cheerful melody that encourages listeners to focus more on the process and attitude of a task than the outcome itself. The lyrics revolve around the idea that hard work alone is not enough to achieve significant results. It's also about how you do it and the approach you take towards it.


The opening lines of the song "When I was a kid about half past three, my ma said daughter come here to me" is reminiscent of a motherly advice to a child. The mother instructs the child that while things may come and go, what's important is the way one approaches a task. The repetitive chorus, "Ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it, that's what gets results," reinforces the importance of the process over the product. The lyrics suggest that a relaxed and easy-going approach often works better than trying too hard. The song is an encouragement for listeners to appreciate and enjoy the journey and not just the destination.


Line by Line Meaning

When I was a kid, about half past three
When I was young, at around 3:30 pm


My ma said daughter, come here to me
My mother called me over


Says, things may come and things may go
She told me that things can be fleeting


But this is one thing you ought to know
But this is something important you should remember


Ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it (x3)
It's not the action itself, but how you perform it


That's what gets results
That's what leads to success


Ain't what you do, it's time that you do it (x3)
It's not just the action or how you perform it, but also the timing


You can try hard, don't mean a thing
You can exert a lot of effort, but it doesn't necessarily lead to success


Take it easy, easy, in the jive 'n swing
Stay relaxed and effortless in your movements, like in jive and swing dancing


Ain't what you do, it's the place that you do it
The location matters, not just the action


Ain't what you do, it's the time that you do it
The timing matters, not just the action


Ain't what you do, it's the way that you do it
Again, it's not just the action, but also how you perform it


That's what gets results
It's the way you do things that leads to success


You've learned your ABCs, you've learned your DFGs
You've learned the basics


But this is something you don't learn in school
But this is something that can't be taught in a classroom


So get your hip boots on, and then you carry on
So get ready and keep going


But remember not to try too hard or it don't mean a thing
But don't overexert yourself, as it won't necessarily lead to success


Ain't what you do, it's the time you do it
Again, it's not just the action itself, but also the timing


Ain't what you sing it's the way that you sing it
It's not just the song itself, but also how it's performed


That's what gets results
It's the way you perform things that leads to success




Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: LISA TOWNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@hasanainbasim4512

What'll I do without you around
When my words won't pun, my pennies won't pound
Oh and my frisbee flies to the ground
What'll I do without you
What'll I say without you to talk to
No one to serve or volley the ball to
You write the words but I miss the volume
What'll I say without you
Oh, I don't know what to do with myself
Now that I'm here and, and you're gone
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
What'll I do when you've gone away
And ball won't pin, my records won't play
And all of my hours limp into days
What'll I do without you
What'll I do now that you're gone
My boat won't row, my bus doesn't come
And I have the fingers, you've got the thumb
What'll I do without you
Oh, I don't know what to do with myself
Now that I'm here and, and you're gone
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh
What'll I do without you around
When my words won't pun, my pennies won't pound
And oh and my Frisbee flies to the ground
What'll I do without you
Without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh, without you
Ooh-ooh-a-a-ah-ah-eh-eh-ooh-ooh-eh-eh



All comments from YouTube:

@mariangelaragusa9659

Happiest sad song ever.

@jakemartin6854

Nice comment. I agree.

@rakesh11911

Exactly :)

@santacruzer1000

All of her songs are like that! She's an absolutely fantastic song writer, and seems like a splendid person, too. I would love to meet her one day.

@sahidcm

Hehe I thought the lyrics meant sarcasm. I love this song.

@JGlassy

Well expressed! Sigh.

6 More Replies...

@QtNerd

I literally smiled through the whole video.

@MairaMelo26

+Lise Magnusson Me too! - Her face is linka "instahappy" for me!

@broghywert

+Lise Magnusson Gustav Magnusson is ur brother ?

@QtNerd

broghywert No :)

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