What's Going on
Michael Longo Lyrics

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Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today, yea

Father, father

We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on

In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh

Right on baby
Right on baby

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Michael Longo's "What's Going On" address the social and political issues that prevailed in the 1960s and 70s. The song opens with the lines "Mother, mother, there's too many of you crying. Brother, brother brother, there's far too many of you dying." which is an allusion to the Vietnam War and the casualties inflicted on American soldiers and their families. The lyrics are calling for peace, unity, and love in society, as there has been too much violence, pain, and suffering. The line "You know we've got to find a way to bring some lovin' here today," emphasizes the idea that love is the only way to conquer hate and that the world needs more compassion and empathy.

The song also speaks to the issue of racism and prejudices in America during that time period with the lyrics "Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong. Oh, but who are they to judge us, simply because our hair is long." This line is explicitly calling out the discrimination against people with long hair and different fashion choices, which were seen as "unacceptable" and "uncivilized" by some.

Furthermore, the line "Picket lines and picket signs, don't punish me with brutality. Talk to me, so you can see, oh, what's going on," sheds light on the idea of peaceful protests and appeals to the government to listen to the voices of the people. It suggests that people should not be punished or harmed for protesting, as it is their right to express their opinions and stand up for their beliefs.

Overall, the song "What's Going On" is a call for love, peace, unity, and understanding in a world that is plagued with violence, racism, and war.

Line by Line Meaning

Mother, mother There's too many of you crying
Addressing the mothers of the world, Longo observes that there are far too many of them crying in sorrow.

Brother, brother, brother There's far too many of you dying
Longo pleads with the brothers of the world to stop dying, as there are already far too many casualties.

You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today, yea
Longo is advocating for people to find a way to bring love and positivity to the world today.

Father, father We don't need to escalate
Longo is speaking to fathers across the globe and urging them to avoid escalating conflicts to prevent further damage.

You see, war is not the answer For only love can conquer hate
Longo believes that war can never be the solution because only love can conquer the feeling of hate.

Picket lines and picket signs Don't punish me with brutality
Longo argues that peaceful protests should not be met with brutality from the authorities.

Talk to me, so you can see Oh, what's going on
Longo wants people to talk to each other so they can learn about the issues that affect them.

In the mean time Right on, baby Right on Right on
Longo expresses encouragement to his listeners to continue being awesome in the meantime.

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong Oh, but who are they to judge us Simply because our hair is long
Longo defends those who are judged unfairly because of their physical appearance, and argues that opinions should not be formed based on someone's looks.

Oh, you know we've got to find a way To bring some understanding here today Oh
Longo emphasizes the importance of understanding, and urges people to work towards achieving understanding today.

Tell me what's going on I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Longo invites people to share their thoughts with him so that they can work together to figure out what's going on in the world.

Right on baby Right on baby
Longo concludes the song with an uplifting message, continuing to encourage his listeners to keep up their positive attitude.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ALFRED W CLEVELAND, MARVIN P GAYE, RENALDO BENSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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