What's Going On
Perfect Circle Lyrics


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

Father, father
We don't need to escalate
War is not the answer
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
What's going on
What's going on
What's going on
What's going on

Father, father
Everybody thinks we're wrong
But who are they to judge us
Simply 'cause our hair is long
You know we've got to find a way
To bring understanding here today

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




What's going on
What's going on

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Perfect Circle's song 'What's Going On' touch upon themes of social justice, peace, and love. The opening lines of the song address the issue of crying mothers and dying brothers, suggesting an atmosphere of grief and loss. The following lines urge people to find a way to bring love to the world and solve societal problems.


The song then addresses the father, who is a symbol of authority. It warns against the escalation of war and stresses that only love can conquer hate. The lyrics emphasize that bringing love is the only way to promote peace and prosperity today.


The part about 'picket lines and picket signs' suggests the power of communication in solving problems. The lyrics argue that communication can help build bridges between opposing sides and solve problems without resorting to violence or brutality.


The song challenges the prevailing social norms and questions the judgment of those who consider people with long hair as wrong. Finally, it calls for understanding and urges people to bridge societal gaps and achieve understanding by communicating.


Overall, Perfect Circle's song 'What's Going On' is a powerful reminder to individuals and societies to come together and find peaceful solutions to problems.


Line by Line Meaning

Mother, mother
Addressing mothers as a metaphor for society as a whole.


There's too many of you crying
There are too many people suffering and in need of support.


Brother, brother
Addressing brothers as a metaphor for individuals suffering within society.


Far too many of you dying
There are too many people dying due to conflicts and societal issues.


You know we've got to find a way
We need to find a solution to overcome these issues.


To bring some lovin' here today, yeah
The solution lies in spreading love and compassion among fellow humans.


Father, father
Addressing fathers as authority figures of society.


We don't need to escalate
We don't need to worsen the situation.


War is not the answer
Wars and conflicts do not offer a solution to societal problems.


Only love can conquer hate
Love and compassion are the only ways to overcome hate and conflict.


Picket lines and picket signs
Protests are a common form of expression and call to action.


Don't punish me with brutality
Protests should not be met with violence and aggression.


Talk to me, so you can see
Communication and dialogue are important in seeing each other's perspectives.


What's going on
What is happening in our society?


Everybody thinks we're wrong
There is disagreement and misunderstanding among different groups of people.


But who are they to judge us
No one has the right to judge others without understanding their perspective.


Simply 'cause our hair is long
People are often judged and discriminated against based on superficial characteristics.


To bring understanding here today
We need to work towards understanding one another to overcome societal issues.




Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, DistroKid, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Royalty Network, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Capitol CMG Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alfred W Cleveland, Marvin P Gaye, Renaldo Benson

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

Michael Logan

WHAT'S GOING ON




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

Father, Father
We don't need to escalate
War is not the answer
Only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some love in here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me,
So you can see
What's going on
What's going on
What's going on
What's going on
🎶🎵 🎶🎵 🎶🎵
🎶🎵 🎶 🎶🎵 🎶🎵

Father, father
Everybody thinks we're wrong
But who are they to judge us
Simply 'cause our hair is gone
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today

Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me,
So you can see
What's going on
What's going on
What's going on
What's going on.



All comments from YouTube:

Jorge Alberto Alvarado

this cover is 16 years old and still kicks in like the first day

ALPHA

Oh okay👀

Al Fraser

This song brings such a peaceful vibe, it's great

tina

this song still holds my heart after years

TCB *

Same.

Trina holliday

this song should be played on every radio station ,tv station around the world,, till people finally get it!!!

Devin Gardipe

Adam Lendas It's too*.

Ryan Urquhart

one of my favorite covers songs by a pfc.

TCB *

Yes

Coyote Lightning

no

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