Rheostatics are a Canadian indie rock band. Although they had only one To… Read Full Bio ↴Rheostatics are a Canadian indie rock band. Although they had only one Top 40 hit (Claire in 1995), they were simultaneously one of Canada's most influential and most unconventional rock bands in the 1990s, a band whose defiantly quirky, yet compelling, take on pop and rock music has been described both as iconic and iconoclastic.

They played their farewell concert to a sold-out house at Toronto's Massey Hall on March 30, 2007. Sound board recordings of that and many other shows are available (with permission) at http://rheostaticslive.com. After a string of occasional shows, they released their comeback album, Here Come the Wolves, in 2019.

What's Going On?
Rheostatics Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

What's going on around here?
What's going on around here?
When things got strange, when things get rough,
I get tough. What's going on?

80 tons/20 pounds:
Makes no difference when you're down.
If you're too free, just call on me.

I'll chain you down.
What's going on?

I won't tell you about the mountains,
Because there's nothing that gets through you.
I won't tell you about these feelings,
Because there's nothing that doesn't offend you.
There's nothing that doesn't offend you.

Another murder, has come to town.
It was that wasted, infested clown.
His baggy suit, his turned up frown.
Another clown. What's going on?

I won't tell you about the mountains,
Because there's nothing that gets through you.
I won't tell you about these problems,

Because there's nothing that doesn't offend you.
There's nothing that doesn't offend you.

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rheostatics's song What's Going On? is a commentary on societal issues and the painful reality of human nature. The repeated phrase 'What's going on?' emphasizes the confusion and frustration that the singer feels towards the state of the world. The line 'When things got strange, when things get rough, I get tough' suggests that the singer tries to toughen up and face the problems head-on rather than be passive. The line '80 tons/20 pounds: Makes no difference when you're down' implies that circumstances can weigh heavily on someone regardless of the magnitude of the problem.

In the next stanza, the singer offers to help someone who can't handle too much freedom by 'chaining them down,' suggesting that too much freedom can lead to chaos and instability. The following lines 'I won't tell you about the mountains Because there's nothing that gets through you...' suggest that some people are close-minded and unwilling to listen or understand different perspectives. The final stanza is about a murder and the culprit being a clown, symbolizing the tragic and absurd nature of violence in society.

Line by Line Meaning

What's going on around here?
I am confused about what is happening in this place.

What's going on around here?
I am again expressing my confusion about the situation around me.

When things got strange, when things get rough, I get tough. What's going on?
When the situation becomes difficult, I become strong. However, I still do not understand what is happening.

80 tons/20 pounds: Makes no difference when you're down.
No matter how big or small your problems are, they can feel overwhelming when you are feeling bad.

If you're too free, just call on me. I'll chain you down.
If you feel uncertain, I can offer some stability to anchor or ground yourself.

What's going on?
Again, I express my confusion about the situation.

I won't tell you about the mountains, Because there's nothing that gets through you.
I know that I cannot get through to you and that you will not understand the things I try to explain to you.

I won't tell you about these feelings, Because there's nothing that doesn't offend you. There's nothing that doesn't offend you.
I also will not talk to you about my emotional state, as you are easily offended no matter what I say.

Another murder, has come to town. It was that wasted, infested clown. His baggy suit, his turned up frown. Another clown. What's going on?
Another violent incident has occurred in our town and it was committed by a drug-addicted and disease-ridden clown. This situation only adds to my confusion.

I won't tell you about the mountains, Because there's nothing that gets through you. I won't tell you about these problems, Because there's nothing that doesn't offend you. There's nothing that doesn't offend you.
Again, I reiterate that I am unwilling to discuss my personal struggles and issues with someone who is so easily offended.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DAVE CLARK, DAVE AUGUST BIDINI, MARTIN RADAMEZ TIELLI, TIMOTHY WARREN VESELY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS