What Goes On
The Beatles Lyrics


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What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearing me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?

The other day I saw you
As I walked along the road
But when I saw him with you
I could feel my future fold
It's so easy for a girl like you to lie
Tell me why

What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearing me apart
When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind

I met you in the morning
Waiting for the tides of time
But now the tide is turning
I can see that I was blind
It's so easy for a girl like you to lie
Tell me why

What goes on in your heart?

I used to think of no on else
But you were just the same
You didn't even think of me
As someone with a name
Did you mean to break my heart and watch me die
Tell me why

What goes on in your heart?
What goes on in your mind?
You are tearing me apart




When you treat me so unkind
What goes on in your mind?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The Beatles' song "What Goes On" are about a guy who is confused and hurt by a girl's behavior towards him. He's torn up inside, wondering what's going on in her mind and heart as she treats him so unkindly. He's been blindsided by her lies and feels betrayed by her actions, which have caused him a lot of pain and heartache. The song is an emotional cry to figure out why someone he loves can be so cruel and indifferent to him.


The lyrics are simple yet powerful, beautifully capturing the feelings of someone who feels helpless and lost in love. The melody is catchy and upbeat, but the tone of the song is more melancholic, creating a sense of sadness and yearning. Paul McCartney and John Lennon shared the writing credit for the song, with input from Ringo Starr. It was featured on their seventh studio album, "Rubber Soul" released in December 1965.


Line by Line Meaning

What goes on in your heart?
The first question asked by the singer where he wonders about the true emotions dwelling in the heart of his lover


What goes on in your mind?
The second question asked by the singer where he inquires about the thoughts occupying the mind of his lover


You are tearing me apart
The singer feels like his lover's actions are breaking him into pieces


When you treat me so unkind
The artist feels like he is not being treated properly by his lover and is being hurt by her actions


The other day I saw you
The artist describes seeing his lover the other day while he was on a walk


As I walked along the road
The singer was walking along the road when he saw his lover


But when I saw him with you
The singer noticed his lover with another guy, causing him to feel upset and disappointed


I could feel my future fold
After seeing his lover with someone else, the artist's hopes for his future with her started to diminish


It's so easy for a girl like you to lie
The artist's distrust for his lover is highlighted in these words, insinuating that it's easy for her to deceive him


Tell me why
The artist wants his lover to explain why she behaves the way she does towards him


I met you in the morning
The singer met his lover in the morning, earlier in their relationship


Waiting for the tides of time
The artist was eagerly waiting for the future, and anticipating the changes in their relationship that time might bring


But now the tide is turning
The singer realizes that the direction of their relationship is changing for the worse


I can see that I was blind
The singer admits that he misjudged his lover and his perception of their relationship was clouded before


I used to think of no on else
The singer was solely focused on his lover and didn't divert his attention elsewhere


But you were just the same
The artist discovers that his lover was not investing in their relationship the same way he was, causing hurt and disappointment


You didn't even think of me
The artist feels like he doesn't matter to his lover, and his thoughts and feelings are not given importance


As someone with a name
The singer feels like he is not being acknowledged as a person, but just as a nameless entity


Did you mean to break my heart and watch me die
The singer accuses his lover of intentionally breaking his heart and watching him suffer




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Richard Starkey

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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