Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American two-time Acad… Read Full Bio ↴Thomas Jeffrey "Tom" Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American two-time Academy Award-winning film actor, Emmy-winning director, voice-over artist, writer, and movie producer. Hanks worked in television and family-friendly comedies before achieving notable success as a dramatic actor in Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. He is also one of only two actors in the history of film to have seven consecutive US$100 million blockbusters, the other being Tom Cruise.

What's Going On?
Tom Hanks Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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

In this song “What’s Going On?” by Tom Hanks, the lyrics are addressing the multiple social issues and struggles that were occurring in the 1970s, such as war and social injustice. Hanks uses the metaphor of a family to address the issues that the United States was facing during that time. The repeated use of “mother, mother” and “brother, brother, brother” exemplifies the pain and the sorrow that the country was going through at that time. Additionally, Hanks highlights the need for love and compassion to overcome the hate and injustices that were occurring. Although society was divided during the 70s, Hanks sought to bring awareness to the need for peace and harmony among all.

Another major theme in the song is the idea of communication. Hanks advocates for dialogue and conversation, rather than violence and aggression. He urges people to talk to each other, so that they can see and understand what is happening, and to find common ground to work towards a better future. The lyric “don't punish me with brutality, talk to me so you can see” highlights this theme, inviting people to open communication and seek understanding, rather than perpetuating the cycle of violence.

Line by Line Meaning

Mother, mother There's too many of you crying
Addressing mothers and recognizing their grief, Hanks points out how there are too many sad and crying mothers in the world.

Brother, brother, brother There's far too many of you dying
Hanks speaks to the loss of life experienced by brothers, recognizing that too many of them are dying unnecessarily.

You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today, yea
Acknowledging the gravity of the situation, Hanks calls for the need for love and compassion to be brought to the present moment.

Father, father We don't need to escalate
In conversation with fathers, Hanks emphasizes that the best course of action is not to take things to a higher level or escalate things.

You see, war is not the answer For only love can conquer hate
The answer to conflict and strife is not war, but rather, love and empathy.

Picket lines and picket signs Don't punish me with brutality
Hanks speaks to the violent repression of those taking part in peaceful protests, calling out against the violence used to handle protesters.

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
Hanks calls for open communication and dialogue between parties in order to properly assess and analyze the current climate of the political and social sphere.

In the mean time Right on, baby Right on Right on
Hanks calls for everyone to continue with their good work, giving kudos for the effort being put forth.

Father, father, everybody thinks we're wrong Oh, but who are they to judge us Simply because our hair is long
Hanks recognizes that those who are different or who look different are often judged and labeled as 'wrong' simply because of their differences, highlighting the absurdity of such misconceptions.

Oh, you know we've got to find a way To bring some understanding here today Oh
There is a need for greater understanding and acceptance, a realization that we must all work towards creating a shared understanding of the issues that face us.

Tell me what's going on I'll tell you what's going on - Uh Right on baby Right on baby
Hanks calls for honest and open dialogue between parties, encouraging people to freely share their perspectives and work towards a solution.

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

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS