In 1988, Downing finally made his solo debut, releasing the self-titled Will Downing. The album featured a new version of John Coltrane's "A Love Supreme." The track did not fair well on the R&B charts but it managed to reach #4 on the Dance charts. In the United Kingdom, "A Love Supreme" managed to reach #14 on the singles charts.
Downing has released many albums throughout his career, always on the brink of stardom but never quite making it. In 1989 he released Come Together As One and in '91, Dream Fulfilled. The latter featured the single "I Try" which reached #13 on the R&B charts, Downing's best performance to date.
1993 saw Downing's fourth album release with Love's the Place to Be. In 1995, he released Moods and in 1997, Invitation Only. Continuing his steady stream of releases, 1998 saw Pleasures of the Night, 2000 offered All the Man You Need and in 2002, Sensual Journey.
With so many albums under his belt, Downing never slows down, releasing Emotions in 2003, Christmas, Love and You in 2004 and Soul Symphony in 2005.
While Will Downing has never been a massive celebrity in the United States, he has seen reasonable success in the United Kingdom.
Something's Going On
Will Downing Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Make believing it's just another day
My heart keeps telling me that come what may
There's something going on
Look and smile in the usual way
As impling that everything's okay
I'll be a fool, let my heart be lead astray
[Chorus]
Keeping our cool, treading light
Soft and light but something just ain't right
Go up early take some time to unwind
Just for a little while we'll pay the world no mind
It will deceive you to let folk lead your blind
There's something going on
Still pretending we'll have ourselves a ball
Ignore the writing that is on the wall
Cods on the table I wish I knew it all
There's something going on
[Chorus]
Look and smile in the usual way
As impling that everything's okay
I'll be a fool, let my heart be lead astray
There's something going on
[Chorus]
The lyrics of Will Downing's song "Something's Going On" speak to the feeling of unease that can come from sensing that things are not quite right, even if on the surface they appear to be. The opening lines suggest a superficial conversation, the kind we might have to fill up empty space, but which ultimately fails to address more serious concerns. The singer's heart, though, insists that there is "something going on," and this theme is repeated throughout the song.
The verses that follow sketch out a picture of denial, of people trying to put on a brave face despite their misgivings. They "look and smile in the usual way," and pretend that "everything's okay." But the singer knows that this is not true - to follow this path is to risk being led astray. The chorus emphasizes the tension between the desire to keep calm and the sense that there is a problem brewing: "Keeping our cool, treading light / Soft and light but something just ain't right."
The final verse suggests a moment of respite, a break from the pressures of the world. But even here, the singer warns against complacency. To "let folk lead your blind" is to continue ignoring the signs that there is "something going on." And so the chorus returns, a reminder that the uneasy feeling persists.
Overall, the song seems to speak to a sense of pervasive anxiety or tension, where the signs of trouble are present but not easily articulable. It captures the feeling of being caught between trying to keep a positive attitude and heeding the warnings that there may be cause for concern.
Line by Line Meaning
Making small talk 'til there's nothing left to say
We are engaging in conversation but we have exhausted our topics, so we resort to meaningless words.
Make believing it's just another day
We are trying to convince ourselves that everything is normal and ordinary even if it's not.
My heart keeps telling me that come what may
I have an inner feeling that no matter what happens, something is not right.
There's something going on
I sense that there is an unknown or hidden situation that needs to be uncovered and addressed.
Look and smile in the usual way
We put on a façade of friendliness and happiness despite feeling the opposite.
As impling that everything's okay
We are hinting that nothing is wrong and that everything is normal.
I'll be a fool, let my heart be lead astray
I refuse to ignore my instincts and let others deceive me, but I am uncertain and vulnerable to deceit.
Keeping our cool, treading light
We are trying to remain calm and composed, taking careful steps and not drawing too much attention.
Soft and light but something just ain't right
Our approach may seem gentle and subtle, but we recognize that there is an unsettling issue that needs to be resolved.
Go up early take some time to unwind
Let's wake up early and relax for a while without worrying about the world's troubles.
Just for a little while we'll pay the world no mind
We will ignore the concerns of the world and focus on our own well-being and enjoyment.
It will deceive you to let folk lead your blind
Following others blindly can be deceiving and harmful; we must be cautious and not let others lead us astray.
Still pretending we'll have ourselves a ball
We are still acting like we are having fun and enjoying ourselves, despite knowing that something is not right.
Ignore the writing that is on the wall
We are avoiding the obvious warning signs or signals that danger is coming.
Cods on the table I wish I knew it all
I wish I had all the facts and knowledge about the situation so that I could make an informed decision.
There's something going on
There is still an unknown or mysterious situation that we need to investigate and resolve.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TONY BOWRY, DIANE CHARLEMANGE, JOHN DENNISON, LENNY WHITE *
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Torrence Monroe
One of my favorites by Will. 👍
Terrence Willis
great soulful voice
Derek 8128
this track sounds as good as it did when it first his the AirWays, it's 2021 i still listen to smooth music 🎵
Michael Miller
I love this one and what the lyricks are saying, cause people will play games on you and act like nothing is happining. Great body of work with the Late great Art Porter on sax.
Philipe Kransendal
Thanks 2 the person that had this perticular song put up n here, after 26'ish years i could still sing to every word, simply thanks 4 the trip down memorylane
Fencemaster
Lovely Will and OMAR HAKIM! (on da drums obviously) wonderful.
Philipe Kransendal
My first bought/LP