Learning English with Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
What's going on?
You may hear people ask "What's going on?" as a way of saying "hello." But this question also means, "What is happening? What is important at this time?"
"What's Going On" is also the name, or title, of a 1971 song performed by American singer Marvin Gaye. The music magazine Rolling Stone placed "What's Going On" in the #1 position in a 2012 list of best American recordings of all time.
You can listen to a recent video of this song (click the picture below), read the words, or lyrics, and learn more by scrolling down this page.
Learning through songs is a great way to learn English! This song contains some interesting things for all English learners.
The United States fought in a war in the country of Vietnam from 1955 to 1975. In 1971, at a demonstration for peace in Berkeley California, the police attacked the people. [a demonstration = an event where people speak about their opinions]. The writer of the song was upset by the violent actions of the police, and wanted to write about the confusion and pain of the times
Lyrics and notes: Here are the words to the song (the lyrics) with some explanations.
Mother, mother, there's too many of you crying
(there are too many mothers who are crying)
Brother, brother, brother, there's far too many of you dying
(too many=excess, more than necessary)
You know we've got to find a way
(we have got to = we must, we need to)
to bring some lovin' here today.
(lovin' = loving, the feeling of love)
Father, father, we don't need to escalate
(to escalate = to do more, to increase; in war, to escalate is to increase the fighting)
You see, war is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate
(to conquer = to overcome, to stop, to defeat)
You know we've got to find a way to bring some lovin' here today, oh oh oh
Picket lines and picket signs
(a picket line = a group of people walking in a line to express a political idea; a picket sign = a sign that people carry to express a political idea)
Don't punish me with brutality (to punish = to hurt, to give pain; brutality = cruelty, violence, aggression)
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on...
Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
(To judge someone = to decide that someone is good or bad)
Simply 'cause our hair is long
('cause = because; in the 1960s and 1970s, many people
felt that men with long hair were rebellious or "hippies")
Oh, you know we've got to find a way to bring some understanding here today
(understanding=awareness of other people's feelings; tolerance, forgiveness)
Oh oh oh
Picket lines and picket signs, don't punish me with brutality
C'mon talk to me
(c'mon = come on: an expression to encourage someone or invite someone)
So you can see what's going on, yeah, what's going on, tell me what's going on, I'll tell you what's going on, ooh ooh ooh ooh
Right on baby
("right on" = an expression meaning, "yes, I agree.")