What Goes On (Beatles song)
John Lennon wrote the song in early 1959, likely at 251 Menlove Avenue. The early version of the song is heavily inspired by Buddy Holly and differed substantially from the Rubber Soul version with only the chorus being the same. The Beatles nearly recorded the song in March 1963 but ultimately did not do so until November 1965 for Rubber Soul. According to Lennon, it was resurrected with a middle eight thrown in, probably with Paul McCartney's help. Barry Miles also claimed that McCartney and Starr combined for the middle eight. There is no formal middle eight in the song although one chorus and one verse are extended. Musicologist and writer Ian MacDonald believes those longer sections were written by McCartney.
The Rubber Soul version was recorded in one take with overdubs during a late-night session on the 4th of November 1965. George Martin produced the track supported by engineers Norman Smith Ken Scott and Graham Platt. Neil Aspinall recalls that McCartney made a multitrack home demo of the song in 1965. When Paul wanted to show Ringo how What Goes On sounded he made up a multi-track tape. Onto this went Paul singing Paul playing lead guitar Paul playing bass and Paul playing drums. Then Ringo listened to the finished tape and added his own ideas before the recording session. Everett writes that Lennon's guitar part is in the style of Steve Cropper and his Memphis chick rhythm part. He adds that George Harrison includes rockabilly string crossings double-stops and portamento neighbors.
Starr contributed to the lyrics his first-ever composing credit on a Beatles song. When asked about his contribution Starr jokingly responded I wrote about five words to What Goes On and I haven't done a thing since. MacDonald and musicologist Walter Everett write that Starr's contribution was the lyric Waiting for the tides of time. MacDonald calls these lines pseudo-Dylanesque. The first pressing of the single accidentally omitted Starkey in the songwriting credit. It remains the only song by the band credited to Lennon, McCartney, Starkey and the only song on Rubber Soul that features Ringo Starr on lead vocals.
The Beatles released What Goes On in both mono and stereo in the U.K. on the 3rd of December 1965 release Rubber Soul. Capitol released the song as the B-side to the U.S. only single Nowhere Man on the 21st of February 1966. Despite being the B-side the song entered the Billboard Hot 100 for two weeks reaching #81. Capitol pulled the track from the North American release of Rubber Soul and instead included it on the North American-only album Yesterday and Today released the 20th of June 1966. The song reached number 81 on the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1966.
Critics have generally been unfavourable towards the song when comparing it with the others on Rubber Soul. Beatles writer Kenneth Womack asserts that the song is quite arguably the weakest and most incongruous track on the album. Professor of English and writer James M. Decker writes the song represents a retrograde achievement lyrically then adds Lyrically formulaic and musically plain though perhaps the country feel is offered as an arch parody of the lyrics. MacDonald writes the song has the same sloppy country-and-western ambience as Act Naturally. For AllMusic Richie Unterberger writes the song is an enjoyable if lightweight country & western-flavoured entry in the Beatles catalogue.
Sufjan Stevens recorded a cover of the song in 2005 for the compilation album This Bird Has Flown , A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul. In a review for Pitchfork Rob Mitchum writes that Stevens takes Starr's abysmal country tune and turns it into a really good Sufjan Stevens song arranged for the full Illinoisemaker band with choral interludes diving strings and a surprisingly gritty jam. Barry Walters of Rolling Stone magazine writes Changing chords rewriting melody overhauling rhythms and resequencing large chunks of lyrics the ever-ambitious Sufjan Stevens turns What Goes On inside out with an intricate stop-and-start arrangement that affirms Rubber Soul's elastic strength. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic was less favourable describing Stevens track as the only severe misstep in an album filled with good generally pleasant covers.
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Common questions
Who wrote the lyrics for What Goes On by the Beatles?
John Lennon wrote the song in early 1959, and Ringo Starr contributed five words to the lyrics. The official credit lists John Lennon, Paul McCartney, and Richard Starkey as the writers.
When was the Rubber Soul version of What Goes On recorded?
The Rubber Soul version was recorded during a late-night session on the 4th of November 1965. It was captured in one take with overdubs added later that same night.
What is the release date of the U.S. single featuring What Goes On?
Capitol released the song as the B-side to the U.S. only single Nowhere Man on the 21st of February 1966. This release allowed the track to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Why do critics consider What Goes On weak compared to other Rubber Soul tracks?
Critics describe the song as lyrically formulaic and musically plain with a sloppy country-and-western ambience. Kenneth Womack calls it arguably the weakest and most incongruous track on the album.
How did Sufjan Stevens change the original Beatles recording of What Goes On?
Sufjan Stevens recorded a cover in 2005 for the compilation album This Bird Has Flown, A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul. He rearranged chords, rewrote melodies, overhauled rhythms, and resequenced large chunks of lyrics.