‘What Goes On’ was one of John Lennon’s early songs, written before the group had a recording contract and never performed live.
That was an early Lennon written before The Beatles when we were The Quarrymen, or something like that. And resurrected with a middle eight thrown in, probably with Paul’s help, to give Ringo Starr a song and also to use the bits, because I never like to waste anything.
All We Are Saying, David Sheff
It wasn’t released until 1965’s Rubber Soul, where it was issued, uniquely, with a Lennon-McCartney-Starkey credit.
I used to wish that I could write songs like the others – and I’ve tried, but I just can’t. I can get the words all right, but whenever I think of a tune and sing it to the others they always say, ‘Yeah, it sounds like such-a-thing,’ and when they point it out I see what they mean. But I did get a part credit as a composer on one – it was called ‘What Goes On’.
The Beatles played ‘What Goes On’ to George Martin on 5 March 1963, although it remained unrecorded at that time. Two years later it was resurrected as Starr’s vocal spot on the group’s sixth album. A demo was also reportedly recorded by Paul McCartney, though has yet to appear either commercially or as a bootleg.
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.
The Beatles Book magazine, April 1966
When Rubber Soul was released in December 1965 it marked the first occurrence of a writing credit for the group’s drummer. When asked about his contribution during a 1966 press conference, Starr joked that he had written “About five words, and I haven’t done a thing since!”
Lennon later claimed that ‘What Goes On’ was “resurrected with a middle eight thrown in, probably with Paul’s help”. However, the song contains no middle eight; it seems more likely that McCartney developed the verses, possibly with some help from Starr.
In the US, ‘What Goes On’ was released on 21 February 1966 as the b-side of the ‘Nowhere Man’ single.
In the studio
‘What Goes On’ was first brought to Abbey Road on 5 March 1963. After recording ‘From Me To You’ and ‘Thank You Girl’, The Beatles wanted to record two further Lennon–McCartney compositions. In the end, only ‘One After 909’ was taped. This was eventually released on Anthology 1 in 1995, although a better-known attempt from 1969 was included on Let It Be.
The Beatles eventually recorded ‘What Goes On’ in a single take on 4 November 1965. The session began at 11pm: it was an unusually late start for the group, and necessitated by the looming deadline for the album.
Following the taping of the rhythm track, Ringo Starr recorded his lead vocals and Lennon and McCartney overdubbed their harmony backing.
I think it would have been better in a version sung by lennon and mccartney and released on with the beatles or so. Is there a recording of them playing the early version live?
I was always curious as to what the differences were between the ’63 & ’65 versions of this song. What did Ringo actually contribute to warrant a co-writer’s credit? Or did John & Paul throw him a bone because he was the only one without songwriter’s royalties coming in yet?
I believe I read somewhere that John and Paul had given George and Ringo a small percentage (I think it was five percent for each) of their share of the song publishing (which was 50 percent, with the other half going to Dick James who was simply lucky enough to be asked by Brian to be their publisher). This, if true, was a very generous gesture. The royalties from “Yesterday” alone turned out to be greater than the GDP of a lot of small countries.
Have you read the royalty agreements between Northern Songs, James and the boys? That was ultimately sold and became the ATV catalog. Quite a tangled contract but now worth billions under Sony.
Reply to my own earlier post… A 1963-era Dick James acetate has surfaced with a demo version of “What Goes On” on it, and the lyrics are completely different from the 1965 studio recording, so evidently Ringo helped out in the lyrics department, warranting him a co-writing credit.
Never knew Lennon mainly wrote this one. It never pegged me as a Lennon-esque song. I imagine it could have turned out much better if John sang it, or even Paul.
Anyone know why the mono mix omits the last guitar fill at the end of the song?
I noticed that, too.
I Googled it tonight, and I couldn’t find an answer. Obviously a different take. I wonder if the Recording Sessions book would have something about it.
I love McCartney’s bass on this song especially in the solo when it gets a little overdriven growl to it—almost Jazz bass sounding.
Yes, the mono version shows up the bass really nicely, you can hear some nice little runs and hear Paul thinking on the run, a stutter here and there, but damn good for a one take! One of the failings of the stereo remaster is that that nice edge on the bass sound is completely lost 🙁
My opinion: That’s usually the case on a lot of 60’s records, and often the drums edge gets lost in the mix as well. Often times reverb really screws up a good edgy sound too.
I have tried to listen to this song in all the different mixes that have come out.. Mono. stereo, Capital releases.. etc.. I can never hear John’s guitar at all.. it is buried so deep in the mix… I personally believe that the whole Rubber Soul album should be remixed.. I agree with ttimlin.. on this album the drums are lost.. if you listen to early Beatles recordings.. I think Ringo’s drums are much more prevalent …
Walter Everett confirms that John’s rhythm guitar on “What Goes On” had a Steve Cropper/Memphis-like sound, so he is definitely playing.
blue suede shoes…
I love the guitar work here. The choppy rhythm guitar sounds really cool.
I agree, George’s Rockabilly chops are in full bloom, I really dig hearing those old Gretsch pickups growl
No Reply lite. It has the feel of a cover song and is one of my least favorite Beatles’ originals because of it. I think it is a weak effort and I don’t think I would care for it any more if it were sung by John or Paul, but I could change my mind if I ever heard the 1963 attempt or the demo. Confounded album deadline. I wish there had been time for a better song to emerge. I usually skip over it.
Ringo drumming is amazing. He plays with an absolute perfect tempo…
“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.”
Interesting that even back in 65, Paul could go such “one man band” recordings where he played everything, albeit for a demo.
Years ago, I never cared for this song. I thought it was “ok”. Now I love this song. It’s very underrated. That choppy, staccato rhythm guitar part… the tone of the other guitar… the fact that the guitars are not playing a worked out tune, over and over, as is the case with most songs. The guitars in this song, for the most part, seem to just be bashing away at different notes that happen to be in the chord. Rather than calling that sloppy, I consider it interesting. I think the lyrics are simple, but good. All in all, a good song, that I always turn up.
I have always loved What Goes On.
Great choppy rhythm playing and lively solo from George blending nicely with John’s guitar. A great country flavour well executed.
I have always believed Lennon played the country-style solo on this song, which explains the photos of him playing that Gretsch Nashville in the studio–apparently he never used it before, or after. That solo is so sloppy, it’s hard to believe Harrison would have been satisfied with it. But listen to “I Found Out” from Plastic Ono Band–sounds like the same style as the solo to “What Goes On”. I think the auction house that sold John’s Nashville pumped up interest in the guitar by claiming John played it on “Paperback Writer”. Nonsense!
FYI Carl, I have listened to the instrumental backing track of “Paperback Writer” and Paul and George were evidently playing lead guitars while John was most likely playing the tremolo guitar, so obviously, John would’ve used his Gretsch Nashville electric guitar and he also played it on “Rain”.
The guitar solo on “What Goes On” is clearly played by George, given that he liked rockabilly and idolized Carl Perkins, and perhaps he was using a hybrid picking style.
Always enjoyed this one especially the interplay between John and George’s guitars as well as George’s fab solo.
Here’s a fun detail. At the very end of the song, you can hear Ringo sing the line “in your mind” twice more really quietly. It’s clearest on the mono mix (I can hear it really easy on my “Yesterday And Today”) and the second one is way more audible than the first, which is buried so far in the mix that I just noticed it this time around. I think this happened on Matchbox too.
I have noticed that I rarely see a ‘Lennon/McCartney/Starkey’ on the single, just mainly the Lennon/McCartney credits. Are the ones with Ringo listed on the label worth more than the singles where he isn’t?