Things Goin' On

Song infobox
Name = Things Goin' On


Artist = Lynyrd Skynyrd
Album = Pronounced Leh-nerd Skin-nerd
Released = September 1973
track_no = 5
Recorded = Studio One, Doraville, Georgia
Genre = Southern rock
Length = 4:57
Label = MCA Records
Writer = Ronnie Van Zant Gary Rossington
Producer = Al Kooper
prev = "Simple Man"
prev_no = 4
next = "Mississippi Kid"
next_no = 6

"Things Goin' On" was written in 1973 by Ronnie Van Zant and Gary Rossington, the lead vocalist and guitarist from Lynyrd Skynyrd. It appeared on the band's first album Pronounced Leh-Nerd Skin-Nerd and expressed concerns about social and environmental issues, with especial criticism of politicians' role in such issues. The song was distinct from other contemporary protest-songs in that it utilized a Western-style Honky Tonk melody, though this was in keeping with Lynyrd Skynyrd's country-rock image.

The first verse, which expressed concern about "life in the ghetto" is repeated at the end of the song thereby placing emphasis on this particular issue. It also contains the line that gives the song its title:

:"Well, have you ever lived down in the ghetto :"Have you ever felt that cold wind blow :"Well, if you don't know what I mean :"Won't you stand up and scream :"Cause there's things goin' on that you don't know

The first line of the song is particularly pertinent in that it asks the listener whether he has ever "lived" down in the ghetto; support for segregation was still widespread in the southern United States at the time and Lynyrd Skynyrd risked alienating a large number of potential fans before the group became an established act. The thinly-veiled criticism of politicians' responsibility mentioned earlier in the song becomes more evident towards the end of the final verse: :"I don't think they really care :"I think they just sit up there ...

The song's complete lyrics:

Have you ever lived down in the ghettoHave you ever felt the cold wind blowIf you don't know what I meanWon't you stand up and scream'cause there's things goin' on that you don't know

Ask them why they spend lives across the oceanAsk them why they spend millions on the moonWell, until they make things rightLots of people gonna be uptightThey better make some changes pretty soon

They gonna ruin the air that we breathe y'allThey gonna ruin us all bye and byeTelling all you bewareI don't think they really careThink they just sit up there and just get high

Have you ever lived down in the ghettoHave you ever felt the cold wind blowIf you don't know what i meanWon't you stand up and scream'cause there's things goin' on that you don't know

If you don't know what i meanWon't you stand up and scream'cause there's things goin' on that you don't know

1970s-song-stub