What's Going On

by Marvin Gaye
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Sheet MusicBar NotationSimple SheetLead SheetKaraoke · LyricsEasy NotesFalling Notes
Lyrics

(Cmaj7)Moth er, moth er,

there’s too man y (Am7)of you cry ing.

You see (Cmaj7)Broth er, broth er, broth er,

there’s far too man y (Am7)of you dy ing.

You know we’ve (Dm7)got to find a way

to to bring some (Dm7)lov in’ here to day, yeah.

(Cmaj7)Fa ther, fa ther,

we don’t need to (Am7)es ca late.

ing.

Ah, but (Cmaj7)war is not the an swer,

for on ly love can (Am7)con quer hate.

ing.

You know we’ve (Dm7)got to find a way

to to bring some (Dm7)lov in’ here to day,

yeah.

(Dm7)lov in’ here to day, oh.

(Dm7)Pick et lines

and (Dm7)pick et signs

don’t (Dm7)pun ish me

with bru (Dm7)tal i ty.

(Dm7)Talk to me

so (Dm7)you can see, oh, what’s (Cmaj7)go ing on,

what’s (Am7)go ing on, yeah, what’s (Cmaj7)go ing on, oh, what’s (Am7)go ing on.

Ah, ah, (Fm9)ah, ah, ah.

I, yi, yi, yi, yi, yi, yi, ya, ya, ya, ya.

I, yi, yi, yi, yi, yi, ya, ya, ya, ya, ya.

Be, doot, de doot; Be, be, be, doot; Be be, be, doot; Bu, doot, be, be, be, doot; Be be, be, be, be, doot.

Be, be, be, be, be, doot.

What's Going On — Visual Piano Sheet Music

14 people have learned this song

"What's Going On" in visual bar notation — see every note as a colored bar on the staff. Easier to read than traditional sheet music. Scrolls automatically as you play. Key of C, 100 BPM.

Tip: Start at 50% speed to get comfortable with the fingering, then work your way up to full tempo.

Try other practice modes:

Falling NotesBeginnerLead SheetSimple SheetKaraoke

About “What's Going On”

Why does "What's Going On" show as colored bars instead of notation?
Bar Notation replaces traditional noteheads with colored horizontal bars on a simplified staff — each bar's vertical position is the pitch and its length is the duration. Much easier to read than classic sheet music while still showing the full arrangement of "What's Going On".
What key is "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye played in?
What's Going On is arranged in the key of C on Super Simple Piano. You can transpose to any other key live in the player.
What's the tempo (BPM) of "What's Going On"?
The arrangement plays at 100 BPM. Use the speed control (10-200%) to practice slower or play faster.
Is "What's Going On" easy to play on piano?
Yes — this is one of our beginner-friendly arrangements with simplified chords and color-coded notes.
Can I download sheet music for "What's Going On"?
Yes — registered users can download PDF sheet music, plus MIDI and MusicXML files for use in other notation software.
Who composed "What's Going On"?
"What's Going On" was originally performed by Marvin Gaye. The Super Simple Piano arrangement is simplified for beginner-to-intermediate players.
What other songs by Marvin Gaye can I play here?
Try "LET'S GET IT ON", "I HEARD IT THROUGH THE GRAPEVINE", "GOT TO GIVE IT UP". All are in our player with color-coded notes; pick the one matching your level.
Is this real sheet music for "What's Going On"?
It's a simplified visual notation using colored bars instead of traditional notes. Each bar's vertical position shows the pitch and its length shows duration — much easier to read for beginners while still showing the complete arrangement of "What's Going On".
Can I see all the notes in "What's Going On"?
Yes! The Bar Sheet shows every note in the arrangement as a colored bar. The sheet scrolls automatically during playback, or you can scroll manually to study any section. The song is in the key of C at 100 BPM.