What's Going On

by Marvin Gaye
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Other arrangements of What's Going On

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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 — Falling Notes Piano Tutorial

14 people have learned this song

Watch "What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye in falling notes style — like Synthesia. Color-coded notes fall onto the keyboard in real time. Practice left hand, right hand, or both. 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:

BeginnerLead SheetBar SheetSimple SheetKaraoke

About “What's Going On”

Can I learn "What's Going On" with falling notes like Synthesia?
Yes — Falling Notes mode shows colored note shapes dropping onto a virtual keyboard, the same visual style as Synthesia or piano-tile games. Each note's column matches the piano key you press. Works for "What's Going On" with hands-separate practice in C at 100 BPM.
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.
Can I practice left and right hand separately for "What's Going On"?
Yes! Our Top Down mode lets you isolate the left hand (bass clef), right hand (treble clef), or play both together. This makes it easy to master "What's Going On" one hand at a time before combining them.
What is falling notes style for "What's Going On"?
Falling notes (also known as Synthesia or piano waterfall) shows color-coded rectangles falling from the top of the screen onto a virtual keyboard. Each note's position matches the piano key you need to press. "What's Going On" is in the key of C at 100 BPM.