What's Going On Lyrics - Singles - The Jungle Brothers

It's a cryin' shame, brothers takin' life as a game 

Growing up against the law, but no one knows who's to blame 

Dealin' drugs on the corner, you don't have to, but you wanna 

A meal is hard to make, but you tell yourself you're gonna 

Dealing 12 to 12, day into evening 

I wonder how you continue to be grieving 

Your meal is made and it's time to chill 

You buy the black Mercedes Benz with the gold to the grill 

Cruisin' up the ave while your friends get jealous 

You find out, you quickly get restless 

You buy a gun, it doesn't help but hurt you 

Because your so called friend rattled on you 

You're in the pen serving ten to twenty 

Your boy snatched your girl and put use to your money 

You're out for teen, but what does it mean? 

You're just a waste young brother who lost it all on a dream 

What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 

Yeah, what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 

My blood brother is bleeding, it's a cryin' shame 

Out on the street tryin' to play the game 

Formally an in-mate straight from upstate 

Can't stop him now 'cause you see it's just too late 

He's on the run and he's got a gun 

Stay out his way unless you want some 

See, he's gettin' older, a bit more bolder 

Got his name written up in the 5-0 folder 

A big Christmas list of all the crime's he's committed 

He says he didn't do it, but we know he did it 

Summons his lawyers, fingerprints, bung shots 

Lookin' for my brother, yo, he's at the drug spots 

Livin' off that cheap Chinese food 

He says he only bumps the people when he's in the mood 

Runnin' 'round with his crews and his 2-2's 

I saw him last night in the prime time news 

Shot and killed by an on duty Jake 

His birth to the earth was a big mistake 

Now, history was not my favorite subject 

I used to flip through the pages and get upset 

Seein' little of black and too much of the other 

(They tried to brainwash you) Picture that, a jungle brother 

Read this, read that, answer question three 

But when I got to three, it had nothin' to do with me 

Somethin' was wrong, and I knew it all along 

Now tell me (please) what's goin' on 

What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 

Yeah, what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 

Now, I've been told all the do's and don't-do-not's 

My mother, hallelujah, she called the shots 

She said, "Don't play with guns and play with knives 

And most of all, don't play with other people's wives 

When you're walkin' down the street, pay the pushers no mind 

Cause all they wanna do is put your mind on cloud nine 

Put your head up high and your feet on the ground 

You don't have to be like everybody else to be down 

Stay in school (don't be no fool) 

Don't lose your temper (and keep your cool) 

Follow your heart (and not your friends) 

And some of your friends (could lead you into dead ends) 

The other day my father said, "son, God bless your soul 

Our life is gettin' tougher and the world is cold" 

I said, daddy, daddy, daddy, what do you mean? 

He said ("you ain't got nothin' 'less you got the green") 

I realize to myself things are gonna be hard 

So each and every day I pray to God 

I say, now I lay me down to sleep 

(I give the Lord my soul to keep) 

If I should die before I wake 

(Take me to heaven 'cause I need a break) 

But if you let me live to another morn' 

(I'd like to know what's goin' on) 

What's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I 

Tell me what's goin' on, I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I