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You Don't Know What's Going On Lyrics
Well, it's time for me to live
The good life on the road.
And to forgive her
For the lies that she sold me.
We were falling in love and that's what you do.
I didn't know and I feel like a fool
Now watching her go.
'Cause I played by the rules
I guess we were above.
And that's what I get for trying my best
To believe in her,
To believe I could turn it around.
To keep bailing out the water while the ship went down.
To keep calling her name when we started to drown.
You can tell me I should have known better.
You can ask me why
I didn't see it coming
'Til it got inside me.
You can say it's all right.
You can think it's all wrong,
But you don't know what's going on.
You don't know what's going on.
So the road led to your door.
The good life ain't the good life anymore
If it doesn't include you,
If you send me away.
'Cause you don’t believe I tried my best
To believe in her,
To believe I could turn it around.
To keep bailing out the water while the ship went down.
To keep calling her name when we started to drown.
You can tell me I should have known better.
You can ask me why
I didn't see it coming
'Til it got inside me.
You can think it's all wrong.
I can hope it's all right.
But I don't know what's going on.
I just know that I tried and I tried and I'll try for you
If you want me to,
If you can be the girl who
Believes in me.
Who believes I can turn it around.
Who keeps bailing out the water while the ship goes down.
Who keeps calling my name when we're starting to drown.
I'll never tell you you should have known better,
Never ask you why
You didn't see it coming
'Til it got inside you.
It can turn out all right.
Or it can turn out all wrong.
We just don't know what's going on.
I don't know what's going on.
You don't know what's going on.
You don't know what's going on.
The good life on the road.
And to forgive her
For the lies that she sold me.
We were falling in love and that's what you do.
Now watching her go.
'Cause I played by the rules
I guess we were above.
And that's what I get for trying my best
To believe I could turn it around.
To keep bailing out the water while the ship went down.
To keep calling her name when we started to drown.
You can ask me why
I didn't see it coming
'Til it got inside me.
You can say it's all right.
You can think it's all wrong,
But you don't know what's going on.
You don't know what's going on.
The good life ain't the good life anymore
If it doesn't include you,
If you send me away.
'Cause you don’t believe I tried my best
To believe I could turn it around.
To keep bailing out the water while the ship went down.
To keep calling her name when we started to drown.
You can ask me why
I didn't see it coming
'Til it got inside me.
You can think it's all wrong.
I can hope it's all right.
But I don't know what's going on.
If you want me to,
If you can be the girl who
Who believes I can turn it around.
Who keeps bailing out the water while the ship goes down.
Who keeps calling my name when we're starting to drown.
Never ask you why
You didn't see it coming
'Til it got inside you.
It can turn out all right.
Or it can turn out all wrong.
We just don't know what's going on.
I don't know what's going on.
You don't know what's going on.
You don't know what's going on.
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“You Don’t Know What’s Going On” dates back to Why Should the Fire Die?, but Chris, whose youthful first marriage was unraveling at the time, admits “I was too in the moment to write anything anyone else would want to listen to.” from http://www.nonesuch.com/artists/nickel-creek
I also can't help but notice the "bailing water while the ship goes down" lyric that also shows up in Punch Brothers' "Don't Get Married Without Me." Obviously similar themes, probably from Chris Thile's personal experience, but it's fun to contrast them.
@kitab I was just about to point out the similarities in the lyric. Also for some reason I assumed it was an older song just from listening to it. Cool to learn I was right...
@kitab I was just about to point out the similarities in the lyric. Also for some reason I assumed it was an older song just from listening to it. Cool to learn I was right...
I think this is quite obviously about falling in love after having been through a previous relationship that ended badly, and trying to assure the romantic partner that the same mistakes that ended that relationship will not be made in this one. There's a lot of uncertainty about the situation and neither can say if it will turn out all right. Ultimately the narrator needs his partner to believe in him before making any kind of move.