Twenty-five years and my life is still
Trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination

I realized quickly when I knew I should
That the world was made up of this brotherhood of man
For whatever that means

And so I cry sometimes
When I'm lying in bed just to get it all out
What's in my head
And I, I am feeling a little peculiar

And so I wake in the morning and I step outside
And I take a deep breath and I get real high
And I scream from the top of my lungs
"What's going on?"

And I say, "Hey-ey-ey-ey-ey
Hey-ey-ey"
I said, "Hey, what's going on?"

And I say, "Hey-ey-ey-ey-ey
Hey-ey-ey"
I said, "Hey, what's going on?"

Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, uh-huh
Ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, uh-huh

And I try, oh my God, do I try
I try all the time
In this institution

And I pray, oh my God, do I pray
I pray every single day
For a revolution

And so I cry sometimes
When I'm lying in bed
Just to get it all out
What's in my head
And I, I am feeling a little peculiar

And so I wake in the morning
And I step outside
And I take a deep breath and I get real high
And I scream from the top of my lungs
"What's going on?"

And I say, "Hey-ey-ey-ey-ey
Hey-ey-ey"
I said, "Hey, what's going on?"

And I say, "Hey-ey-ey-ey-ey
Hey-ey-ey"
I said, "Hey, what's going on?"

And I say, "Hey-ey-ey-ey-ey (wake in the morning and step outside)
Hey-ey-ey" (take a deep breath and I get real high)
I said, "Hey, what's going on?" (And I scream, what's going on?)

And I say, "Hey-ey-ey-ey-eh (wake in the morning and step outside)
Hey-ey-yeah-yeah-yeah-yeah" (take a deep breath and I get real high)
I said, "Hey, hey, what's going on?" (And I scream, what's going on?)

Ooh, ooh, ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh, uh-huh

Twenty-five years and my life is still
Trying to get up that great big hill of hope
For a destination


Lyrics submitted by redmax

What's Up? Lyrics as written by Linda Perry

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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What's Up? song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    I think it means almost most of the things you lot have said.

    She wants life to change, so instead of being stuck as whatever she is, she's somewhere else, enjoying a nicer life. So she thinks that life is evil somewhere along the line. She doesn't know what to do (Whats going on?) so instead of trying she gets up, walks outside, and yells to noone in particular, or maybe god, What's going on. She wants to know what is happening, and what she should do. She feels odd, like something's there, like something is going to change, but nothing does. Possibly, from being like this, screaming to god what is happening and everything, people have taken her away to a mental institution, but she simply wants an answer, and she doesn't mean harm. And so, it goes back to the beginning - she's stuck in an institution, nowhere to go, and she wants to know WHY.

    Who thinks otherwise? :)

    Lixaon April 07, 2005   Link

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