It’s the only track in the entire 213-song catalog of the Fab Four to bear the writing credit Lennon-McCartney-Starkey. Just one. For a band that defined the 20th century through the hyper-prolific partnership of John and Paul, seeing Ringo’s legal name—Richard Starkey—sandwiched in there feels like finding a rare coin in your sofa cushions.
What Goes On isn't a psychedelic masterpiece. It isn't "A Day in the Life." It’s a scrappy, country-tinged shuffle tucked away on side two of the 1965 album Rubber Soul. But the story of how it got there is a weirdly perfect window into how the Beatles actually functioned when the cameras weren't flashing.
The Song John Lennon Forgot
John wrote the bulk of this one way back in the Quarrymen days. We’re talking 1957 or 1958. It was a leftover. A scrap. It’s honestly kind of funny to think about John Lennon having a "junk drawer" of songs, but that’s exactly what this was.
The band actually tried to record it during the From Me to You session in March 1963. They ran out of time. They just moved on because, well, they were busy becoming the biggest thing on the planet. By the time 1965 rolled around, they were under the usual crushing pressure from EMI to produce a new album for the Christmas market. They needed songs. Fast.
John dug into his memory. He pulled out the skeleton of What Goes On, but it was unfinished. It had a chorus and some basic ideas, but it was essentially a ghost of a song. This is where the collaborative magic—or maybe just the collaborative necessity—kicked in.
Paul McCartney later recalled that they needed a "Ringo song" for the new album. Every album had to have one. It was the rule. So, they sat down with Ringo and finished it. Ringo’s contribution? He claims he wrote "about five words," but in the world of Beatles royalties, those five words were worth their weight in gold. Specifically, Ringo helped craft the middle eight. It’s the part that gives the song its slightly bumbling, charmingly insecure momentum.
That Specific 1965 Sound
If you listen to the track today, the first thing you notice isn't the lyrics. It's George Harrison’s guitar. He’s playing a Gretsch Tennessean, and he’s leaning hard into a rockabilly style inspired by Carl Perkins.
It’s sloppy.
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I mean that in the best way possible. There’s a moment during the guitar solo where George loses his place for a split second, or at least sounds like he’s scrambling to catch up with the beat. It’s raw. In 1965, the Beatles were moving toward the studio perfection of Revolver, but What Goes On feels like a bar band playing at 2:00 AM.
The recording took only one take on November 4, 1965. One take! They didn't have time to mess around. They had to finish Rubber Soul in a matter of days. You can hear the exhaustion and the frantic energy in the room. Ringo’s vocals are classic Ringo—earnest, slightly out of tune in a way that makes him relatable, and deeply "everyman."
The Mystery of the Overdubs
There’s a long-standing debate among Beatles nerds about the backing vocals. If you listen to the stereo mix, John and Paul are doing these classic, tight harmonies behind Ringo. But if you listen closely to the very end of the song, Ringo is shouting something.
For years, fans tried to decipher it. It turns out he’s just being Ringo. He yells, "Already, we’ll play it!" or something to that effect, basically signaling his excitement that they actually finished the track. It wasn't meant to be high art. It was a moment of relief.
The song serves as a bridge. It bridges the gap between the "mop-top" era of simple love songs and the experimental folk-rock of the mid-60s. While tracks like "Norwegian Wood" were introducing the sitar, What Goes On was keeping the band grounded in their roots: country and western, skiffle, and basic rock and roll.
Why the Credits Matter
Usually, it was Lennon-McCartney. Sometimes Harrison would get a solo credit. Once in a blue moon, they’d all share a credit for an instrumental like "Flying" or "Dig It." But the Lennon-McCartney-Starkey credit is a unicorn.
It represents a moment of total democratic desperation.
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They weren't trying to change the world with this track. They were trying to support their friend. They wanted Ringo to have a moment on what they knew was going to be their most sophisticated album to date. It shows the camaraderie that was starting to fray but hadn't quite snapped yet.
Interestingly, the song was also released as the B-side to "Nowhere Man" in the United States. It actually charted on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 81. Not bad for a song John Lennon once described as a "throwaway."
Common Misconceptions
People often think Ringo wrote the whole thing because he sings it. Nope.
Others think it was a brand new song written for Rubber Soul. Also nope.
The most interesting misconception is that it’s a "bad" song. Sure, compared to "In My Life," it’s lightweight. But as a piece of country-rock, it actually predates the massive country-rock movement of the late 60s led by The Byrds and Bob Dylan. The Beatles were doing "country" before it was cool for rock stars to do country.
Technical Details for the Gearheads
For those who care about the "how," the track was recorded on four-track tape.
- Track 1: Ringo’s drums and John’s rhythm guitar (his Rickenbacker 325).
- Track 2: Paul’s bass (his 1964 Rickenbacker 4001S).
- Track 3: Ringo’s lead vocal.
- Track 4: George’s lead guitar and the John/Paul backing vocals.
The "sloppiness" I mentioned earlier comes from the fact that George’s lead guitar was recorded live along with the backing vocals, meaning they couldn't easily fix his mistakes without re-doing the singing. They just left it. That’s the beauty of it.
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How to Listen to it Now
If you want to really "get" this song, don't listen to it on a tiny phone speaker. Put on a pair of decent headphones. Listen to the way Paul’s bass wanders around. It’s a very melodic bass line for such a simple song. He’s not just playing root notes; he’s playing a counter-melody.
Then, listen to the lyrics. They’re incredibly dark for a "fun" country song. "What goes on in your heart? / What goes on in your mind? / You are telling me goodbye." It’s a song about betrayal and confusion, wrapped in a bouncy Nashville beat. That juxtaposition—dark lyrics, happy music—became a hallmark of the Beatles' later work.
Understanding the Legacy
What Goes On didn't change music history. It won't be the first song mentioned in a Beatles documentary. But it is the definitive proof of the band's internal mechanics. It shows John’s ability to recycle old ideas, Paul’s ability to polish them, and Ringo’s ability to give them a soul.
If you’re building a Beatles playlist, this is the track that adds texture. It’s the "humane" moment on an album that is otherwise intimidatingly perfect.
To truly appreciate the evolution of the Lennon-McCartney-Starkey dynamic, do these three things:
- Compare it to the 1963 demo: If you can find the Anthology versions or bootlegs, listen to how different it sounded when it was just a fast rock song. The shift to a country-swing for Rubber Soul was a stroke of genius that saved the track.
- Watch the Shea Stadium footage: While they didn't play this specific song at every gig, the energy of their live performances in '65 perfectly matches the "one-take" vibe of this recording.
- Read the liner notes of Rubber Soul: Look at where it sits in the tracklist. It’s placed right after "Michelle"—a song of high French sophistication—and right before "Girl." It’s the palate cleanser. It’s the breath of fresh air.
Stop skipping it. The "throwaway" tracks are often where the real personality of a band lives. This isn't the Beatles as icons; this is the Beatles as three guys in a room trying to help their drummer finish a song before the sun comes up.