Malvina Reynolds: Song Lyrics and Poems  

What's Goin On Down There

Notes: words and music by Malvina Reynolds; copyright 1964 Schroder Music Company, renewed 1992.

Chorus:
Nobody knows about,
Nobody knows about,
What's goin' on down there,
Who's gonna tell about,
Who's gonna tell about,
What's goin' on down there.

They dragged the Mississippi for the three lost men,
They came up with other guys, eight, nine, ten,
And threw them back again, Oh,

(Chorus)

You try to register like the constitution said,
They take away your job and they take away your bread;
You might as well be dead, Oh,

(Chorus)

They throw you into jail all covered with blood,
F.B.I. man won't do you any good;
He also wears the hood, Oh,

(Chorus)

You stand up like a man and they cut you in two,
The killer goes to trial, but what good does it do?
He's on the jury, too, Oh,

(Chorus)

The newspaper pages have nothing to say,
They either tell lies or they hide it all away,
Day after day after day, Oh,

(Chorus)

We sing you this song so you know what's true,
And you've got to take the story everywhere you go,
Because it's up to you, Oh,

(Chorus)

Malvina Reynolds songbook(s) in which the music to this song appears:
---- The Muse of Parker Street

Malvina Reynolds recording(s) on which this song is performed:
---- Malvina Reynolds Sings the Truth
---- Malvina Reynolds...Sings the Truth (2008)