American singer-songwriter Cyndi Lauper covered "What's Going On" for her second studio album True Colors (1986). Lauper's version is a synth-pop song. It was released on March 2, 1987, as the third single from the album. The album version of the song begins with a series of gunshots in reference to the Vietnam War while the single version is a remix with an alternate vocal used in the intro.

Critical reception

The pan-European magazine Music & Media named Cyndi's cover of "What's Going On" one of its "records of the week" in its issue dated March 14, 1987, and noted that Cyndi was in "better vocal form" than on her previous single "Change of Heart".

Chart performance

"What's Going On" entered the UK Singles Chart the week of March 14, 1987, at number 88. It peaked at number 57 which although was a low peak, was ten positions higher than the peak position of Lauper's previous single, "Change of Heart". The track did, however, become a dance hit thanks to club remixes by Shep Pettibone, cracking the top twenty of the Dance Club Songs chart. Lauper later stated in her autobiography that she had wished the song performed better.

Music video

Andy Morahan directed the video for "What's Going On" in New York City. The video was released on February 25, 1987 to music channel MTV. Lauper's version was nominated at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Cinematography, where she lost to Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer".

Charts

{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for "What's Going On (Cyndi Lauper version)"

! scope="col" |Chart (1987)

! scope="col" |Peak<br />position

|-

! scope="row" |Australia (Kent Music Report)

|52

|-

|-

|-

! scope="row" |Chile (Chilean Singles Chart)

|19

|-

!scope="row"|Mexico (AMPROFON)

|5

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot Crossover 30 (Billboard)

|12

|-

!scope="row"|US Cash Box Top 100

|15

|-

!scope="row"|US Top 12" Dance Singles (Cash Box)

|15

|-

!scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Gavin Report)

|14

|-

!scope="row"|US Top 40 (Gavin Report)

|13

|-

!scope="row"|US Adult Contemporary (Radio & Records)

|24

|-

!scope="row"|US Contemporary Hit Radio (Radio & Records)

|11

|}

Charity versions

Live Aid Armenia cover

The remake of "What's Going On" was the first of the Rock Aid Armenia releases in aid of those suffering from the 1988 Armenian earthquake. The version credited to Live Aid Armenia featured Aswad, Errol Brown, Richard Darbyshire, Gail Ann Dorsey, Boy George, David Gilmour, Nick Heyward, Mykaell S. Riley, Labi Siffre, Helen Terry, Ruby Turner, Elizabeth Westwood and the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra. The B-side was "A Cool Wind Is Blowing", Armenian duduk music played by Djivan Gasparyan. The record was produced by Steve Levine and the executive producers were Fraser Kennedy and Jon Dee. This was released as a single on Island Records.

Music Relief '94

In 1994, the song was covered in the Music Relief '94. This cover was released as a benefit single released in memory of the Rwandan genocide. The singers who participated in the project were C. J. Lewis, Roachford, Yazz, Aswad, Edwin Starr, Peter Cunnah of D Ream, Kim Appleby, Mick Jones of BAD, Rozalla, Tony Di Bart, Paul Young, Paul Carrack, Angie Brown of Ramona 55, Jimmy Ruffin, Omar, Apache Indian, Worlds Apart, Kaos, the Pasadenas, Gus Isidore, Jools Holland, Mark King of Level 42, Nik Kershaw, Larry Adler, and Dannii Minogue.

Charts

{|class="wikitable sortable"

!Chart (1994–1995)

!Peak<br />position

|-

|-

|-

|UK Airplay (Music Week)

|align="center"|29

|}

Artists Against AIDS Worldwide cover

On October 30, 2001, a group of popular recording artists under the name "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide" released a single containing multiple versions of "What's Going On" to benefit AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions. The single contains "What's Going On" along with eight additional remixes. The song was recorded shortly before the September 11, 2001 attacks, and it was decided afterwards that a portion of the song's proceeds would benefit the American Red Cross' September 11 fund as well.

Jermaine Dupri and Bono produced the radio single version, whose performers included Destiny's Child, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, Darren Hayes of Savage Garden, Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, Nas, Lil' Kim, Sean "Diddy" Combs, Mary J Blige, Alicia Keys, Eve, Gwen Stefani, Nelly Furtado, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, Aaron Lewis of Staind, Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Wyclef Jean, Questlove of The Roots and Gaye's own daughter Nona, among other artists.

The collaboration was a success worldwide, peaking within the top 10 on the charts of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom and the top 20 on the charts of Flanders, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. In New Zealand, it went Gold for selling over 5,000 units. On the US Billboard Hot 100, the cover peaked at number 27, and it additionally reached number 24 on both the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 and Rhythmic charts. A music video was directed by Jake Scott.

Track listings

US maxi-CD single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix)
  2. "What's Going On" (The London version)
  3. "What's Going On" (Moby's version)
  4. "What's Going On" (Fred Durst's Reality Check mix)
  5. "What's Going On" (Mangini/Pop Rox mix)
  6. "What's Going On" (Mick Guzauski's Pop mix)
  7. "What's Going On" (Dupri R&B mix)
  8. "What's Going On" (The Neptunes This One's for You mix)
  9. "What's Going On" (Junior Vasquez's club mix)

UK CD single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix) – 4:19
  2. "What's Going On" (Fred Durst's Reality Check mix) – 5:14
  3. "What's Going On" (The London version) – 3:55

UK cassette single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix) – 4:19
  2. "What's Going On" (Moby's version) – 4:36

European CD single

  1. "What's Going On" (Dupri original mix)
  2. "What's Going On" (Fred Durst's Reality Check mix)
  3. "What's Going On" (The London version) – 3:55
  4. "What's Going On" (Moby's version) – 4:36

Charts

Weekly charts

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center"

|+Weekly chart performance for "What's Going On"

!Chart (2001–2002)

!Peak<br />position

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)

|13

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|Italy (FIMI)

|5

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

|-

!scope="row"|US Billboard Hot 100

|27

|-

!scope="row"|US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks (Billboard)

|76

|-

!scope="row"|US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)

|24

|-

!scope="row"|US Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)

|11

|-

!scope="row"|US Rhythmic Top 40 (Billboard)

|24

|}

Year-end charts

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Year-end chart performance for "What's Going On"

!Chart (2001)

!Position

|-

!scope="row"|Ireland (IRMA)

|align="center"|96

|-

!scope="row"|UK Singles (OCC)

|align="center"|161

|}

Certifications

Release history

{|class="wikitable plainrowheaders"

|+Release dates and formats for "What's Going On"

!scope="col"|Region

!scope="col"|Date

!scope="col"|Format(s)

!scope="col"|Label(s)

!scope="col"|

|-

!scope="row"|United States

|October 30, 2001

|CD

|

|

|-

!scope="row"|Australia

|November 26, 2001

|CD

|

|

|}

Other notable cover versions

  • Chaka Khan performed a version of the song with the Funk Brothers on the documentary, Standing in the Shadows of Motown, in 2002. The performance resulted in a win at the 45th annual Grammy awards for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.
  • U2 performed a version of the song on their release Spotify Singles, in 2017, as a promotion for their just released album, Songs of Experience.

See also

  • List of anti-war songs

References

  • Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On": Songs We Love at NPR