[Verse 1] Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying

[Chorus] Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Come on, talk to me
So you can see, yes
What's going on
What's going on, yeah

[Verse 2] Father, father
We don't need to escalate
War is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate

[Chorus] Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Come on, talk to me
So you can see
What's going on, what's going on
What's going on, what's going on
What's going on, what's a-going on
What's going on

[Verse 3] Father, Father
Father, Father
Father, Father
Who are they to say we're wrong?
Who are they to judge us
Simply 'cause our hair is long?

[Chorus] Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Come on, talk to me
So you can see, yeah
What's going on, what's going on
What's going on
What's going on
What's going on

[Outro] What's going on, yeah
What's going on