in the very tradition that they are exploding during many other moments on Rubber Soul." MacDonald writes the song "has the same sloppy country-and-western ambience as "Act Naturally". For AllMusic, Richie Unterberger writes the song is an "enjoyable if lightweight" country & western-flavoured entry in the Beatles catalogue. He praises Harrison's guitar work, which "again marks him as the finest disciple of Carl Perkins." Everett describes McCartney's bass as "soulful." He further writes that after "What Goes On", the Beatles rockabilly style went "into dormancy". Cover versions Sufjan Stevens recorded a cover of the song in 2005 for the compilation album, This Bird Has Flown – A 40th Anniversary Tribute to the Beatles' Rubber Soul. In a review for Pitchfork, Rob Mitchum writes that Stevens takes Starr's "abysmal country tune" and turns it into, "a really good Sufjan Stevens song, arranged for the full Illinoisemaker band with choral interludes, diving strings, and a surprisingly gritty jam." Barry Walters of Rolling Stone magazine writes, "Changing chords, rewriting melody, overhauling rhythms and resequencing large chunks of lyrics, the ever-ambitious Sufjan Stevens turns 'What Goes On' inside out with an intricate stop-and-start arrangement that affirms Rubber Soul's elastic strength." Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic was less favourable, describing Stevens track as, "the only severe misstep in an album filled with good, generally pleasant covers." Personnel According to Ian MacDonald: Ringo Starr vocal, drums John Lennon harmony vocal, rhythm guitar Paul McCartney harmony vocal, bass guitar George Harrison lead guitar Charts Weekly charts References Citations Sources External links 1966 singles The Beatles songs Song recordings produced by George Martin Songs written by Lennon–McCartney Songs written by Ringo Starr Capitol Records singles Songs published by Northern Songs 1965 songs Rockabilly songs