What'd I Say, Pt. 1 & 2

The lyrics mix a lover’s complaint with playful, energetic singing. At first, the speaker asks a woman not to treat him badly and to give him affection. He also describes women dancing and calls for someone to notice him when he is unhappy. As the song continues, the complaint gives way to repetition, movement, and shared excitement: the singers call back and forth, and the mood becomes openly joyful.

Several phrases carry more than their literal meaning. “See about me” means to pay attention to someone or care for them, especially when they are distressed. “Shake that thing” is a lively invitation to dance, not a description meant to be taken formally. The repeated question “What’d I say?” works less like a request for information than a rhythmic call that invites a response. The back-and-forth voices make the performance feel like a conversation.

The speaker’s feelings are not entirely settled: he says he has been treated wrongly and is in misery, yet later insists that he feels all right. This could suggest that affection and dancing help lift his spirits, or that the song values playful performance more than a consistent story. The lyrics do not explain the relationship in detail, so the opening complaint may be serious, teasing, or some combination of both.