"going down on love" opens with a percussion accompaniment that author andrew jackson compares to marvin gaye's "what's going on" and "mercy mercy me (the ecology)," albeit slower. the song alternates between slow, smooth sections and sections with a funky rhythm punctuated by bongo drums. urish and bielen believe that this approach generates a "feeling of nervous energy," which they consider appropriate to the song's anxious and resigned mood. although it is a "song of loss," music critic johnny rogan states that the "jaunty tone" of the song produces an effect of irreverence and defiance. rogan finds the two most notable elements of the song are lennon's "strident" vocal and bobby keys' horn arrangement. the phrase "somebody please, please help me" is sung to a similar melody, albeit at a slower tempo as the similar phrase lennon sang in the beatles' song "help!"