Released in 1956 on the soundtrack to The Man Who Knew Too Much, Doris Day’s classic “Que Sera, Sera” follows one person moving through different stages of life and asking the same basic question each time. At every age, the concern stays the same: what does the future hold, and how much control does anyone really have over it?
Below is a section-by-section breakdown of what the lyrics in “Que Sera, Sera” might be saying.
- Song: Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
- Artist: Doris Day
- Songwriters: Jay Livingston, Ray Evans
- Released: 1956
- Genre: Popular music
What is “Que Sera, Sera” About?
Verse 1: Childhood Curiosities
When I was just a little girl
I asked my mother, “What will I be?”
Starting in childhood, the narrator looks toward her mother for a glimpse of her potential path.
This moment captures the natural curiosity of a child who views their parents as people who possess all the answers to life’s mysteries.
Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?
Here’s what she said to me:
These questions show how early ideas of success are already taking shape. Appearance and money stand in for happiness, safety, and social approval, even at a young age.
The girl is looking for reassurance that her life will be successful and easy, setting up the lesson she is about to receive.
Chorus: A Lesson in Fate
“Que será, será
Whatever will be, will be“
The phrase is repeated in a foreign language (probably Spanish or Portuguese) and in English, both with the same blunt meaning: outcomes are already in motion, and worrying does not change them.
There is no guarantee that things will turn out well, only that they will unfold as they do.
Saying it twice is an attempt to settle the mind, as if the speaker has learned this lesson through experience and now relies on it whenever uncertainty arises.
Note: The title phrase is meant to sound like a phrase from a Romance language, but it’s really just a word-for-word translation of “Whatever will be, will be.” That’s not how a fluent speaker would say it in Spanish (it would be “lo que será, será”), but that matters less than what the phrase is actually doing in the song.
“The future’s not ours to see
Que será, será
What will be, will be”
The reason behind this belief is spelled out. The future stays hidden, so control over it is limited at best. Accepting that limit becomes a way to keep going without constant fear.
Returning again to the title phrase shows how this outlook functions in daily life. It is less about giving advice and more about repeating a truth that has already proven itself over and over again over time.
Verse 2: Hopes for Romance
When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my sweetheart, “What lies ahead?”
Time moves forward, but the question stays. As the narrator moves into young adulthood, her focus shifts from her own identity to the security of her relationship.
She wants a guarantee of happiness from her partner, showing how the need for certainty persists even as we grow older.
Will we have rainbows day after day?
Here’s what my sweetheart said:
She wants assurances that they will live a life free of conflict or sadness.
This question represents the human tendency to hope for a perfect, struggle-free existence when starting a new chapter with another person.
Bridge: Passing the Same Answer Forward
Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, “What will I be?”
The cycle begins again as the narrator moves into the role of the parent.
She now finds herself on the receiving end of the same questions she once asked, showing how every generation deals with the same fundamental fears about the future.
Will I be handsome? Will I be rich?
I tell them tenderly:
By responding with the same words her mother used, the narrator passes down a philosophy of peace.
She uses the phrase to help her children navigate their own worries, offering comfort by explaining that they do not need to have all the answers right now.
“Que Sera, Sera” Song Meaning: Finding Peace in the Unknown
“Que Sera, Sera” is about learning to live without firm answers. Each stage of life brings new worries, but the future stays unpredictable no matter how old someone gets.
By moving through three distinct phases of life, the song shows that while our specific desires change, the underlying uncertainty of life remains constant. What starts as a parent’s way of soothing a child becomes a personal belief system and then a message offered to the next generation.
Rather than encouraging ambition or fear, the song settles on acceptance. It frames uncertainty as something shared by everyone, not a personal failure or flaw.
Songs Like “Que Sera, Sera”
Here are a few songs that deal with uncertainty, fate, and the passage of time in similar ways:
1. “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell
In this classic, Joni Mitchell looks back on life from different ages, noticing how understanding changes over time. Like the narrator in “Que Sera, Sera,” she accepts that certainty often fades rather than grows.
Related: “Both Sides Now” Song Meaning
2. “Turn! Turn! Turn!” by The Byrds
Built around the idea that life moves in seasons, this 1965 folk-rock track focuses on timing and acceptance. It’s a song about patience and recognizing limits.
Related: Songs About Time Passing
3. “Circle of Life” by Carmen Twillie & Lebo M
This famous track from The Lion King describes the way generations follow one another and face the same patterns of growth and questioning. It looks at the broader perspective of how life continues in a loop from childhood to adulthood.
Related: “Circle of Life” Song Meaning
Conclusion: Living Without Worry
“Que Sera, Sera” follows one person from childhood to parenthood while holding onto the same unanswered question. Each stage brings new hopes, but no stage brings control over what comes next.
To me, the message in “Que Sera, Sera” is one of comfort for anyone feeling anxious about where they are headed in life. Since the future is out of our hands, the best thing we can do is embrace the mystery of it all.
