: When life becomes difficult ("tough"), those same friends will "run away" or "disappear".
: When things are going well ("smooth and good"), you will have many friends.
The song is a cautionary tale about "fair-weather friends." Onyeabor uses simple, repetitive lyrics to deliver a moral message:
The song is titled by the Nigerian funk pioneer William Onyeabor . It is the opening track of his final studio album, Anything You Sow , which was released in 1985 . Song Meaning & Themes
: He encourages listeners to recognize and keep their truly good friends, regardless of whether life is good or bad. Musical Style William Onyeabor – When the Going is Smooth & Good Lyrics
: Onyeabor warns that some of these friends only return to "help in knocking you down" further.