What Goes Around... Comes Around By Justin Timberlake - Songfacts

Toggle navigation Songfacts Logo
  • Home
  • Categories
  • Places
  • Blog
    • Blogs Home
    • News
    • Lists
    • Features
    • Songwriter Interviews
    • Song Writing
    • Fact or Fiction
    • They're Playing My Song
    • Music Quiz
    • Songfacts Pages
    • Songwriting Legends
    • Songfacts Podcast
    • All Titles
    • Authors
      • Amanda Flinner
      • April Fox
      • Bruce Pollock
      • Carl Wiser
      • Corey O'Flanagan
      • Dan MacIntosh
      • Developer
      • Ed Pearce
      • Greg Prato
      • Jeff Suwak
      • Jess Grant
      • Laura Antonelli
      • Leslie Michele Derrough
      • Maggie Grimason
      • Nicole Roberge
      • Roger Catlin
      • Shawna Ortega
      • Stephanie Myers
      • Trevor Morelli
  • Browse
    • Songs
    • Artists
    • Places
    • Years
    • Categories
Songfacts Logo Search

What Goes Around... Comes Aroundby Justin Timberlake

Album: FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006)Charted: 4 1 License This Song lyricsartistfacts Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • Timberlake wrote this song with his producers Timbaland and Nate Hills. This is a song about a relationship that collapses because of cheating. Speculation was that Timberlake was singing about his ex-girlfriend, Britney Spears. Justin explained that the song was written for his best mate Trace Ayala, who was dating the actress Elisha Cuthbert. Trace let a friend crash at his place, but this friend took up with Cuthbert - something Ayala found out about from a tabloid. "Don't want to think about it, don't want to talk about it" was something Justin told Trace that made it directly into the song.Cuthbert was known for her role as Kim Bauer in the American action-thriller television series 24. She also starred in the video for Weezer's 2005 single "Perfect Situation" where she played the lead singer of fictional group Weeze. In 2012, she married the hockey player Dion Phaneuf - not the guy who stole her from Ayala.
  • At the Grammy awards in 2007, Timberlake said: "It's definitely a special song for me. It was one of those songs where the words kind of flowed out. It was based on an experience that one of my best friends went through. It's the first song I did with Tim (Timbaland) on this record. I honestly feel that this is the best song that I've written so far." Timberlake performed this song on the telecast, which was not eligible for the awards that year, but did win in 2008 for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.
  • The song's music video starred the actress Scarlett Johansson and was directed by Samuel Bayer, who did the Nirvana "Smells Like Teen Spirit" video. It was more of a mini-movie, running 9:22 with Johansson chosen for her acting skills as well as her looks. The clip won the 2007 MTV Video Music Award for Best Direction, but the shoot left a trail of destruction: Justin broke a finger in a fight scene with the actor Shawn Hatosy, and Johansson was bruised up in the scene. According to Bayer, Timberlake got very intense in the scene, where he walks in on Hatosy and Johansson kissing.
  • More songs from Justin Timberlake
  • More songs that won Grammys
  • More songs about cheating
  • More songs with famous people in the video
  • More songs about Karma or reincarnation
  • More songs with videos directed by Samuel Bayer
  • More songs from 2006
  • Lyrics to What Goes Around... Comes Around
  • Justin Timberlake Artistfacts
Your name as you would like it displayed Your Locaton Your Comment send your comment

Comments: 8

  • Mike from CanadaWhat goes around comes around.'Cause I know that you're living a lie.Those lyrics are a religious lesson. Sin and you get it back. Sin and you lose reality.
  • Wonder Woman from Chicago This song is about a narcissist- NPD.
  • Dios Moagi from Tzaneen, South Africa I just love this song. No matter how much I play it, I just can't get enough of the lines. I find myself thinking of this song each time I'm battling with emotions. We hurt people who love us, and we also get hurt in return. It's a circle of life.
  • Sd from TexasIt's partially true . it's about Britney too. Maybe he should have given Britney his name first . I like Justin but no forgiveness . Britney sings for his forgiveness he's cheated too
  • Marlene from Montreal, QcI'm not a huge fan of his, but I actually really like this song. Although the end of video...she dies in a horrible car wreck but doesn't have a scratch on her?
  • David from Hanove, WvI love this song, and Justin is the man..People can hate on the guy all they want, but he's a genius and keeps reinventing his self in a lot of his musical style and vocality. Big props JT!!
  • Spencer from A Village, NjJustin Timberlake, I love Justin, he is one of the best out there, and the funniest
  • Ceci from Houston, United StatesI really enjoy this song.... so many songs out right now in the poip scene are "effin" stupid!!
see more comments

More Songfacts:

Steppenwolf

Born To Be WildSteppenwolf

The first popular song to use the phrase "Heavy Metal" was "Born To Be Wild" by Steppenwolf, which was featured in the movie Easy Rider.

Donovan

Mellow YellowDonovan

The "electrical bananas" in the Donovan song "Mellow Yellow" were vibrators.

Al Green

Let's Stay TogetherAl Green

Al Green's commitment classic "Let's Stay Together" launched Tina Turner's comeback when she covered the song in 1983.

Johnny Cash

The Man Comes AroundJohnny Cash

The idea for "The Man Comes Around" came to Johnny Cash from a dream he had where he was in Buckingham Palace and the Queen said to him, "Johnny Cash, you're just like a thorn tree in a whirlwind."

Carla Thomas

Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)Carla Thomas

Carla Thomas became the first woman to achieve a Top 10 hit on the Hot 100 with a song she wrote herself when "Gee Whiz (Look At His Eyes)" reached #10 in 1961. Thomas was just 16 years old when she wrote it.

Phil Collins

In The Air TonightPhil Collins

"In The Air Tonight" by Phil Collins was revived when it was used in the first episode of Miami Vice, three years after it was released.

Editor's Picks

Boz Scaggs

Boz ScaggsSongwriter Interviews

The "Lowdown" and "Lido Shuffle" singer makes a habit of playing with the best in the business.

Best Band Logos

Best Band LogosSong Writing

Queen, Phish and The Stones are among our picks for the best band logos. Here are their histories and a design analysis from an expert.

70s Music Quiz 1

70s Music Quiz 1Music Quiz

The '70s gave us Muppets, disco and Van Halen, all which show up in this groovy quiz.

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")

Director Wes Edwards ("Drunk on a Plane")Song Writing

Wes Edwards takes us behind the scenes of videos he shot for Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley and Chase Bryant. The train was real - the airplane was not.

Richard Marx

Richard MarxSongwriter Interviews

Richard explains how Joe Walsh kickstarted his career, and why he chose Hazard, Nebraska for a hit.

Prince

PrinceFact or Fiction

Prince is shrouded in mystery, making him an excellent candidate for Fact or Fiction. Is he really a Scientologist? Does he own an exotic animal?

Songfacts® Newsletter

A monthly update on our latest interviews, stories and added songs

What's your email? SUBSCRIBE

Information

  • About Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Our Privacy Policy
  • Google Privacy Policy
  • Songfacts API
  • Music History Calendar
  • Song Licensing
  • Affiliate Disclosure
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Manager

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • X (Twitter)
  • YouTube

Contribution

  • Message Boards
  • Songfacts Writers

©2026 Songfacts, LLC

Tag » What Goes Around Comes Back Around