📌 Song Information
Title: Que Será, Será (Whatever Will Be, Will Be)
Performer: Doris Day
Written by: Jay Livingston and Ray Evans
Year of Release: 1956
Film Debut: The Man Who Knew Too Much (Alfred Hitchcock, 1956)
Label: Columbia Records
Genre: Traditional Pop
Awards: Academy Award for Best Original Song (1956)
First introduced to the world in Alfred Hitchcock’s suspense thriller The Man Who Knew Too Much, “Que Será, Será” quickly transcended its film origins to become a timeless classic. Performed by the radiant Doris Day, the song went on to win the Academy Award for Best Original Song and later became one of Day’s signature tunes throughout her career.
📝 Song Meaning
“Que Será, Será” is a gentle lullaby-like tune that captures the essence of human uncertainty. Through a sequence of life’s questions—posed by a curious child, a dreaming youth, and a hopeful adult—the song returns each time to the same answer: “Whatever will be, will be.”
Doris Day’s warm, motherly voice lends the song a sense of peace and surrender. It doesn’t offer clear answers or promises—it offers acceptance. That’s the beauty of it. The song embraces the unpredictability of life with grace, subtly telling us that no matter how much we wonder or worry, we simply have to live and let life unfold.
Behind the song’s simplicity lies a comforting philosophy: We may not control everything, but we can choose peace over fear. This is what made the song so beloved—not just a melody, but a mantra for uncertain times.
💡 Exploring the Deeper Question
One of the most fascinating aspects of “Que Será, Será” is how it answers big, existential questions with childlike simplicity. A child asks, “Will I be pretty?” A young adult wonders, “What will I be?” A parent asks, “What will happen to our children?” And each time, the answer remains unchanged: “Whatever will be, will be.”
So what’s really going on here? Is this a song about giving up control—or is it something deeper?
In a way, the lyrics encourage us to detach from worry and fear. The repeated phrase acts like a gentle reminder: We can plan, hope, and dream, but ultimately, life has its own flow. Rather than resisting it, the song suggests we lean into uncertainty with trust. In today’s fast-paced, overly planned world, that message is more powerful than ever.
The song’s optimistic resignation doesn’t mean apathy—it means acceptance. It’s a lesson in humility, in patience, and in faith. It reminds us that it’s okay not to have all the answers. Sometimes, peace comes not from knowing, but from surrendering.
📺 Watch the Song Performance:
👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tV0CegHzums
🎤 Lyrics
I asked my mother, “What will I be?
Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?”
Here’s what she said to me
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Since I am just a boy at school
I asked my teacher, “What should I try?
Should I paint pictures? Should I sing songs?”
This was her wise reply
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
When I grew up and fell in love
I asked my lover, “What lies ahead?
Will we have rainbows day after day?”
Guess what my lover said
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Now I have children of my own
They ask their mother, “What will I be?
Will I be pretty? Will I be rich?”
I tell them, “Wait and see.”
Que sera, sera
Whatever will be, will be
The future’s not ours to see
Que sera, sera
What will be, will be
Que sera, sera