Name: What's Going On
Brand: Marvin Gaye

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

5353423

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Colour

black

Colour details

Discogs ID

[r5034181]

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Discs

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music GB

Limited edition

Release date

2020-05-06

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier GB

Universal

Tax rate GB

UPC / Barcode

1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No / black

Artist

Marvin Gaye

Genre GB

Funk / Soul

Label GB

Motown

Essential

Sly and the Family Stone might have psychedelicised soul music, but Marvin Gaye personalised it. Although the powers-that-were Motown didn't even want to release the record, the unexpected success of <i>What's Going On</i>, issued in 1971, inspired Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, and just about every other black artist on the planet to take greater responsibility for their music and its meaning.

Gaye co-wrote the songs and produced the album, flavouring it with layer upon layer of his own multi-tracked vocals, oceans of hand percussion, strings, flutes, and jazzy horn solos. spacey and loose as a spliff-fuelled Sunday afternoon jam in the park, the nine songs all played like a hit single. The title track - inspired by his brother's return from the Vietnam war - and the obvious social commentary of "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" actually were hit singles. Two other tracks ("Wholly Holy" and "Save The Children") would inspire hit covers by Aretha Franklin and Diana Ross, respectively. 

Nevertheless, <i>What's Going On</i> sounds as fresh today as it did the week that it came out.

What's Going On

Music GB