What's Going On [VINYL]

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Save The Children" is an emotional plea for Children, that once again could apply 50 years later, with all the tragic crimes against Children!!!!! Posner, Gerald (2002). Motown: Music, Money, Sex, and Power. New York: Random House. ISBN 0-375-50062-6.

Re-listening this album yesterday after having listened to it hundreds of time over 5 decades on countless formats, editions and reissues (I have about 10 analog copies and maybe 10 digital copies), I can safely say that this is a stunning reissue. I'm sure there are 'better' versions, more refined on one particular aspect, but for the price and availability, there is simply no competition (to my ears anyway). What's Going On is a concept album with most of its songs segueing into the next and has been categorized as a song cycle. The narrative established by the songs is told from the point of view of a Vietnam veteran returning to his home country to witness hatred, suffering, and injustice. Gaye's introspective lyrics explore themes of drug abuse, poverty, and the Vietnam War. He has also been credited with promoting awareness of ecological issues before the public outcry over them had become prominent (" Mercy Mercy Me"). Marvin Gaye What's Going On". Acclaimed Music. Archived from the original on October 22, 2008 . Retrieved August 23, 2008. What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. It was released on May 21, 1971, by the Motown Records subsidiary label Tamla. Recorded between 1970 and 1971 in sessions at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, and United Sound Studios in Detroit, and at The Sound Factory in West Hollywood, California, it was Gaye's first album to credit him as a producer and to credit Motown's in-house studio band, the session musicians known as the Funk Brothers.

Bowman, Kirk (May 21, 2021). "Marvin Gaye – What's Going On (album review)". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved July 29, 2022.

Anyway, this record's a trip, and an important one, and not just musically. — and this reissue does it justice. In 1969 or 1970, I began to re-evaluate my whole concept of what I wanted my music to say... I was very much affected by letters my brother was sending me from Vietnam, as well as the social situation here at home. I realized that I had to put my own fantasies behind me if I wanted to write songs that would reach the souls of people. I wanted them to take a look at what was happening in the world. [15] Recording [ edit ] Gaye recorded the album at Motown's in-house studio Hitsville U.S.A. (since converted into a museum) Benson offered the song to Marvin Gaye when he participated in a golf game with the singer. Returning to Gaye's home outside Outer Drive, Benson played the song to Gaye on his guitar. Gaye felt the song's moody flow would be perfect for The Originals. Benson eventually convinced Gaye that it was his song. The singer responded by asking for partial writing credit, which Benson allowed. Gaye added new musical composition, a new melody and lyrics that reflected Gaye's own disgust. Benson said later that Gaye tweaked and enriched the song, "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem like a story and not a song... we measured him for the suit and he tailored the hell out of it." [11] [10] During this time, Gaye had been deeply affected by letters shared between him and his brother after he had returned from service in the Vietnam War over the treatment of Vietnam veterans. [12] a b "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Rolling Stone. September 22, 2020 . Retrieved February 12, 2021.Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists Who Revolutionized Rhythm. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-34044-4. The release features direct-to-analog mastering from the original primary album tape reels by the acclaimed engineer Kevin Gray. This is one of the first times that this procedure has been done since 1971, and it offers the listener a unique listening experience. The full writing and production palette Lewis, Miles Marshall (2006). There's a Riot Goin' On. Continuum International Publishing Group. pp.70–72. ISBN 0-8264-1744-2. Acclaimed Music – What's Going On". Archived from the original on April 20, 2012 . Retrieved September 10, 2012. Year-long celebrations of the 50th anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s seminal 1971 album What’s Going On continue with today’s announcement of Motown/UMe’s December 3 release of the premium vinyl 50th Anniversary 2LP Edition.

This is without a doubt the greatest Soul and R&B album in music history, a must-have masterpiece that should be in every record collection. Yes "Sgt. Pepper" was influential, but "What's Going On" was a different kind of influence. Not to open your mind to drugs, and new experiences, but to open your mind to love and peace. Sly & The Family Stone might have psychedelicized soul music, but Marvin Gaye personalized it, and he literally poured out every emotion onto this record.

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Then there's the perfect album closer, "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"....Putting the ills of the city on blast like he did, and believe me, at that time, it was a welcomed and needed "Inner City" anthem....

This 50th Anniversary reissue mastered by Gray is phenomenal, it is my absolute favourite 'feel good', version of this release, it sounds amazing and it feels right on every level.

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Charles and Dee's house seemed like a different world. Everything moved. Dee couldn't put the kettle on without a few shimmies and pirouettes. When Charlie mowed the lawn, even the grass danced. Music was everywhere, but they never listened to the radio. It was always vinyl, and Charlie treasured his records like no one I'd known before. "You'll like this, Stevie" he used to say, pulling some curiously-named beast from a totally freaky sleeve. It was probably The Temps, or maybe Funkadelic. I don't remember. But I _do_ remember that Charlie seemed to actually _care_ about what I thought of his music. God Is Love" is a nice Segway, and the first time (I believe) he expressed himself in a Spiritual way.... The Absolute Sound described the album as "a brilliant psychedelic soul song-cycle". [22] Release and promotion [ edit ] I know that this album has been reviewed millions of times, and even though "Marvin Gaye" had tons, and tons, and tons of great songs before "What's Going On", none, and I do mean none of his albums ever came close to this one!!!!!! The fact that "Marvin" was so defiant of "Berry Gordy", to go ahead with this bombshell of just great music, stuns the mind!!!! Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)", is that almost shouldn't have been a Hit, because it was so deep....But it hit the nail on the head on how we treat this Planet....