"What's Going On" is a 1971 hit single by Marvin Gaye for the Motown label, and the title track from his groundbreaking 1971 LP What's Going On. A pondering of the troubles and problems of the world, the song proved a timely and relatable release, and marked Gaye's departure from the pop stylings of 1960s-era Motown towards more personal material. Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Whats Going On. ... In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... January 21 is the 21st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... A gramophone record, (also phonograph record - often simply record) is an analog sound recording medium: a flat disc rotating at a constant angular velocity, with inscribed spiral grooves in which a stylus or needle rides. ... Events Roman Empire Galba becomes the commander of Legio III Augusta. ... Hitsville U.S.A. was the nickname given to Motown Records first headquarters. ... June 1 is the 152nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (153rd in leap years), with 213 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... Musical genres are categories which contain music which share a certain style or which have certain elements in common. ... Soul music is a combination of rhythm and blues and gospel which began in the late 1950s in the United States. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Top 40 is a radio format based on frequent repetition of songs from a constantly-updated list of the forty best-selling singles. ... Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) was the second single off Marvin Gayes legendary 1971 album, Whats Going On. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Motown Records, Inc. ... Whats Going On. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ...

About the song

Designed with a somber jazz-inspired tone, "What's Going On" addressed the political and social troubles of the world in a soulful, introspective way, contrasting to the more dramatic socially conscious records made by Sly & the Family Stone and The Temptations over the previous three years. The song originated from an idea by Four Tops member Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who, witnessing stressful conditions while on tour in Europe, began writing a song to express his feelings. Once back in the United States, Benson and Motown songwriter Al Clevland prepared an initial rough version of the song, and invited Marvin Gaye as a third collaborator on the song. Gaye, depressed from the death of singing partner Tammi Terrell and strongly considering a retirement from performing, planned to produce "What's Going On" as a single for The Originals, but Benson and Clevland convinced Gaye to record it himself. For other article subjects named Jazz see jazz (disambiguation). ... Sly & the Family Stone were an important and influential American band from San Francisco, California. ... The Temptations (also abbreviated as The Tempts or The Temps) are an American Motown singing group whose repertoire has included doo-wop, soul, psychedelia, funk, disco, R&B, and adult contemporary. ... The Four Tops are an American musical group, who helped define the Motown sound of the 1960s. ... Obie Benson (third from left) and The Four Tops, on the cover for the UK single release of their 1967 hit Bernadette. Renaldo Obie Benson (June 14, 1936 - July 1, 2005) was an African-American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. ... World map showing Europe Political map Europe is one of the seven traditional continents of Earth; the term continent here referring to a cultural and political distinction, rather than a physiographic one, thus leading to various perspectives about Europes precise borders. ... Al Cleveland was an African-American songwriter for the Motown label. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Montgomery) (April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an African American Motown singer in the 1960s, best known for her duets with Marvin Gaye. ... The Originals in a 1960s promotional shoot The Originals were a successful Motown R&B and soul group during the 1960s and 1970s. ...

On the finished track, as Gaye musically ponders on the state of the world, a party can be heard going on in the background, from which Gaye's voice is purposely detached. The partygoers are portrayed by Mel Farr and Lem Barney, whose acquaintances Gaye had made during his failed 1970 tryout for the Detroit Lions. Please wikify (format) this article as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ... Lemuel Jackson Barney (Born September 8, 1945, in Gulfport, Mississippi) is a former American Football cornerback who played for the Detroit Lions. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1970 calendar). ... City Detroit, Michigan Team colors Honolulu Blue, Silver, and Black Head Coach Rod Marinelli Owner William Clay Ford, Sr. ...

Also, notably for this record, Marvin Gaye sings both lead and background vocals himself, essentially creating what is now recognized as modern-day multitracking. The process had been used for many years to give parts of a recording extra strength (Motown themselves had used it on The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On), but Gaye took it one step further and sung each of his vocal passes in various harmony parts, creating an ethereal sound that became his trademark. Multitrack recording is a method of sound recording that allows for the recording and re-recording of multiple sound sources, independent of time. ... The Supremes were a very successful Motown all-female singing group active from 1959 until 1977, performing at various times doo-wop, pop, soul, Broadway showtunes, psychedelia, and disco. ... You Keep Me Hangin On is a 1966 hit song recorded by The Supremes for the Motown label. ...

This song was completed before the rest of the What's Going On album was finished. Motown chief Berry Gordy tried to block the release of the single, deeming it "uncommercial", but after Gaye threatened to cease recording permanently, Gordy reluctantly had the "What's Going On" single issued. "What's Going On" proved to be a substantial commercial hit paving the way for his forthcoming seminal album release of the same title. "What's Going On" was one of the major hits of 1971 as well as Motown's fast selling single at that point, reaching #2 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 for five weeks on the Billboard R&B charts. The single would end up to sell over 2,5 million copies and becoming his biggest US Pop hit since "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" hit the charts in late 1968. Berry Gordy, Jr. ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ...

Covers

"What's Going On" remains one of the most covered soul songs of all time; many artists have covered the song both for live performances and on record. Cyndi Lauper recorded a hit version of the song taking it to #12 on the pop charts in 1986. When U2 toured in the US in the fall of 2001, just one month after 9/11 and in the midst of the Anthrax attacks on the 3rd leg of their Elevation Tour, What's Going On was a frequently played number, often appearing towards the end of the setlist. The most notable cover was done in 2001, credited to "All Star Tribute", and proceeds going to Artists Against AIDS Worldwide. With Jermaine Dupri serving as producer, the cover featured an all-star lineup of dozens of popular contemporary artists from all genres, and its video and donations were not only dedicated to the problem of AIDS, but it was also eventually expanded to dedicate to the then-recent September 11, 2001 tragedy. 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... U2 is an Irish rock band formed in Dublin, featuring Bono (Paul David Hewson) on vocals, rhythm guitar and harmonica; The Edge (David Howell Evans) on lead guitar, keyboards and backing vocals; Adam Clayton on bass guitar; and Larry Mullen, Jr. ... The date that commonly refers to the attacks on United States citizens on September 11, 2001 (see the September 11, 2001 Attacks). ... The rock band U2s Elevation Tour took place in 2001 in support of their album All That You Cant Leave Behind. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Jermaine Dupri appears on the cover of Da Bottom Vol. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the performers, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome or Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS or Aids) is a collection of symptoms and infections in humans resulting from the specific damage to the immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). ... The World Trade Center on fire The September 11, 2001 attacks were a series of coordinated terrorist attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001. ...

Artists for AIDS Awareness lineup

• Christina Aguilera
• Mary J. Blige
• Bono of U2
• Backstreet Boys
• Destiny's Child
• P. Diddy
• Jermaine Dupri (producer)
• Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit
• Eve
• Perry Farrell
• Nelly Furtado
• Nona Gaye (Marvin's daughter)
• Darren Hayes of Savage Garden
• Ja Rule
• Jagged Edge
• Alicia Keys
• Lil Kim
• Aaron Lewis of Staind
• Jennifer Lopez
• Chris Martin
• Pat Monahan
• Monica
• Nas
• Nelly
• *NSYNC
• Britney Spears
• Gwen Stefani of No Doubt
• Michael Stipe
• T Boz and Chili from TLC
• Usher
• Scott Weiland

Another cover, recorded by The Funk Brothers for the soundtrack to the film Standing in the Shadows of Motown with R&B legend Chaka Khan on vocals, won the 2003 Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance. In 2004, alternative rock band A Perfect Circle did their own cover of "What's Going On" for their album eMOTIVe, which is a compilation of various political covers. Christina María Aguilera (born December 18, 1980) is an American pop singer-songwriter. ... Mary Jane Blige (born January 11, 1971) is a three-time Grammy Award-winning American R&B/soul/hip-hop soul singer, songwriter and producer. ... Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), nicknamed Bono Vox (stage name) and Bono (pronounced Bonn-oh), is the lead singer and occasional rhythm guitarist of the Irish rock band U2. ... U2 is an Irish rock band formed in Dublin, featuring Bono (Paul David Hewson) on vocals, rhythm guitar and harmonica; The Edge (David Howell Evans) on lead guitar, keyboards and backing vocals; Adam Clayton on bass guitar; and Larry Mullen, Jr. ... The Backstreet Boys are a Grammy-nominated pop group that enjoyed enormous success in the mid-late 1990s and 2000s. ... Destinys Child was an American R&B group. ... P. Diddy Sean John Combs (born November 4, 1969 aka P. Diddy, Puff Daddy, Sean Puffy Combs) is an African-American record producer, entrepreneur, and rapper. ... Jermaine Dupri appears on the cover of Da Bottom Vol. ... William Frederick Durst is the lead singer for the nu metal/rapcore band Limp Bizkit. ... Limp Bizkit is a rapcore band who—along with their discoverers, Korn—are often credited with creating the nu metal genre and widening its popularity. ... Eve (born Eve Jihan Jeffers on November 10, 1978 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American rapper, singer, and actress associated with the Aftermath crew. ... Perry Farrell (born Perry Bernstein in New York City on March 29, 1959) is a musician particularly noted for his varied and founding role in alternative rock during the late 1980s and 1990s. ... Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, instrumentalist, and record producer. ... Nona Marvisa Gaye (born September 4, 1974 in Washington, D.C.) is an American singer, model, and screen actress, and the daughter of soul music African-American legend Marvin Gaye. ... So Beautiful, 2005 Darren Stanley Hayes (born 8 May 1972, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia) is a singer-songwriter. ... Savage Garden was an Australian pop duo that enjoyed international success over the course of several years. ... Jeffery Atkins (born February 29, 1976), also known as Ja Rule is an American rapper from Hollis, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He rose to fame in the late 90s and early 2000s with a string of successful albums and singles bringing his album sales of 20... Jagged Edge are an American R&B singing group that were originally signed through Jermaine Dupris SoSo Def Records to Columbia Records. ... Alicia Keys (born Alicia Augello-Cook) (born January 25, 1980) is an American R&B/soul singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, pianist, and actress. ... Lil Kim on the cover of her album Notorious Kim Kimberly Ann Jones, professionally known as Lil Kim (also called The Queen Bee, The Lieutenant, and The Queen Bitch such as the QB of all bitches) is a United States rapper who was born in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood... Aaron Lewis, born April 13, 1972 in Rutland, Vermont, USA, is the lead vocalist of the hard rock/post-grunge group Staind. ... Staind is a four-piece alternative metal group [1] from Springfield, Massachusetts. ... Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), popularly nicknamed J. Lo, is an American actress, pop/Latin pop/R&B singer, fashion designer, and dancer. ... Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born March 2, 1977) is the lead singer, rhythm guitarist and pianist of the band Coldplay. ... Monica Denise Arnold (born October 24, 1980), professionally known as Monica, is an American R&B singer who first attained commercial success in the 1990s and, after a relatively unsuccessful period during the early 2000s, saw her career experience a second wind in 2003. ... This article or section contains information that has not been verified and thus might not be reliable. ... For other uses, see Nelly (disambiguation). ... *NSYNC is a five-part pop music vocal group, sometimes referred to as a boy band, formed in Orlando, Florida, USA. The group members are Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone, Chris Kirkpatrick, and Justin Timberlake. ... Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is a Grammy Award-winning American pop singer, dancer, occasional songwriter and actress, and author. ... Gwen Renée Stefani[1] (born October 3, 1969) is an American singer, fashion designer, and actress; and is the frontwoman of the pop/ska/rock band No Doubt. ... No Doubt is an American pop/ska/rock band. ... Michael Stipe (middle) John Michael Stipe (born January 4, 1960 in Decatur, Georgia) is the founding member, lead singer and creative head of the American rock band R.E.M. Stipe has become well-known (and occasionally parodied) for the mumbling style of his early career and for his complex... Tionne T-Boz Watkins is an R&B singer; the lead singer of the successful group TLC. She was diagnosed with sickle-cell anemia as a child, and is today one of the spokespeople for Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. ... Chili (also spelled Chilli) may be: Chile pepper, the fruit and plant of any one of several species of the genus Capsicum Chili con carne, a spicy stew-like dish traditionally made with chile peppers and beef Chili powder, a spice mix containing cumin, dried ground peppers and other spices... TLC is an American R&B and hip hop group that formed in 1991. ... Usher may refer to: Look up usher in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Scott Weiland (born October 27, 1967 in Santa Cruz, California) is an American musician, lyricist and vocalist. ... The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit musicians who were the house band at Detroits Motown Records from 1959 to 1972, when the company moved to Los Angeles. ... Standing in the Shadows of Motown is a 2002 documentary film about the story of The Funk Brothers, Motown Records primary studio band from 1959 to 1972. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Album cover of What Cha Gonna Do For Me? Best known for her 1984 cover of Princes I Feel for You, R&B singer Chaka Khan enjoyed solo success as well as popularity as a member of the funk band Rufus. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance has been awarded since 1999. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... A Perfect Circle (often referred to as APC) was an alternative rock band, formed by guitarist Billy Howerdel. ... eMOTIVe is the third album by the American rock band A Perfect Circle. ...

Credits

• Lead and Background Vocals by Marvin Gaye
• Additional Vocals by Mel Farr and Lem Barney
• Written by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Al Clevland, and Marvin Gaye
• Produced by Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. ... Lemuel Jackson Barney (Born September 8, 1945, in Gulfport, Mississippi) is a former American Football cornerback who played for the Detroit Lions. ... Obie Benson (third from left) and The Four Tops, on the cover for the UK single release of their 1967 hit Bernadette. Renaldo Obie Benson (June 14, 1936 - July 1, 2005) was an African-American soul and R&B singer and songwriter. ... Al Cleveland was an African-American songwriter for the Motown label. ...

External links

• Lyrics What's Going On