What's Going On
Studio album by Marvin Gaye
Released	May 21, 1971
Recorded	Hitsville USA (Studio A) Golden World (Studio B) Sound Factory, West Hollywood June 1970 ("What's Going On") March–May 1971 (remainder of album)
Genre	R&B/Soul
Length	35:28
Label	Tamla TS 310
Producer	Marvin Gaye
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link Robert Christgau (B+) link Rolling Stone (favorable) link RS Album Guide link Warr.org link
Marvin Gaye chronology
That's the Way Love Is (1970) What's Going On (1971) Trouble Man (1972)

What's Going On is a record by American soul singer Marvin Gaye, released on May 21, 1971. What's Going On reflected the beginning of a new trend in soul music. With introspective lyrics about drug abuse, poverty and the Vietnam War, the album was an immediate sensation and has endured as a classic of early-1970s soul. In worldwide critics/artists and public surveys it is constantly voted as one of the landmark recordings in pop music history and is considered to be one of the greatest albums ever made. In 2003, the album was ranked number 6 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.^[1] This is the highest position achieved in the list by a non-rock album. Cover of the Marvin Gaye album Whats Going On. ... A studio album is a collection of studio-recorded tracks by a recording artist. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar, known as the year of cyclohexanol. ... Hitsville U.S.A. was the nickname given to Motown Records first headquarters. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label can be a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... 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 musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 5_stars. ... Robert Christgau (born April 18, 1942), is an American essayist, music journalist, and the self-declared Dean of American Rock Critics.[1] In print, his name is sometimes abbreviated as Xgau. ... This article is about the magazine. ... Image File history File links 5_stars. ... Image File history File links 5_stars. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... Thats The Way Love Is was an album released by soul legend Marvin Gaye, on January 8, 1970 on the Tamla (Motown) label. ... The Trouble Man soundtrack album was an experimental 1972 music project for Marvin Gaye. ... For other uses, see Soul music (disambiguation). ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... // February 8 - Bob Dylans hour-long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New Yorks Academy of Music. ... Comparison of the perceived harm for various psychoactive drugs from a poll among medical psychiatrists specialized in addiction treatment[1] This article is an overview of the nontherapeutic use of alcohol and drugs of abuse. ... A boy from Jakarta, Indonesia shows his find. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... This article is about the magazine. ... Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, Magazine Cover, November 2003. ...

The first Marvin Gaye album to be credited as produced solely by the artist himself, What's Going On is a unified album consisting of nine songs, most of which lead into the next. It has also been categorized as a song cycle, since the album ends on a reprise to the album's opening theme. The album is told from the point of view of a Vietnam War veteran returning to the country he had been fighting for, and seeing nothing but injustice, suffering and hatred. Gaye's brother, Frankie, had returned from three years of service in the Army in 1970. In addition, What's Going On is the first album on which Motown Records' main studio band, The Funk Brothers, got an official credit. A song cycle is a group of songs designed to be performed in sequence as a single entity. ... Reprise is also the name of a record label, see Reprise Records In music a reprise is the repetition or return of the opening material later in a composition such as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though it originally (18th century) was simply any repeated section, such as... In music, a theme is the initial or primary melody. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Motown Records, also known as Tamla-Motown outside of the United States, is a record label originally based out of Detroit, Michigan (Motor City, hence mo(tor)town), from where it achieved widespread international success. ... The Funk Brothers was the nickname given to a group of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed on the backing tracks to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until 1972, when the company moved to Los Angeles. ...

History and album information

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.

—Marvin Gaye^[2] Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ...

Marvin Gaye had fallen into a deep depression after the death of his singing partner Tammi Terrell in March 1970. He refused to record and perform, and went as far as to attempt a career in football with the Detroit Lions. After an unsuccessful Lions tryout, Gaye came in contact with Al Cleveland and the Four Tops' Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who were working on a politically conscious song called "What's Going On". Gaye helped Cleveland and Benson complete the composition, and planned to produce it as a recording for Motown act The Originals. Cleveland and Benson persuaded Gaye to record the song himself, and in June 1970 Gaye recorded "What's Going On" and his own composition, "God Is Love". For other uses, see Depression. ... Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Montgomery) (April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American Motown singer in the 1960s, best known for her duets with Marvin Gaye. ... United States simply as football, is a competitive team sport that is both fast-paced and strategic. ... City Detroit, Michigan Team colors Honolulu Blue, Silver, and Black Head Coach Rod Marinelli Owner William Clay Ford, Sr. ... Al Clevland was an African-American songwriter for the Motown label. ... 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. ... Whats Going On is a song written by Renaldo Obie Benson, Al Cleveland, and 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. ...

When Gaye delivered the songs as the sides for his next 45 single, Motown CEO Berry Gordy refused to release them. He considered "What's Going On" far too political and unfamiliar in sound to be commercially successful. Gaye stood his ground; he wanted to be able to express himself, and not Gordy's or Motown's version of himself, on record. Gordy eventually gave in, certain that the record would flop. "What's Going On" became Motown's fastest selling single at that point, going to the number-one spot on the R&B charts for five weeks and number-two for three weeks on the Pop listings, with "Joy to the World" by Three Dog Night retaining the top spot. After this success, Berry Gordy requested an entire accompanying album. Berry Gordy, Jr. ... Joy to the World is a song written by Hoyt Axton, and made famous by the band Three Dog Night. ... Three Dog Night is an American rock band, best known for their music from 1968–1975 but still making live appearances as of 2008. ...

Gaye began recording the tracks that would eventually comprise his best-known work, the What's Going On album, handling all of his own production and some of his own songwriting. What's Going On was a politically charged and deeply personal Motown album, notable for including elements of jazz and classical music. The record was among the first soul albums to place emphasis on political and social concerns such as environmentalism, political corruption, drug abuse, and the Vietnam War. A songwriter is someone who writes either the lyrics or the music for songs. ... For other uses, see Jazz (disambiguation). ... Classical music is a broad, somewhat imprecise term, referring to music produced in, or rooted in the traditions of, European art, ecclesiastical and concert music, encompassing a broad period from roughly 1000 to the present day. ... The historic Blue Marble photograph, which helped bring environmentalism to the public eye. ... World map of the Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International, which measures the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians. High numbers (green) indicate relatively less corruption, whereas lower numbers (red) indicate relatively more corruption. ... Comparison of the perceived harm for various psychoactive drugs from a poll among medical psychiatrists specialized in addiction treatment[1] This article is an overview of the nontherapeutic use of alcohol and drugs of abuse. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000...

Release, reception and influence

The critical and commercial success of the album was immediate and significant. What's Going On remained on the Billboard Pop Album Charts for over a year and sold over two million copies until the end of 1972, making it Marvin Gaye's best-selling album to that date until he released Let's Get It On in 1973. The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. ... Lets Get It On is a landmark soul album by Marvin Gaye, released on the Tamla (Motown) label in 1973. ...

In addition, What's Going On received the highest ratings from several leading magazines and newspapers, including Time, Rolling Stone (who named it "Album of the Year"), The New York Times, and Billboard, who gave it the Billboard Trend setter Award of 1971. It was ranked number 6 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003, while its title song was ranked fourth on the magazine's 500 greatest songs of all time. A 1999 critics poll conducted by British newspaper Guardian/Observer named it the "Greatest Album Of the 20th Century". TIME redirects here. ... This article is about the magazine. ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ...

In 1997, What's Going On was named the 17th greatest album of all time in a Music of the Millennium poll conducted by HMV, Channel 4, The Guardian and Classic FM. In 1998 Q magazine readers placed it at number 97, while in 2001 the TV network VH1 placed it at number 4. In 2003, it was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress to be added to the National Recording Registry. This article is about the trademark. ... This article is about the British television station. ... For other uses, see Guardian. ... Classic FM is the United Kingdoms first national commercial radio station, broadcasting classical music in a popular and accessible style. ... Q is a music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom, with a circulation of 140,282 and a readership of 731,000. ... A television network is a distribution network for television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many television stations. ... VH1 (VH-1: Video Hits One until 1994 and VH1: Music First until 2003) is an American digital television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and owners of MTV. VH1 and sister channel MTV are currently... Construction of the Thomas Jefferson Building, from July 8, 1888 to May 15, 1894. ... The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings which are culturally, historically or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States. ...

In the forthcoming years, many artists from different musical genres covered songs from the album, most notably live recordings by Aretha Franklin ("Wholy Holy" on Amazing Grace) and Donny Hathaway ("What's Going On" on Donny Hathaway Live) in 1972, among others. "Mercy Mercy Me" was featured as the b-side to The Strokes' 2006 single "You Only Live Once". Aretha Louise Franklin (born March 25, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Donny Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was an American soul musician. ... For other uses, see Stroke (disambiguation). ...

The song "What's Going On" was also remade shortly after the September 11th 2001 tragedies as a collaboration by a number of top pop artists.

Track listing

All songs produced by Marvin Gaye. Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ...

Side one

1. "What's Going On" (Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson) – 3:52
2. "What's Happening Brother" (James Nyx, M. Gaye) – 2:44
3. "Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)" (M. Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover) – 3:49
4. "Save the Children" (Cleveland, M. Gaye, Benson) – 4:03
5. "God Is Love" (M. Gaye, A. Gaye, Stover, Nyx) – 1:49
6. "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (M. Gaye) – 3:14

Whats Going On is a song written by Renaldo Obie Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye. ... Al Clevland was an African-American songwriter for the Motown label. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... 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. ... Anna Gordy Gaye (born in 1922 in Detroit, Michigan) is the eldest sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy and was the first wife of soul music legend Marvin Gaye. ... Elgie Stover (born 1938 in Athens, Georgia) is an American songwriter, composer, producer and background singer, most famous for his associations with uncle Harvey Fuqua and legendary Motown star Marvin Gaye, co-writing two of Gayes songs from the singers acclaimed 1971 album, Whats Going On. ... Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) was the second single off Marvin Gayes legendary 1971 album, Whats Going On. ...

Side two

1. "Right On" (Earl DeRouen, M. Gaye) – 7:31
2. "Wholy Holy" (Cleveland, M. Gaye, Benson) – 3:08
3. "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (M. Gaye, Nyx) – 5:26

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) was the third and final single from American soul music legend Marvin Gayes 1971 landmark album, Whats Going On. ...

Known outtakes/alternate versions

All of the following outtakes/alternate versions of What's Going On tracks are available on the 2001 Deluxe Edition. Marshall Crenshaw collaborated on the production of this edition. The first two are also available as bonus tracks on the 2002 CD remaster. Marshall Crenshaw (born 11 November 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. ...

1. "God Is Love" - alternate b-side version (Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover, James Nyx) – 2:22
2. "Sad Tomorrows" - alternate b-side version of "Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)" (M. Gaye, Fuller B. Gordy, Delores Wilkinson) – 2:29
3. "Head Title" [AKA "Distant Lover"] (M. Gaye, Sandra Greene) – 4:07

The entire album was originally mixed in Detroit, with Marvin Gaye out of town and not present. This mix, dubbed "The Detroit Mix", was scrapped and redone. These mixes were later released on the 2001 double album Deluxe Edition of What's Going On, along with the original mono 45 mixes of the singles, along with a recording of one of Gaye's first live performances from The Kennedy Center Auditorium, Washington DC, 01-06-1972, after three years away from the stage following Tammi Terrell's illness and death. A double album is an audio album of sufficient length that two units of the medium in which it is sold (especially records and compact discs) are necessary to contain the entirety of it. ...

There was also a "quadraphonic" mix released as a Japanese vinyl album (which also included a lyric sheet in English and Japanese) which had a slightly different mix when played on stereo equipment.

Personnel

• All lead vocals by Marvin Gaye
• Produced by Marvin Gaye
• Orchestra Conducted and Arranged by David Van De Pitte
• Background Voices:
  • Marvin Gaye
  • The Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps)
  • Mel Farr and Lem Barney of the Detroit Lions
  • Bobby Rogers of The Miracles
  • Elgie Stover
  • Kenneth Stover
• Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers
  • Marvin Gaye – piano, drums, keyboards
  • James Jamerson – bass guitar (All tracks except "Mercy, Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues")
  • Earl Van Dyke – piano
  • Bob Babbitt – bass guitar ("Mercy, Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues")
  • Joe Messina – guitar
  • Robert White – guitar
  • Eli Fountain – alto saxophone
  • Wild Bill Moore – tenor saxophone
  • Chet Forest – drums
• Katherine Marking – graphic design
• Alana Coghlan – graphic design
• John Matousek – mastering
• James Hendin – Photography
• Curtis McNair – Art Direction

Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... The Andantes were a prolific female session singing group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. ... Melvin Farr (born November 3, 1944 in Beaumont, Texas) is a former American football player. ... Lemuel Jackson Barney (Born September 8, 1945, in Gulfport, Mississippi) is a former American Football cornerback who played for the Detroit Lions. ... City Detroit, Michigan Team colors Honolulu Blue, Silver, and Black Head Coach Rod Marinelli Owner William Clay Ford, Sr. ... Robert Bobby Rogers (born February 19, 1940 in Detroit, Michigan) is an African American soul singer, notable as a member of Motown group The Miracles from 1956 on. ... The Miracles (known from 1965 to 1972 as Smokey Robinson & the Miracles) is an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordys Motown Records. ... Elgie Stover (born 1938 in Athens, Georgia) is an American songwriter, composer, producer and background singer, most famous for his associations with uncle Harvey Fuqua and legendary Motown star Marvin Gaye, co-writing two of Gayes songs from the singers acclaimed 1971 album, Whats Going On. ... The Funk Brothers was the nickname given to a group of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed on the backing tracks to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until 1972, when the company moved to Los Angeles. ... Marvin Gaye (born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. ... Pianoforte redirects here. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... Piano, a well-known instance of keyboard instruments A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. ... James Lee Jamerson (January 29, 1938 - August 2, 1983) was an American musician. ... A sunburst-colored Fender Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass[1][2]; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Earl Van Dyke (July 8, 1930 - September 18, 1992) was an African American musician, most notable as the main keyboardist for Motown Records in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. ... Bob Babbitt (born Robert Kreinar) is an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records studio band, the Funk Brothers. ... A sunburst-colored Fender Precision Bass The electric bass guitar (or electric bass[1][2]; pronounced , as in base) is a bass stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers (either by plucking, slapping, popping, or tapping) or using a pick. ... Joe Messina (born in Detroit, Michigan in 1928) is an American guitarist. ... For other uses, see Guitar (disambiguation). ... Robert White (born 19 November 1936 in Billmyre, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA; died 27 October 1994 in Los Angeles, California, USA) was an African-American musician. ... The alto saxophone is a variety of the saxophone, a family of woodwind instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. ... William M. Moore (b 13 June 1918, Houston, Texas – d 8 August 1983, Los Angeles, California), known as Wild Bill Moore, was an American R&B tenor saxophone player. ... The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax. ... Graphics are often utilitarian and anonymous,[1] as these pictographs from the US National Park Service illustrate. ... Audio mastering is the process of preparing and transfering recorded audio to a medium for future duplication. ...

Chart and singles history

The Billboard 200 is a listing of the 200 highest selling music albums in the United States, published weekly in Billboard magazine. ... Whats Going On is a song written by Renaldo Obie Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar, known as the year of cyclohexanol. ... 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. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart, formerly known as Top Soul Singles, Top Black Singles, and Top R&B Singles (before the hip-hop term was added in the late 1990s), is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States. ... Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) was the second single off Marvin Gayes legendary 1971 album, Whats Going On. ... is the 161st day of the year (162nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the 1971 Gregorian calendar, known as the year of cyclohexanol. ... Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) was the third and final single from American soul music legend Marvin Gayes 1971 landmark album, Whats Going On. ...

References