Eddie Kelsey
London, UK
When asked about the album towards the latter stages of his career, Marvin Gaye stated that he didn’t remember writing the songs on ‘What’s Going On’, feeling as if he was in another, divine dimension. This is mirrored in the music itself, being a large leap away from his previous work under the Motown label. This leap, however, provided the world’s first soul concept album as well as, in my opinion, one of the greatest musical achievements of all time.
The 60s marked a period of unrest in America. With both the Vietnam and the Cold War raging throughout the decade as well as the Civil Rights Movement, it had taken a toll on Gaye. The decade saw his rise as a musical voice, being labelled ‘The Prince of Motown’ and releasing some of the most popular music of that time. By the late 60s, however, Gaye was growing tired of the chains that his role at Motown brought, forcing him to mainly sing covers, despite him wanting to be recognised as a musician and producer in his own right. This changed in 1969 when, inspired by the ongoing police brutality, Motown’s Renaldo Benson started to write what would become the title track for Marvin Gaye’s masterpiece. In his lyrics, Benson tried to capture the confusion and pain of the time. Gaye was immediately receptive when presented with the groundwork for this song, being in a dark and contemplative place in his life and feeling that it was the step forward that he needed. Gaye delicately arranged a more cinematic and jazzy song than he had ever previously constructed.
Motown’s founder Berry Gordy, however, was resistant to release the song, stating that he thought the lyrics were too commercially risky and that the jazz approach was outdated. This hesitation dissipated upon the release of the song, with ‘What’s Going On’ becoming an instant hit, peaking at #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. As a result of the success of the single, Gordy gave Gaye a single month to form the album that would accompany it. Gaye took the challenge in his stride. When asked about the short deadline, he stated “I work best under pressure and when I’m depressed. The world’s never been as depressing as it is right now. We’re killing the planet, killing our young men in the streets, and going to war around the world. Human rights, that’s the theme.”
Gaye’s work over that month culminated in the release of What’s Going On on the 21st of May 1971. The album, despite some slightly mixed initial reviews due to its novel approach, became an instant critical and commercial success. What’s Going On spent over a year in the charts, selling around 2 million copies in that time. While the instrumentation and vocals themselves brought listeners, so too did Gaye’s lyrics. Songs like ‘What’s Happening Brother’ tell the true story of his brother having just returned from fighting the war in Vietnam. He touches on the shock and surprise he faced upon returning to the US, expecting a flourishing society but instead being met with financial trouble and being unable to find a job. This song transitions effortlessly into the next track, ‘Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky) in which Gaye speaks from the perspective of someone battling drug addiction. With heroin addiction being a widespread issue at the time, this song spoke to many people with its dreamlike orchestration and vocals that contrasted the harsh and brutal lyrics. Gaye goes on to tackle the issue of environmental damage in the track ‘Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology),’ with lines such as “oil wasted on the oceans and upon our seas, fish full of mercury.” With the environmental movement growing in the 60s, the song’s thoughtful lyrics and sound latched onto the common feeling of fear at the time. The theme of the rest of the songs throughout the album is simply love: love for one another, love for God, and love for yourself.
I first discovered this album just over 2 years ago, instantly falling in love with its jazzy sound and its lush yet tight instrumentation. Initially I saw Gaye’s voice as simply another instrument, however as I listened to the album more and more, the substance of his words gradually revealed itself to me. The way in which he was able to tackle these issues with such simple and few lyrics while also elegantly floating over the symphony that supported him became so special to me. This album and Gaye’s legacy as an all-time great are recognized more than ever today, with the modern-day accessibility of music allowing new generations to experience this masterpiece, many of its themes still ringing true to this day. In their list compiling the top 500 greatest albums of all time, Rolling Stone ranked What’s Going On at #1, cementing its legacy as an unparalleled musical achievement.
The album was released when Gaye was 32 years old, sadly only 12 years before his untimely death in 1984. I’m sure, however, that long after his life and long into the future, the sweet, soulful sounds of Marvin Gaye will continue to be heard and appreciated worldwide.
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