What's Going On
Encyclopedia
What's Going On is the eleventh studio album
by soul
musician Marvin Gaye
, released May 21, 1971, on the Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1970 and March–May 1971 at Hitsville U.S.A.
, Golden World and United Sound Studios in Detroit, Michigan
and at The Sound Factory
in West Hollywood, California
.
The first Marvin Gaye album credited as produced solely by the artist himself, What's Going On is a unified concept 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.
What's Going On was the first album on which Motown Records
' main studio band, the group of session musician
s known as the Funk Brothers
, received an official credit. The album features introspective lyrics and socially-conscious themes about drug abuse
, poverty
, and the Vietnam War
. What's Going On was both an immediate commercial and critical success and has endured as a classic of early-1970s soul. A deluxe edition set of the album was released on February 27, 2001, and featured a rare live concert shot at Washington, D.C.
's Kennedy Center where the singer was given the key to the city.
In worldwide critics', artists' and public surveys, it has been voted 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
.
following the death of his singing partner and fellow Motown artist Tammi Terrell
, who had died of a brain tumor
earlier that month. Gaye refused to record or perform, going as far as to attempt an athletic career in football
with the Detroit Lions
of the NFL
. After an unsuccessful tryout for the team, Gaye came in contact with musician Al Cleveland
and the Four Tops
' Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who were working on a politically conscious song called "What's Going On
". Gaye assisted Cleveland and Benson in completing the composition, and planned to produce the song as a recording for the Motown act The Originals
. However, Cleveland and Benson persuaded Gaye to record the song himself.
In June 1970, Gaye recorded "What's Going On" and his own composition, "God Is Love
", which further expanded his inclusion of his spirituality
in his music. Recording such material was a different direction for Gaye, who had previously performed and recorded radio-formatted and contemporary songs that were more representative of the Gordy-produced Motown Sound rather than politically or socially conscious music. When Gaye delivered the songs as the sides for his next 45-rpm
single
, his brother-in-law, Motown Records CEO Berry Gordy, Jr., objected to the material and refused to release the recordings. Though he had already permitted other Motown artists to record and release material that hinted at social and political themes – Edwin Starr
's "War", The Temptations
' "Ball of Confusion
", both released earlier in 1970, and Stevie Wonder
's "Heaven Help Us All
", released later in the year – Gordy considered "What's Going On" far too political to be promoted on radio and too unusual compared with the popular music
sound of that time to be commercially successful. Gaye, however, stood his ground and continued to lobby his case to label executives and to Gordy, as he did not want to be bound by Gordy's or Motown's version of music.
In an interview for Rolling Stone
magazine, Marvin Gaye discussed what had shaped his view on more socially conscious themes in music and the conception of his eleventh full-length, non-duets studio album:
Gordy eventually gave in, certain that the record would flop. Upon its release in January 1971, "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. 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. 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, with Gaye present, in Los Angeles.
and classical music instrumentation and arrangement
s. The record was among the first soul albums to place heavy emphasis on political and social concerns such as environmentalism
, political corruption
, drug abuse
, and the Vietnam War
, in which Gaye's brother, Frankie Gaye
, had served for three years for the U.S. Army. However, after hearing a preliminary mix of the record, Berry Gordy was not offended by Gaye's embrace of countercultural politics, but was bothered by the album's format, which had each song leading to the next. This flow of sound was unconventional and not suited for radio airplay, conflicting with Gordy's main focus - the commercial aspect. The album's stylistic use of a song cycle
gave it a cohesive feel and led What's Going On to become known as the first soul music concept album
.
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. In addition, What's Going On received the highest ratings from several leading American
publications, 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. Upon release, Rolling Stone
magazine music critic Vince Aletti
praised What's Going On for its thematic approach towards social and political concerns, while also mentioning the surprise of Motown releasing such an album. In a review of the album and Stevie Wonder
's Where I'm Coming From
, Aletti wrote:
Later on, 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), as well as Robert Palmer's medley of "Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You
", among others. "Mercy Mercy Me" was featured as the b-side to The Strokes
' single "You Only Live Once".
What's Going On has been reissued on cassette tape and compact disc
as well. In 2001, a "Deluxe Edition" 2-CD version of the album was released by Motown, which included the original LP as released, the discarded "Detroit Mix" of the album, and the mono
45 rpm mixes of the singles. Also included was a recording of Gaye's first live concert performance after two years away from the stage following Tammi Terrell's illness and death, performed at The Kennedy Center Auditorium
in his native Washington, D.C.
, on June 1, 1972. In 2011, the "Super Deluxe Edition" of What's Going On released by Motown – the 40th anniversary edition.
voted it best album of all time. In 2004, the album's title track was ranked number 4 on Rolling Stones list of the 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". In 1997, What's Going On was named the 17th greatest album of all time in a Music of the Millennium poll
conducted in the United Kingdom
by HMV Group
, 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
. What's Going On was ranked #6 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, one of three Gaye albums to be included, preceded by 1973's Let's Get It On
(#165) and 1978's Here My Dear (#462). The album is Gaye's highest-ranking entry on the list, as well as several other publications' lists.
Side two
Disc two
s. At Metacritic
, which assigns a normalized
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
score of 100, based on nine reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".
Disc 2
LP (Original Detroit Mix – April 5, 1971)
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
musician Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, released May 21, 1971, on the Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place in June 1970 and March–May 1971 at Hitsville U.S.A.
Hitsville U.S.A.
"Hitsville U.S.A." is the nickname given to Motown's first headquarters. A former photographers' studio located at 2648 West Grand Boulevard in Detroit, Michigan, it was purchased by Motown founder Berry Gordy in 1959 and converted into both the record label's administrative building and recording...
, Golden World and United Sound Studios in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
and at The Sound Factory
The Sound Factory
The Sound Factory is a recording studio in Hollywood, California.The Sound Factory was built in the 1960s on Selma Avenue in Hollywood. At the time, it served as the home of Moonglow Records and the Moonglow Recording Studio...
in West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, California
West Hollywood, a city of Los Angeles County, California, was incorporated on November 29, 1984, with a population of 34,399 at the 2010 census. 41% of the city's population is made up of gay men according to a 2002 demographic analysis by Sara Kocher Consulting for the City of West Hollywood...
.
The first Marvin Gaye album credited as produced solely by the artist himself, What's Going On is a unified concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
consisting of nine songs, most of which lead into the next. It has also been categorized as a song cycle
Song cycle
A song cycle is a group of songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a single entity. As a rule, all of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet or lyricist. Unification can be achieved by a narrative or a persona common to the songs, or even, as in Schumann's...
, since the album ends on a reprise
Reprise
Reprise is a fundamental device in the history of art. In literature, a reprise consists of the rewriting of another work; in music, a reprise is the repetition or reiteration of the opening material later in a composition as occurs in the recapitulation of sonata form, though—originally in the...
to the album's opening theme
Theme (music)
In music, a theme is the material, usually a recognizable melody, upon which part or all of a composition is based.-Characteristics:A theme may be perceivable as a complete musical expression in itself, separate from the work in which it is found . In contrast to an idea or motif, a theme is...
. The album is told from the point of view of a Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
veteran returning to the country he had been fighting for, and seeing nothing but injustice, suffering and hatred.
What's Going On was the first album on which Motown Records
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
' main studio band, the group of session musician
Session musician
Session musicians are instrumental and vocal performers, musicians, who are available to work with others at live performances or recording sessions. Usually such musicians are not permanent members of a musical ensemble and often do not achieve fame in their own right as soloists or bandleaders...
s known as the Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers
The Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
, received an official credit. The album features introspective lyrics and socially-conscious themes about drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
, poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
. What's Going On was both an immediate commercial and critical success and has endured as a classic of early-1970s soul. A deluxe edition set of the album was released on February 27, 2001, and featured a rare live concert shot at Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
's Kennedy Center where the singer was given the key to the city.
In worldwide critics', artists' and public surveys, it has been voted 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
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
.
Background and recording
In late March 1970, Marvin Gaye had fallen into a deep depressionDepression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
following the death of his singing partner and fellow Motown artist Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell
Thomasina Winifred Montgomery, known as Tammi Terrell was an American singer-songwriter most notable for her association with Motown and her duets with Marvin Gaye. As a teenager she recorded for the Scepter–Wand, Try Me and Checker record labels. She signed with Motown in April 1965 and enjoyed...
, who had died of a brain tumor
Brain tumor
A brain tumor is an intracranial solid neoplasm, a tumor within the brain or the central spinal canal.Brain tumors include all tumors inside the cranium or in the central spinal canal...
earlier that month. Gaye refused to record or perform, going as far as to attempt an athletic career in football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
with the Detroit Lions
Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and...
of the NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. After an unsuccessful tryout for the team, Gaye came in contact with musician Al Cleveland
Al Cleveland
Al Cleveland is a former American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most popular co-compositions are 1967's "I Second That Emotion" performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and 1971's "What's Going On" performed by Marvin Gaye.Cleveland was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United...
and the Four Tops
Four Tops
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
' Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who were working on a politically conscious song called "What's Going On
What's Going On (song)
"What's Going On" is a song written by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye. It was the title track of Gaye's groundbreaking 1971 Motown album What's Going On, and it became a crossover hit single that reached #2 on the pop charts and #1 on the R&B charts...
". Gaye assisted Cleveland and Benson in completing the composition, and planned to produce the song as a recording for the Motown act The Originals
The Originals
The Originals were a successful Motown R&B and soul group during the late 1960s and the 1970s, most notable for the hits "Baby I'm For Real", "The Bells" and the disco classic, "Down to Love Town"...
. However, Cleveland and Benson persuaded Gaye to record the song himself.
In June 1970, Gaye recorded "What's Going On" and his own composition, "God Is Love
God Is Love (song)
"God is Love" is a 1970 song written by Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, James Nyx and Elgie Stover and recorded by Marvin for his What's Going On album. The song was a return of sorts to Gaye's religious background dedicating this song to God and his father, Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr. The song was...
", which further expanded his inclusion of his spirituality
Spirituality
Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or an alleged immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of his/her being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop...
in his music. Recording such material was a different direction for Gaye, who had previously performed and recorded radio-formatted and contemporary songs that were more representative of the Gordy-produced Motown Sound rather than politically or socially conscious music. When Gaye delivered the songs as the sides for his next 45-rpm
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
single
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
, his brother-in-law, Motown Records CEO Berry Gordy, Jr., objected to the material and refused to release the recordings. Though he had already permitted other Motown artists to record and release material that hinted at social and political themes – Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr
Edwin Starr was an American soul music singer. Starr is most famous for his Norman Whitfield produced singles of the 1970s, most notably the number one hit "War".-Biography:...
's "War", The Temptations
The Temptations
The Temptations is an American vocal group having achieved fame as one of the most successful acts to record for Motown Records. The group's repertoire has included, at various times during its five-decade career, R&B, doo-wop, funk, disco, soul, and adult contemporary music.Formed in Detroit,...
' "Ball of Confusion
Ball of Confusion (That's What the World is Today)
"Ball of Confusion " is a 1970 hit single for The Temptations. It was released on the Gordy label, and produced by Norman Whitfield....
", both released earlier in 1970, and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's "Heaven Help Us All
Heaven Help Us All
"Heaven Help Us All" is a 1970 soul single composed by Ron Miller and first performed by Motown singer Stevie Wonder. The song, which showcased a departure from Wonder's earlier works displaying an earthier, gospel-infused sound, continued Wonder's string of Top 10 singles on the pop charts...
", released later in the year – Gordy considered "What's Going On" far too political to be promoted on radio and too unusual compared with the popular music
Popular music
Popular music belongs to any of a number of musical genres "having wide appeal" and is typically distributed to large audiences through the music industry. It stands in contrast to both art music and traditional music, which are typically disseminated academically or orally to smaller, local...
sound of that time to be commercially successful. Gaye, however, stood his ground and continued to lobby his case to label executives and to Gordy, as he did not want to be bound by Gordy's or Motown's version of music.
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine, Marvin Gaye discussed what had shaped his view on more socially conscious themes in music and the conception of his eleventh full-length, non-duets studio album:
Gordy eventually gave in, certain that the record would flop. Upon its release in January 1971, "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
Joy to the World (Hoyt Axton song)
"Joy to the World" is a song written by Hoyt Axton, and made famous by the band Three Dog Night. The song is also popularly known by its opening words, "Jeremiah was a bullfrog"...
" by Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night
Three Dog Night is an American rock band best known for their music from 1968 to 1975. During that time the band charted 21 Billboard top 40 hits in America, three of which reached Number One...
retaining the top spot. After this success, Berry Gordy requested an entire accompanying album. 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
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
and some of his own songwriting. 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, with Gaye present, in Los Angeles.
Music
The content of What's Going On was that of a politically charged and deeply personal Motown album, and was notable for including elements of jazzJazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
and classical music instrumentation and arrangement
Arrangement
The American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
s. The record was among the first soul albums to place heavy emphasis on political and social concerns such as environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
, political corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
, drug abuse
Drug abuse
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive pattern of use of a substance that is not considered dependent. The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts...
, and the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, in which Gaye's brother, Frankie Gaye
Frankie Gaye
Frankie Gaye was a singer and the younger brother of the more famous singer Marvin Gaye. Born the son of minister Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr. and domestic Alberta Cooper in Washington, D.C., Frances watched as Marvin became a superstar...
, had served for three years for the U.S. Army. However, after hearing a preliminary mix of the record, Berry Gordy was not offended by Gaye's embrace of countercultural politics, but was bothered by the album's format, which had each song leading to the next. This flow of sound was unconventional and not suited for radio airplay, conflicting with Gordy's main focus - the commercial aspect. The album's stylistic use of a song cycle
Song cycle
A song cycle is a group of songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a single entity. As a rule, all of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet or lyricist. Unification can be achieved by a narrative or a persona common to the songs, or even, as in Schumann's...
gave it a cohesive feel and led What's Going On to become known as the first soul music concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
.
Initial reaction
The critical and commercial success of the album was immediate and significant. What's Going On remained on the Billboard Pop Album ChartsBillboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
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
Let's Get It On
Let's Get It On is the twelfth studio album by American soul musician Marvin Gaye, released August 28, 1973, on Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during June 1970 to July 1973 at Hitsville U.S.A. and Golden World Studio in Detroit, and at Hitsville West in Los Angeles...
in 1973. In addition, What's Going On received the highest ratings from several leading American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
publications, including Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
(who named it "Album of the Year"), The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, and Billboard, who gave it the Billboard Trend setter Award of 1971. Upon release, Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine music critic Vince Aletti
Vince Aletti
Vince Aletti is an American music journalist and photography critic.Vince Aletti was the first person to write about disco , writing a weekly column about disco for the music trade magazine Record World and reporting about early clubs like David Mancuso's Loft for The Village Voice in the late...
praised What's Going On for its thematic approach towards social and political concerns, while also mentioning the surprise of Motown releasing such an album. In a review of the album and Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
's Where I'm Coming From
Where I'm Coming From
Where I'm Coming From is the thirteenth studio album released by Grammy Award-winning American singer Stevie Wonder on the Motown label on April 12, 1971....
, Aletti wrote:
Later on, many artists from different musical genres covered songs from the album, most notably live recordings by Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...
("Wholy Holy" on Amazing Grace) and Donny Hathaway
Donny Hathaway
Donny Edward Hathaway was an American soul singer-songwriter and musician. Hathaway contracted with Atlantic Records in 1969 and with his first single for the Atco label, "The Ghetto, Part I" in early 1970, Rolling Stone magazine "marked him as a major new force in soul music."His collaborations...
("What's Going On" on Donny Hathaway Live), as well as Robert Palmer's medley of "Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You
I Want You (Marvin Gaye song)
-Background:Madonna recorded a cover version of "I Want You" with British trip-hop group Massive Attack for her ballads compilation album Something to Remember and the Marvin Gaye tribute album Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye in 1995...
", among others. "Mercy Mercy Me" was featured as the b-side to The Strokes
The Strokes
The Strokes are an American indie rock band formed in 1999 in New York City. Consisting of Julian Casablancas , Nick Valensi , Albert Hammond, Jr. , Nikolai Fraiture and Fabrizio Moretti ....
' single "You Only Live Once".
What's Going On has been reissued on cassette tape and compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
as well. In 2001, a "Deluxe Edition" 2-CD version of the album was released by Motown, which included the original LP as released, the discarded "Detroit Mix" of the album, and the mono
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
45 rpm mixes of the singles. Also included was a recording of Gaye's first live concert performance after two years away from the stage following Tammi Terrell's illness and death, performed at The Kennedy Center Auditorium
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is a performing arts center located on the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate complex in Washington, D.C...
in his native Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, on June 1, 1972. In 2011, the "Super Deluxe Edition" of What's Going On released by Motown – the 40th anniversary edition.
Accolades
In 1985, writers on British music weekly the NMENME
The New Musical Express is a popular music publication in the United Kingdom, published weekly since March 1952. It started as a music newspaper, and gradually moved toward a magazine format during the 1980s, changing from newsprint in 1998. It was the first British paper to include a singles...
voted it best album of all time. In 2004, the album's title track was ranked number 4 on Rolling Stones list of the 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". In 1997, What's Going On was named the 17th greatest album of all time in a Music of the Millennium poll
Opinion poll
An opinion poll, sometimes simply referred to as a poll is a survey of public opinion from a particular sample. Opinion polls are usually designed to represent the opinions of a population by conducting a series of questions and then extrapolating generalities in ratio or within confidence...
conducted in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
by HMV Group
HMV Group
HMV is a British global entertainment retail chain and is the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The company also operates in Hong Kong and Singapore. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE Fledgling Index...
, Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and Classic FM
Classic FM (UK)
Classic FM, one of the United Kingdom's three Independent National Radio stations, broadcasts classical music in a popular and accessible style.-Overview:...
. In 1998 Q magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
readers placed it at number 97, while in 2001 the TV network VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
placed it at number 4. In 2003, it was one of 50 recordings chosen that year by the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
to be added to the National Recording Registry
National Recording Registry
The National Recording Registry is a list of sound recordings that "are culturally, historically, or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States." The registry was established by the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, which created the National Recording...
. What's Going On was ranked #6 on Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, one of three Gaye albums to be included, preceded by 1973's Let's Get It On
Let's Get It On
Let's Get It On is the twelfth studio album by American soul musician Marvin Gaye, released August 28, 1973, on Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place during June 1970 to July 1973 at Hitsville U.S.A. and Golden World Studio in Detroit, and at Hitsville West in Los Angeles...
(#165) and 1978's Here My Dear (#462). The album is Gaye's highest-ranking entry on the list, as well as several other publications' lists.
Original LP
Side one- "What's Going OnWhat's Going On (song)"What's Going On" is a song written by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye. It was the title track of Gaye's groundbreaking 1971 Motown album What's Going On, and it became a crossover hit single that reached #2 on the pop charts and #1 on the R&B charts...
" (Al ClevelandAl ClevelandAl Cleveland is a former American songwriter for the Motown label. Among his most popular co-compositions are 1967's "I Second That Emotion" performed by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles and 1971's "What's Going On" performed by Marvin Gaye.Cleveland was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United...
, Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, Renaldo "Obie" Benson) – 3:53 - "What's Happening BrotherWhat's Happening Brother"What's Happening Brother" is a song written by James Nyx, Jr. and Marvin Gaye, produced by Gaye and issued on the soul singer's acclaimed 1971 album, What's Going On. The song started off the song cycle that began with a man returning home from fighting in the Vietnam War only to discover that his...
" (James Nyx, M. Gaye) – 2:43 - "Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)"Flyin' High " is a 1971 song co-written and produced by singer Marvin Gaye, later issued as the third track on Marvin's lauded What's Going On album...
" (M. Gaye, Anna Gordy GayeAnna Gordy GayeAnna Gordy Gaye is an American songwriter and composer, known as the elder sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy and the first wife of soul legend Marvin Gaye, who used their troubled marriage as the focal point of his critically acclaimed 1978 effort, Here, My Dear, an album from which Gordy...
, Elgie StoverElgie StoverElgie Stover 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 Gaye's songs from the singer's acclaimed 1971 album, What's Going On.Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio,...
) – 3:49 - "Save the ChildrenSave the Children (song)"Save the Children" is a 1971 song written by Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson and Marvin Gaye and issued on Marvin's 1971 album, What's Going On...
" (Cleveland, M. Gaye, Benson) – 4:03 - "God Is LoveGod Is Love (song)"God is Love" is a 1970 song written by Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, James Nyx and Elgie Stover and recorded by Marvin for his What's Going On album. The song was a return of sorts to Gaye's religious background dedicating this song to God and his father, Marvin Pentz Gay, Sr. The song was...
" (M. Gaye, A. Gaye, Stover, Nyx) – 1:41 - "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"Mercy Mercy Me " was the second single from Marvin Gaye's 1971 album, What's Going On. Following the breakthrough of the title track's success, the song, written solely by Gaye, became one of his most poignant anthems of sorrow regarding the environment...
" (M. Gaye) – 3:16
Side two
- "Right OnRight On (Marvin Gaye song)"Right On" is a 1971 song written by Earl DeRouen and Marvin Gaye and produced by Marvin, who issued the song on his landmark album, What's Going On...
" (Earl DeRouen, M. Gaye) – 7:31 - "Wholy HolyWholy Holy"Wholy Holy" is a 1971 song written by Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson and Marvin Gaye and issued by Marvin as the eighth track on his landmark album, What's Going On...
" (Benson, Cleveland, M. Gaye) – 3:08 - "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"Inner City Blues ", often shortened to "Inner City Blues", is a song by Marvin Gaye, released as the third and final single from and the climactic song of his 1971 landmark album, What's Going On...
" (M. Gaye, Nyx) – 5:26
2001 Deluxe Edition
Disc one (bonus tracks)- "What's Going On" (Detroit Mix) – 4:08
- "What's Happening Brother" (Detroit Mix) – 2:43
- "Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)" (Detroit Mix) – 3:49
- "Save the Children" (Detroit Mix) – 4:02
- "God Is Love" (Detroit Mix) – 1:47
- "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (Detroit Mix) – 3:08
- "Right On" (Detroit Mix) – 7:32
- "Wholy Holy" (Detroit Mix) – 3:08
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (Detroit Mix) – 5:46
- "What's Going On" (Rhythm 'n' Strings Mix) – 3:50
Disc two
- Sixties Medley (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 13:23
- "That's The Way Love Is" / "You" / "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" / "Little Darling (I Need You)" / "You’re All I Need To Get By" / "Ain’t Nothing Like The Real Thing" / "Your Precious Love" / "Pride And Joy" / "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow"
- "Right On" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 7:33
- "Wholy Holy" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 3:32
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 9:06
- "What's Going On" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 5:42
- "What's Happening Brother" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 2:54
- "Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 3:51
- "Save The Children" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 4:22
- "God Is Love" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 1:43
- "Stage Dialogue" (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 2:34
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (Reprise) (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 5:12
- "What's Going On" (Reprise) (Live At The Kennedy Center) – 4:07
- "What's Going On" (Single Version) – 3:56
- "God Is Love" (Single Version) – 2:56
- "Sad Tomorrows" – 2:27
- "Head Title (AKA "Distant Lover")" – 4:07
2002 remaster
- "God Is Love" (Single Version) – 2:48
- "Sad Tomorrows" – 2:22
2011 Super Deluxe Edition
What's Going On was reissued and remastered in a deluxe edition with 28 additional tracks. It was released on May 31, 2011 and received general acclaim from music criticMusic criticism
See also Music journalism for reporting on classical and popular music in the media.The Oxford Companion to Music defines music criticism as 'the intellectual activity of formulating judgments on the value and degree of excellence of individual works of music, or whole groups or genres'. In this...
s. At Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which assigns a normalized
Standard score
In statistics, a standard score indicates how many standard deviations an observation or datum is above or below the mean. It is a dimensionless quantity derived by subtracting the population mean from an individual raw score and then dividing the difference by the population standard deviation...
rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average
Weighted mean
The weighted mean is similar to an arithmetic mean , where instead of each of the data points contributing equally to the final average, some data points contribute more than others...
score of 100, based on nine reviews, which indicates "universal acclaim".
- What’s Going On (Original Rejected Single Mix)
- Head Title (Distant Lover) (Demo)
- Symphony (Demo)
- I Love the Ground You Walk On (Instrumental)
- What’s Going On (Mono Single Version)
- God is Love (Mono Single Version)
- Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (Mono Single Version)
- Sad Tomorrows (Mono Single Version)
- Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (Mono Single Version)
- Wholly Holy (Mono Single Version)
Disc 2
- Checking Out (Double Clutch)
- Chained
- Country Stud
- Help the People
- Running from Love (Version 1)
- Daybreak
- Doing My Thing
- T Stands for Time
- Jesus is Our Love Song
- Funky Nation
- Infinity
- Mandota (Instrumental)
- Struttin’ the Blues
- Running from Love (Version 2 with Strings)
- I’m Going Home (Move)
- You’re the Man (Parts I & II)
- You’re the Man (Alternate Version 1)
- You’re the Man (Alternate Version 2)
LP (Original Detroit Mix – April 5, 1971)
- "What's Going On" (Detroit Mix) – 4:08
- "What's Happening Brother" (Detroit Mix) – 2:43
- "Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)" (Detroit Mix) – 3:49
- "Save the Children" (Detroit Mix) – 4:02
- "God Is Love" (Detroit Mix) – 1:47
- "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (Detroit Mix) – 3:08
- "Right On" (Detroit Mix) – 7:32
- "Wholy Holy" (Detroit Mix) – 3:08
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (Detroit Mix) – 5:46
Personnel
- All lead vocals by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
- Produced by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
- Members of the Detroit Symphony OrchestraDetroit Symphony OrchestraThe Detroit Symphony Orchestra is an American orchestra based in Detroit, Michigan. Its main performance center is Orchestra Hall at the Max M. Fisher Music Center in Detroit's Midtown neighborhood...
Conducted and Arranged by David Van De PitteDavid Van De PitteDavid J. Van De Pitte was an American music arranger and bass player. He is best known for his work at Motown Records during the 1960s and early 1970s, when he was responsible for arranging many of the best known and most successful of the company's records, including those by Marvin Gaye, The... - Background Voices:
- Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
- The AndantesThe AndantesThe Andantes were a prolific female sessions group for the Motown record label during the 1960s. Composed of Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps, the group sang background vocals on numerous Motown recordings, including songs by Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, The Temptations, Stevie...
(Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow, and Louvain Demps) - Mel FarrMel FarrMelvin Farr is a former American football player.-Early life:As a youth, Farr played football, baseball, track and basketball. He graduated from Hebert High School in 1963, where he lettered in football, basketball, baseball, and track...
and Lem BarneyLem BarneyLemuel Joseph "Lem" Barney is a former American Football cornerback who played for the Detroit Lions. He was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1992.-College years:...
of the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... - Bobby RogersBobby RogersBobby Rogers is an American soul singer and songwriter, notable as a member of Motown Records' first signed act and first million selling group The Miracles from 1956 to present. He is also the grandfather of R&B singer Brandi Williams from R&B girl group Blaque-Life:Rogers is the son of the late...
of The MiraclesThe MiraclesThe Miracles are an American rhythm and blues group from Detroit, Michigan, notable as the first successful group act for Berry Gordy's Motown Record Corporation . Their single "Shop Around" was Motown's first million-selling hit record, and the group went on to become one of Motown's signature... - Elgie StoverElgie StoverElgie Stover 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 Gaye's songs from the singer's acclaimed 1971 album, What's Going On.Growing up in Cleveland, Ohio,...
- Kenneth StoverKenneth StoverKenneth Stover is an American former Motown songwriter, producer and singer, most notably known for contributing background vocals on Marvin Gaye's 1971 album, What's Going On, and for writing the first draft of Gaye's 1973 single, "Let's Get It On".Alongside his brother, Elgie Stover, after...
- Marvin Gaye
- StringsStrings (music)A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
, Woodwinds and Brass- Gordon StaplesGordon StaplesGordon Staples is an American violinist and past concertmaster for the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. He is known for his work as a leader and conductor of the string section on recording sessions for Motown Records during their heyday in the 1960s...
, Zinovi Bistritzky, Beatriz Budinzky, Richard Margitza, Virginia Halfmann, Felix Resnick, Alvin Score, Lillian Downs, James Waring – violins - Edouard Kesner, Meyer Shapiro, David Ireland, Nathan Gordon – violas
- Italo Babini, Thaddeus Markiewicz, Edward Korkigan – cellos
- Max Janowsky – double bassDouble bassThe double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
- Carole Crosby – harpHarpThe harp is a multi-stringed instrument which has the plane of its strings positioned perpendicularly to the soundboard. Organologically, it is in the general category of chordophones and has its own sub category . All harps have a neck, resonator and strings...
- Dayna Hardwick, William Perich – flutes
- Larry Nozero, Angelo Carlisi, George Benson, Tate Houston – saxophones
- John Trudell, Maurice Davis – trumpets
- Carl Raetz – tromboneTromboneThe trombone is a musical instrument in the brass family. Like all brass instruments, sound is produced when the player’s vibrating lips cause the air column inside the instrument to vibrate...
- Gordon Staples
- Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...
and Solo Horns- Eli Fountain – alto saxophoneAlto saxophoneThe alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in 1841. It is smaller than the tenor but larger than the soprano, and is the type most used in classical compositions...
- Wild Bill MooreWild Bill MooreWilliam M. Moore , known as Wild Bill Moore, was an American jazz and R&B tenor saxophone player....
– tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble... - Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
– pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, box drum "What's Going On" - Johnny Griffith – celesteCeleste- People :* Celeste Holm , US actress* Madame Céleste , French dancer and actress* Celeste , American former pornographic actress* Dick Celeste , governor of Ohio from 1983 to 1991...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Earl Van DykeEarl Van DykeEarl Van Dyke was an African American musician, most notable as the main keyboardist for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Van Dyke was preceded as keyboardist and bandleader of the Funk Brothers by Joe Hunter...
– keyboards - Jack BrokenshaJack BrokenshaJohn Joseph "Jack" Brokensha was an Australian-born American jazz vibraphonist.Brokensha was born in Nailsworth, Adelaide, South Australia. He studied percussion under his father, and played xylophone in vaudeville shows and on radio...
– vibraphoneVibraphoneThe vibraphone, sometimes called the vibraharp or simply the vibes, is a musical instrument in the struck idiophone subfamily of the percussion family....
, percussion - Joe MessinaJoe MessinaJoe Messina is an American guitarist. Dubbed the "white brother with soul", Messina was one of the most prolific guitarists in Motown Records' in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers....
, Robert WhiteRobert White (guitarist)Robert Willie White was an African-American musician. Of note for being one of the main guitarists for Motown Records' in-house studio band, the Funk Brothers, White is best known for performing the familiar guitar riff on The Temptations' number-one hit single "My Girl", but played the guitar on...
– electric guitarsElectric GuitarsElectric Guitars were formed early in 1980 by Neil Davenport and Richard Hall who were both studying English at Bristol University. The band soon increased to a five-man line-up, with Andy Saunders , Matt Salt and Dick Truscott , they also later added two backing singers: Sara and Wendy... - James JamersonJames JamersonJames Lee Jamerson was an American bass player. He was the uncredited bassist on most of Motown Records' hits in the 1960s and early 1970s , and he is now regarded as one of the most influential bass players in modern music history...
– bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
"What's Going On," "What's Happening Brother," "Flyin' High," "Save the Children," "God Is Love," and the b-side "Sad Tomorrows" - Bob BabbittBob BabbittBob Babbitt is an American bassist, most famous for his work as a member of Motown Records' studio band, the Funk Brothers, from 1966–1972, as well as his tenure as part of MFSB for Philadelphia International Records afterwards. Also in 1968-1970, with Mike Campbell, Ray Monette and Andrew Smith...
– bass guitar "Mercy, Mercy Me," "Right On," "Wholly Holy," and "Inner City Blues" - Chet Forest – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Jack AshfordJack AshfordJack Ashford , known to his friends as Jashford, is an African-American musician, widely known as the percussionist for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. Ashford is most famous for playing the tambourine on hundreds of Motown recordings...
– tambourineTambourineThe tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
, percussion - Eddie "Bongo" Brown – bongosBongo drumBongo or bongos are a Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of single-headed, open-ended drums attached to each other. The drums are of different size: the larger drum is called in Spanish the hembra and the smaller the macho...
, congaCongaThe conga, or more properly the tumbadora, is a tall, narrow, single-headed Cuban drum with African antecedents. It is thought to be derived from the Makuta drums or similar drums associated with Afro-Cubans of Central African descent. A person who plays conga is called a conguero...
s - Earl DeRouen – bongos, congas
- Bobbye HallBobbye HallBobbye Jean Hall Porter is an American percussionist who has recorded with a variety of rock, soul, blues and jazz artists, and has appeared on 22 songs that reached the top ten in the Billboard Hot 100, six of those reaching #1.-Early career:...
– bongos "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"
- Eli Fountain – alto saxophone
- Katherine Marking – graphic designGraphic designGraphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
- Alana Coghlan – graphic design
- John Matousek – mastering
- James Hendin – Photography
- Curtis McNair – Art Direction
Album
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| What's Going On |
|
Singles
| Title | Information |
|---|---|
| "What's Going On What's Going On (song) "What's Going On" is a song written by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye. It was the title track of Gaye's groundbreaking 1971 Motown album What's Going On, and it became a crossover hit single that reached #2 on the pop charts and #1 on the R&B charts... " |
|
| "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) "Mercy Mercy Me " was the second single from Marvin Gaye's 1971 album, What's Going On. Following the breakthrough of the title track's success, the song, written solely by Gaye, became one of his most poignant anthems of sorrow regarding the environment... " |
Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky) "Flyin' High " is a 1971 song co-written and produced by singer Marvin Gaye, later issued as the third track on Marvin's lauded What's Going On album... ") |
| "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) "Inner City Blues ", often shortened to "Inner City Blues", is a song by Marvin Gaye, released as the third and final single from and the climactic song of his 1971 landmark album, What's Going On... " |
Wholy Holy "Wholy Holy" is a 1971 song written by Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson and Marvin Gaye and issued by Marvin as the eighth track on his landmark album, What's Going On... " |
External links
- What's Going On at Acclaimed Music
- What's Going On at DiscogsDiscogsDiscogs, short for discographies, is a website and database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. The Discogs servers, currently hosted under the domain name discogs.com, are owned by Zink Media, Inc., and are...
- Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On': Songs We Love at NPRNPRNPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...