Marvin Gaye 'What's Going On' at 50
Regarded as one of the best albums of all time, we reflect on Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' as it turns 50
Last updated 20th May 2021
Remarkably, Marvin Gaye's pioneering work 'What's Going On' has turned 50. The 1971 record’s cultural and musical significance is hard to fathom - it acts as a treasure trove of social commentary, whilst melding progressive and psychedelic soul, all wrapped under a stylistic cyclical form.
For its 50th anniversary, we decided to take a look at what is behind this musical masterpiece...
Marvin Gaye before 'What's Going On'
Starting his career in the vocal doo-wop group The Marquees, Marvin Gaye was picked up by record producer Berry Gordy at a young age, signing him to Motown's sister label Tamla Records in 1960.
After little success in his first outings with the label, Gaye worked as a session drummer for Motown/Tamla as well as penning songs for the label's other acts.
Following success in writing several songs for the Motown and Tamla, Gaye found his first solo triumphs by 1962, leading him to team up with the likes of Mary Wells, Kim Weston and Tammi Terrell, with whom he recorded and released 'Ain't No Mountain high Enough' in 1967.
His first chart-topping solo hit was in 1968 with the classic 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine', which was followed by a string of other hits including 'That's The Way Love Is' and 'Too Busy Thinking About My Baby', preceding his first number 1 album in the R&B charts, M.P.G., in 1969.
Despite this swelling success during the closing stages of the 1960s into the early 1970s, Gaye shied away from the spotlight with personal problems. Gaye's marriage with Anna Gordy was facing difficulties and he struggled emotionally with the death of Tammi Terrell. At this juncture, he was afflicted by a growing dependency on drugs, bouts of depression and he was reported to have even attempted to take his own life. Due to these reasons, Gaye retreated from performing live in 1970, the year before he made 'What's Going On'.
What is 'What's Going On' about?
At its core, 'What's Going On' is inspired and written from the perspective of a Vietnam War veteran commenting on society, touching upon themes of social isolation, love, forgiveness, redemption, civil unrest, drug abuse and ecological woes.
In the late 1960s, the United States was at the height of its involvement in the Vietnam War. Marvin Gaye's brother, Frankie, had returned from the conflict in 1967, after a three-year spell, and was disenchanted upon his return to the U.S, something which affected Marvin deeply.
A concoction of unhappiness, mixed by sentiments against the Vietnam war, ongoing racial tensions, social depravation and the state of the environment fed into Gaye and his contemporaries' outlook on the world around the creation of 'What's Going On'.
How did 'What's Going On'__ come to fruition?
After witnessing "Bloody Thursday" in 1969 - an act of police brutality in Berklee, California, against anti-war protestors - Renaldo "Obie" Benson of the vocal quartet the Four Tops penned a song as a disgustful response to the violence he witnessed. This song became the first version of 'What's Going On'. Whilst Benson's fellow Four Tops turned down the song, as they saw it as out-of-character compared to their other work, Benson offered the piece to his friend Gaye.
After some consideration, the pair came to an agreement and Gaye went on to write the lyrics and develop the song into what we know as 'What's Going On'.
Gaye and Benson went on to record the song, with the intent of releasing it as a single, but Berry Gordy initially thought it would tank commercially due to its political themes. However, Gaye stood by the song, refusing to record any more material for the label until it was released.
After an impasse between Gordy and Gaye, 'What's Going On' was eventually released in January of 1971 and was met with widespread commercial success - it became the best and fastest-selling Motown/Tamla single to date.
The success of the single strengthened Gaye's desire to record the full album, which was made across just 10 days in March 1971, before its release on the 21st of May.
The making of 'What's Going On'
Despite having worked with each other for best part of a decade, Berry Gordy and Marvin Gaye had a fractious relationship when it came to Gaye's musical direction.
Prior to the release of 'What's Going On', Motown and Tamla had not delved into making and releasing politically charged music. Furthermore, Gordy had never handed over the full artistic reigns to his acts before 'What's Going On'. Therefore, the album was a huge gamble for Gordy. This decision marked a shift in the direction of the label, one which empowered Gaye as an artist, songwriter and producer as he gained creative control.
What's Going On was also an artistic loosening for The Funk Brothers - a group of musicians who recorded for Motown records. Normally, the group were given strict musical directions in Motown, but Gaye allowed them here to branch out and flow musically - swooning, screaming, hollering, howling and grooving throughout the record.
From the opening moments of the album, the lyrics set the tone of this introspective work, reflecting on the harrowing effects of a United States at war and high unemployment rates. Throughout the record, we see the conveyance of frustration and commentary on social ills, including police brutality, racial discrimination, as well as the abuse of the environment. However, despite the dark messaging, there are shades of hope through social cohesion, spirituality, love and redemption.
Characterised by passionate multi-tracked vocals, psychedelic soul, jazzy riffs and sweeping orchestral strings, the musical orientation is notably different from Gaye's previous work. Not only is it a concept album, but it also features an, arguably revolutionary, overarching cyclical song form that effortlessly dissolves from one track into the next, with recurring melodic motifs and lyrical phrases.
What's Going On signified a change in Marvin's life and music. Scarred by the world which surrounded him, he was no longer the clean-cut man he once was. Instead, Marvin Gaye had become a disillusioned man who wanted to express a message.
The legacy of 'What's Going On'
Even in 1971, the work was a huge success. Not only had the single release of 'What's Going On' convinced Berry Gordy to create the full album, each of the singles released before the full album release saw immediate commercial and critical success - 'Mercy, Mercy Me' and 'Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)'.
After its release, 'What's Going On' remained in the US charts for 58 weeks. The album clearly tapped into the sentiment of the times, being received with open arms and raised fists.
Even 50 years after its release, 'What's Going On' is enduringly powerful, insightful and moving. Unfortunately, many of its messages still resonate today. Both socially and musically, it's difficult not to see why this is considered one of the masterpieces of 20th-century soul, as well as one of the greatest albums ever made.
Take a look at some of our favourite Motown artists, including Marvin Gaye:
Marvin Gaye
Before becoming a successful solo artist, Marvin Gaye worked behind the scenes with some of the biggest artists already signed to Motown Records and was a session drummer for the likes of The Supremes, Little Stevie Wonder and Martha and the Vandellas.
He scored solo recognition with his first Top 40 solo single in 1962 called 'Hitch Hike' before enjoying success with singles like 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', 'Can I Get A Witness?' and landmark record 'What's Going On' in 1970. In the same year, his singing partner Tammi Terrell, who he sang with on hit 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough' tragically passed away with a brain tumour. He swore he would never duet with a female vocalist again and even threatened to abandon his career on stage for good.
Tammi Terrell
Tammi Terrell was a hugely talented singer and star of Motown during the 1960s. She is most famous for her fantastic duets with Marvin Gaye, with whom she achieved seven Top 40 singles in the US, including 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough'. Tragically, her blossoming career was cut short, when she fell into the arms of Marvin Gaye as they performed a concert in October 1967 and was later diagnosed with a brain tumour. After eight unsuccessful surgeries, she sadly died in March 1970, aged 24.
The Supremes
Diana Ross, Mary Wilson and Florence Ballard helped pave the way for other black and female artists to strive for mainstream success. In the mid 60s, the trio's popularity rivalled that of The Beatles, with huge hits including 'Baby Love', 'You Can't Hurry Love' and 'Stop! In the Name of Love' storming the charts backed by legendary songwriting team Holland-Dozier-Holland. In 1967, Cindy Birdsong replaced Florence Ballard and in 1970, with the group now known as Diana Ross & the Supremes, Diana herself left to pursue a solo career!
The Four Tops
The Four Tops seemed a rarity in the world of Motown. Levi Stubbs, Renaldo 'Obie' Benson, Abdul 'Duke' Fakir and Lawrence Payton remained together for four decades. The quartet from Detroit also worked with songwriters and production trio Holland-Dozier-Holland and scored hugely popular singles including 'I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)' and 'Reach Out I'll Be There'. As Motown Records moved from Detroit to Los Angeles and started to focus more on their younger acts rather than established groups like The Four Tops, the quartet remained in the motor city and continued to make music with other labels.
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 originated in Gary, Indiana made up of members of the Jackson family. Father and talent manager Joe Jackson founded the pop group, consisting of brothers Jackie, Tito, Jermaine with younger brothers Marlon and Michael Jackson joining soon after. They signed to Motown after leaving Steeltown Records in 1968 and success soon followed. They enjoyed four consecutive US Number 1 hits on their debut, with songs 'I Want You Back', 'ABC', 'The Love You Save' and 'I'll Be There'.
Stevie Wonder
Motown boss Berry Gordy signed Stevie Wonder at the age of 11, describing the blind singer, songwriter and producer as a child prodigy. When Stevie Wonder released his single 'Fingertips' in 1963, he became the youngest artist ever to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US, at the age of 13. He went on to produce incredible hits like 'Superstition', 'Sir Duke' and 'I Just Called To Say I Love You', which have all solidified him as one of the best-selling artists of all time. He has won 25 Grammy Awards and has been nominated 74 times.
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas
Martha Reeves and the Vandellas was a pop girl group founded by friends Annette Beard, Rosalind Ashford and Gloria Williams in Detroit in 1957. Gloria Williams left the group in 1962 and was replaced by lead vocalist Martha Reeves. Their hits included 'Heat Wave', 'Nowhere to Run' and 'Dancing in the Street, which was later covered by David Bowie and Mick Jagger in 1985.
The Temptations
Like Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, The Temptations hailed from Detroit, Michigan. They were famous for their harmonies and dance moves, helping to bring psychedelic soul music to the mainstream. Their classic songs like 'My Girl' and 'Papa Was A Rollin' Stone' made them one of Motown's biggest selling groups of the 60s and 70s. They were also the first group to bag Motown a Grammy Award with their song 'Cloud Nine' in 1969.
Smokey Robinson and The Miracles
Smokey Robinson founded group the Miracles in 1955 and became one of the first acts signed to Motown. Their 1960 hit 'Shop Around' was the label's first million-selling record and they went on to dominate the charts with songs like 'Tears of a Clown' and 'You've Really Got a Hold on Me'.
The Commodores
In the 1970s, funk and soul group The Commodores were the opening act for Motown heavyweights The Jackson 5. With Lionel Richie as their lead vocalist, the group caught the attention of Motown and reached their peak in the late 70s and early 80s, scoring hits like 'Easy' and 'Three Times A Lady'. Lionel Richie went on to enjoy a hugely successful solo career.
Now read:
10 of our favourite Motown Records artists 🎶
Motown legend Diana Ross' most iconic songs of all time