Reviews
MARVIN GAYE - What’s Going On (1971)
Released on TamlaAdded Sunday, January 31, 2010
What’s Going On was the seminal moment in Marvin Gaye’s career. By the late 1960s he became disillusioned with the Motown hit factory that had started his career. After some hard fought battles with Barry Gordy, he was able to fashion his own music and lyrics into a concept album unheard of before on the label, which became his masterpiece What’s Going On. The sweet melody of the opening track leads into Gaye’s thoughts on the changes and troubles of the 60s such as the civil rights movement, counterculture, and Vietnam War. The similar sounding What’s Happening Brother, the lush Flying High, Save The Children and God Is Love, and ending with Mercy Mercy follow that. All of those elements come together on Right On with some nice percussion in the background. The album is topped off by Inner City Blues, one of Gaye’s funkiest, yet subtle songs with its walking bass line.