Marvin Gaye's What's Going On

Marvin Gaye's What's Going On
Name	What's Going On
Type	studio
Artist	Marvin Gaye
Released	May 21, 1971
Recorded	1970–1971
Studio	Hitsville U.S.A., Motown Studios, Detroit; Golden World, Detroit; Record Plant, Los Angeles
Genre	Soul, R&B, jazz, orchestral pop
Length	34:38
Label	Tamla (Motown)
Producer	Marvin Gaye, Hal Davis (single sessions)

Marvin Gaye's What's Going On is a 1971 studio album by Marvin Gaye that reoriented Motown Records toward socially conscious soul music and expanded the scope of popular album-making. Conceived amid the Vietnam War, the Black Panther Party, and urban unrest such as the 1967 Detroit riot, the album fused intimate vocal performances with orchestral arrangements and jazz-inflected production. It became a commercial success for Tamla Records and is frequently cited alongside albums like Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Pet Sounds for its conceptual coherence.

Background and conception

Gaye developed the project after returning from a European tour and learning of the death of Tammi Terrell and the experiences of Marvin Gaye II—errands and personal tragedies influenced his perspective—while conversations with Renaldo "Obie" Benson of The Four Tops about witnessing police brutality further shaped the work. The cultural milieu included the Civil Rights Movement, the Black Power movement, protests against the Vietnam War, and events such as the 1968 Democratic National Convention, all alongside developments at Motown Records under founder Berry Gordy. Gaye's previous albums, including I Heard It Through the Grapevine (album) and singles like I Heard It Through the Grapevine (song), contrasted with his desire to address social issues after encounters with activists and artists including Nina Simone, Curtis Mayfield, Sly Stone, and contemporaries at Stax Records.

Recording and production

Sessions occurred at Hitsville U.S.A. and the Record Plant (Los Angeles), with contributions from the in-house group of session musicians known as the Funk Brothers and arrangers such as David Van De Pitte and Eddie Kendricks-era collaborators. Gaye assumed production control, negotiating with Berry Gordy to release the album and self-producing in a manner akin to producers like Brian Wilson and George Martin. Recording techniques married multi-tracking and live orchestration; engineers who worked on sessions had experience with projects by Smokey Robinson and Stevie Wonder. Guest musicians included members associated with The Temptations, The Four Tops, and backing vocalists from The Waters (session singers). Arrangements drew on influences from John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Gil Evans while maintaining ties to the songwriting craftsmanship of Holland–Dozier–Holland.

Musical style and themes

The album blends soul music, orchestral pop, and jazz, emphasizing extended song cycles, interludes, and meditative spoken-word passages reminiscent of works by Marvin Gaye's peers such as Donny Hathaway and Bill Withers. Lyrical themes engage with the Vietnam War, police brutality, poverty in cities like Detroit, environmental concern linked to movements inspired by Rachel Carson and protests influenced by Jane Fonda, and spiritual longing echoing Gospel music traditions exemplified by Aretha Franklin and Gospel Choir arrangements. Tracks employ modal harmonies and lush string charts that reflect composers like Henry Mancini and arrangers such as Quincy Jones, while vocal phrasing recalls influences from Sam Cooke, Nina Simone, and Ray Charles.

Release and commercial performance

After initial resistance from Berry Gordy, singles including the title track were released on Tamla Records, and the album debuted during a period when albums such as Led Zeppelin II and Tapestry were reshaping popular consumption. The record reached high positions on the Billboard 200 and the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, earning certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America and sustained radio play on WBLS, WNEW, and other influential stations. Internationally, markets in the United Kingdom, France, and Japan embraced the album, prompting tours and television appearances on programs akin to Soul Train and The Ed Sullivan Show.

Critical reception and legacy

Contemporary reviews from outlets like Rolling Stone, The New York Times, and Melody Maker praised the album's ambition and Gaye's vocal control, while some industry executives compared its concept to projects by James Brown and Curtis Mayfield. Over subsequent decades, the album has appeared on lists compiled by institutions such as the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, National Recording Registry, and publications like NME and Pitchfork, often ranked alongside canonical works by The Beatles, Bob Dylan, and Marvin Gaye's contemporaries Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye-era peers. Scholars in musicology and cultural studies reference the album in analyses of African American popular music, protest music, and the evolution of artistic autonomy at corporate labels such as Motown Records.

Influence and cultural impact

The album influenced artists across genres, cited by performers like Prince, Michael Jackson, Kendrick Lamar, Alicia Keys, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, D'Angelo, Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, Beyoncé, Frank Ocean, Solange Knowles, Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z, Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Public Enemy, The Roots, Sade, Billie Holiday-inspired vocalists, and producers who reference its suite-like sequencing. Its thematic integration of social commentary affected albums such as What's Going On-era successors and later concept works by Marvin Gaye-influenced artists including Curtis Mayfield and Stevie Wonder (Songs in the Key of Life). The record is frequently evoked in film soundtracks, documentaries on the Civil Rights Movement and Vietnam War, and used in academic curricula at institutions like Harvard University, Berklee College of Music, and the University of Michigan.

Personnel and track listing

Personnel included Marvin Gaye (vocals, production), members of the Funk Brothers (bass, drums, guitar, keyboards), arrangers such as David Van De Pitte, engineers from Hitsville U.S.A., and backing vocalists drawn from Detroit and Los Angeles session circles that worked with Smokey Robinson and The Temptations. Track listing (original LP): 1. "What's Going On" – lead vocal 2. "What's Happening Brother" – lead vocal 3. "Everybody Needs Love" – lead vocal 4. "Wholy Holy" – lead vocal 5. "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" – lead vocal 6. "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" – lead vocal

Category:1971 albums Category:Marvin Gaye albums