At any protest or march you might participate in, you will see a sign that says some version of, ' I can't believe I have to protest the same shit, AGAIN'. Marvin is timeless.
Marvin Gaye a Genius at work!! His lyrics was straight fire 🔥🔥🔥 Classic Song!! Relevant today 2020-2021!!! Police Brutality!! RACISM!!! Division!!! Marvin was all about heart and soul!! That silhouette voice and that Congo sound!! Listen to “ Mercy Mercy Me!!!
Smooth, deep, moving, soulful, spiritual, beautiful, meaningful. Those are just a few words that come to mind when I listen to this great song. It came out in 1971 which was my senior year of high school. It was when the military was drafting young men to go fight in the Vietnam War. This song brings me back to that time. It’s so sad that Marvin’s life came to an end much too soon. He was one of a kind. May he RIP.
Its really great you young ones get to hear the REALLY GREAT SINGERS of ALL TKME. You should of seen MARVIN in PERSON. I saw him in 1970. When he was getting started.🤗🤗🤗
My Favorite Marvin Gaye song brings memories of the late 60’s early 70 when music had a society message with it . Listen to words that are deep fill with a message that explained how we were living back In those days
One of the greatest albums ever made. It's hard to believe that Marvin had to fight to get it released because Berry Gordy thought it was too controversial. He was wrong as he later admitted. It opened the door for others like Stevie Wonder & The Temptations to release their own socially conscious masterpieces.
I am a 61 yr old white woman, and I knew what and why Marvin was asking in 1971.."What's Going On". I saw it, on the news, from the late 60's into the 70's, and here I am again...having to relive the civil unrest of the 60's in MY 60's. It makes me very sad. We aren't supposed to be in this place again. I guess it never really went away. Marvin knew it too...
Never mind the song... the album from start to finish is the greatest album EVER! This is 60 minutes of sheer bliss. (Closely followed by Stevie Wonders Inervisions)
Great job Sir! It's as timely today as it ever was. I highly recommend sitting down and listening to the album from start to finish. It's in a word, sublime!
Preach! Love watching younger people experience the music I grew up with. It is sad how things remain the same. Dialogue parts 1 and 2 by Chicago is the same still relevant and needed 50 years later
SIR, YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO SEE MARVIN SING THIS FROM " MOTOWN 25 " , FROM '83. IT WAS HIS FINAL APPEARANCE EVER, & THIS IS THE SONG HE SANG. I WAS IN TEARS, WATCHING HIM, BECAUSE I WAS REMEMBERING WHEN WE WERE ALL SO MUCH YOUNGER, PLAYING HOOPS AT THE INGLEWOOD YMCA, & MARVIN WOULD BE THERE ! ------------THOSE YEARS, '70 THROUGH ''74, WERE SOME OF THE BEST, OF MY LIFE. AND " WHAT'S GOIN ON ? " , FIT THOSE TIMES, PERFECTLY. RIP, MARVIN GAYE, BROTHER, YOUR MUSIC, IS 4-EVER. ------------------MJL, 75 Y/O
The song is about the social injustice and anti-war protest of the late 1960s & early 70's. The verse we don't need to escalate is a reference to Nixon's expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and increased bombing of North Vietnam. Marvin Gaye was deeply affected by the stories his brother had shared with him about the war when he returned from serving.
Congratulations on hitting over 2.00 K subscribers. I recently learned that Marvin Gaye's album What's Going On is a concept album where the songs move from one song to another. I listened to the whole album the other day thanks to Spotify.
Without doubt Marvin's best album. Period! Marvin was the biggest star of Motown always performing with a shaved face, a tuxedo. By the end of the '60s Marvin became aware of all the injustice in the society. Black people were still regarded as second grade humans. His brother was in Vietnam and when he got back the authorities didn't care much for them. So eventually Marvin kinda had enough and went into the office of Berry Gordy, founder and CEO of Motown, and told him about this concept album. Berry more or less freaked out and said no way!! He couldn't see any commercial value in the project. Marvin refused to give in and said to Berry "either you let me do this album or i have made my last album for Motown!" When facing the fact he could lose his biggest star Berry gave in. Besides at this time Marvin was married to Berry's sister so you gotta keep the family happy. This was also the first album Motown gave the musicians creds officially.
I found this on Wiki, and I thought you might be interested in it: Originally inspired by a police brutality incident witnessed by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, the song was composed by Benson, Al Cleveland, and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself. The song's inspiration came from Renaldo "Obie" Benson, a member of the Motown vocal group the Four Tops, after he and the group's tour bus arrived at Berkeley on May 15, 1969. While there, Benson witnessed police brutality and violence in the city's People's Park during a protest held by anti-war activists in what was hailed later as "Bloody Thursday". Upset by the situation, Benson said to author Ben Edmonds that as he saw this, he asked, "'What is happening here?' One question led to another. Why are they sending kids so far away from their families overseas? Why are they attacking their own children in the streets?" Upset, he discussed what he witnessed with friend and songwriter Al Cleveland, who in turn wrote and composed a song to reflect Benson's concerns. Benson wanted to give the song to his group but the other Four Tops turned down the request. "My partners told me it was a protest song", Benson said later, "I said 'no man, it's a love song, about love and understanding. I'm not protesting, I want to know what's going on.'" In 1970, Benson presented the untitled song to Marvin Gaye, who added a new melody and revised the song to his liking, adding in his own lyrics. Benson later said Gaye tweaked and enriched the song, "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem like a story than a song... we measured him for the suit and he tailored the hell out of it." Gaye titled it "What's Going On". When Gaye initially thought the song's moody feel would be appropriate to be recorded by The Originals, Benson convinced Gaye to record it as his own song. Gaye, himself, had been inspired by social ills committed in the United States, citing the 1965 Watts riots as a turning point in his life in which he asked himself, "'With the world exploding around me, how am I supposed to keep singing love songs?'" Gaye was also influenced by emotional conversations shared between him and his brother Frankie, who had returned from three years of service at the Vietnam War and his namesake cousin's death while serving troops.
My second favorite song of all time since it came out. I would be singing it as I walked home from school. Timeless. I pulled out my guitar to play along this time.
He made this song through the hate and violence between whites and blacks, the Vietnam war, the oppression, He was also dealing with the assassination of Martin Luther King as well as Malcom X, plus His own father and son issues. What a time, I had the privilege to live it. Peace and blessings....
This is one of those that I remember exactly where I was in 1971 when I first heard this song. And dang the adds, I was singing along and in pops an add for macaroni and cheese. Talk about breaking your concentration. 😄
First. 😁 Rolling Stone magazine put out a list of their top 500 albums. The album by the same name of this song was listed as #1. Marvin was shot to death in 1984 by his father during a family argument. Another one who had it all going on and left us way too soon.
I like ur reaction , its perfect u listen to the song without pausing or interrupting and you give ur honest opinion after , that is how its supposed to be done , keep it my brother...
I've been playing that song "over the intercom" for decades, The Black Eyed Peas' song "Where is the love" tells the same story. As does Paulo Nutini's "Iron Sky." You should give them all a listen. An interesting factoid, on Nutini's song he quotes a soliloquy that he took from Charlie Chaplin's 1940's movie "The Great Dictator" which should likewise be played on the intercoms of the world. Just goes to show some things never change.
Also, the song mentions about people facing prejudice due to their long hair presumably a lot of the white students and Left types who were receiving a lot of hate, so Marvin didn't forget his friends.
Marvin!! I remember when this album came out. Sadly, what he was saying in his lyrics - could have been written today instead of 1970. Your reaction is right on point.
Luv luv luv you! Its true ur an old soul. And yeh agree: soul is not a color trait. Anyone cam feel that vibe. I luv that you appreciate the musicality in all genres. That is true music appreciation baby. And ur comment about the times is relevent as hell& well received by ur fandom. Check u later!9
You mentioned about soul having no color. I agree. I'm reminded of a news story I saw where an African American woman was raised by a Mexican Family. As a result she started singing Mexican songs. She said in the interview that she got backlash from both sides. Sarah La Morena is her name. Here is one of her videos: ua-cam.com/video/okHec8CU35w/v-deo.html
please listen to the whole album because talks about police brutality socil injustice and civil rights evevrything thas still happening today one of the greatest recorded albums
Still relevant today.... RIP Marvin Gaye xxx
At any protest or march you might participate in, you will see a sign that says some version of, ' I can't believe I have to protest the same shit, AGAIN'.
Marvin is timeless.
Marvin's brother was serving in Vietnam at the time and that inspired him to write this timeless masterpiece
Marvin Gaye a Genius at work!!
His lyrics was straight fire 🔥🔥🔥
Classic Song!! Relevant today 2020-2021!!!
Police Brutality!! RACISM!!! Division!!!
Marvin was all about heart and soul!!
That silhouette voice and that Congo sound!!
Listen to “ Mercy Mercy Me!!!
Smooth, deep, moving, soulful, spiritual, beautiful, meaningful. Those are just a few words that come to mind when I listen to this great song.
It came out in 1971 which was my senior year of high school. It was when the military was drafting young men to go fight in the Vietnam War.
This song brings me back to that time. It’s so sad that Marvin’s life came to an end much too soon. He was one of a kind. May he RIP.
RIP Marvin Gaye. One of the greatest voices of my generation. Shout out to the "Funk Brothers !", the best band ever !!
His music is still so relevant today! Timeless.....
Timeless .....beautiful music we really don't get much of anymore!!!!
Its really great you young ones get to hear the REALLY GREAT SINGERS of ALL TKME. You should of seen MARVIN in PERSON. I saw him in 1970. When he was getting started.🤗🤗🤗
We were all raised on this music. Motown and soul and R&B were always on the pop charts. It’s a shame it’s not that way anymore.
This is a classic. Barry Gordy did not want him to record this so because it was too political but Marvin persisted and what a masterpiece.
Marvin - a Detroit jewel. An African king. A real man.
My Favorite Marvin Gaye song brings memories of the late 60’s early 70 when music had a society message with it . Listen to words that are deep fill with a message that explained how we were living back In those days
One of the greatest albums ever made. It's hard to believe that Marvin had to fight to get it released because Berry Gordy thought it was too controversial. He was wrong as he later admitted. It opened the door for others like Stevie Wonder & The Temptations to release their own socially conscious masterpieces.
I am a 61 yr old white woman, and I knew what and why Marvin was asking in 1971.."What's Going On". I saw it, on the news, from the late 60's into the 70's, and here I am again...having to relive the civil unrest of the 60's in MY 60's. It makes me very sad. We aren't supposed to be in this place again. I guess it never really went away. Marvin knew it too...
Never mind the song... the album from start to finish is the greatest album EVER! This is 60 minutes of sheer bliss. (Closely followed by Stevie Wonders Inervisions)
Truth.
Beautiful, meaningful song by legendary Marvin Gaye (RIP). "Right on!" And yes, very relevant for right now.
This album in its entirety will blow your mind.
Great job Sir! It's as timely today as it ever was. I highly recommend sitting down and listening to the album from start to finish. It's in a word, sublime!
My favorite Marvin Gaye tune. I had this on a loop and played it for hours.
Me too.
Preach! Love watching younger people experience the music I grew up with. It is sad how things remain the same. Dialogue parts 1 and 2 by Chicago is the same still relevant and needed 50 years later
yep.. definitely What's going on
I love Marvin Gaye! Please react to Distant lover and Mercy Mercy Me by Marvin Gaye.
SIR, YOU OWE IT TO YOURSELF TO SEE MARVIN SING THIS FROM " MOTOWN 25 " , FROM '83. IT WAS HIS FINAL APPEARANCE EVER, & THIS IS THE SONG HE SANG. I WAS IN TEARS, WATCHING HIM, BECAUSE I WAS REMEMBERING WHEN WE WERE ALL SO MUCH YOUNGER, PLAYING HOOPS AT THE INGLEWOOD YMCA, & MARVIN WOULD BE THERE ! ------------THOSE YEARS, '70 THROUGH ''74, WERE SOME OF THE BEST, OF MY LIFE. AND " WHAT'S GOIN ON ? " , FIT THOSE TIMES, PERFECTLY. RIP, MARVIN GAYE, BROTHER, YOUR MUSIC, IS 4-EVER. ------------------MJL, 75 Y/O
The song is about the social injustice and anti-war protest of the late 1960s & early 70's. The verse we don't need to escalate is a reference to Nixon's expansion of the Vietnam War into Cambodia and increased bombing of North Vietnam. Marvin Gaye was deeply affected by the stories his brother had shared with him about the war when he returned from serving.
1971 he dropped this song, it had been chosen ad the song of the century 2021!
So true! So many times people talk over lyrics that are important to the meaning of the song.
Congratulations on hitting over 2.00 K subscribers. I recently learned that Marvin Gaye's album What's Going On is a concept album where the songs move from one song to another. I listened to the whole album the other day thanks to Spotify.
Without doubt Marvin's best album. Period! Marvin was the biggest star of Motown always performing with a shaved face, a tuxedo. By the end of the '60s Marvin became aware of all the injustice in the society. Black people were still regarded as second grade humans. His brother was in Vietnam and when he got back the authorities didn't care much for them. So eventually Marvin kinda had enough and went into the office of Berry Gordy, founder and CEO of Motown, and told him about this concept album. Berry more or less freaked out and said no way!! He couldn't see any commercial value in the project. Marvin refused to give in and said to Berry "either you let me do this album or i have made my last album for Motown!" When facing the fact he could lose his biggest star Berry gave in. Besides at this time Marvin was married to Berry's sister so you gotta keep the family happy. This was also the first album Motown gave the musicians creds officially.
Divide & Rule is what’s going on.
You’re bringing the love today!
This is, and will always be my No 1 tune til the day I die ❤️❤️❤️
Best song. Best album. Ever.
I found this on Wiki, and I thought you might be interested in it:
Originally inspired by a police brutality incident witnessed by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, the song was composed by Benson, Al Cleveland, and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself.
The song's inspiration came from Renaldo "Obie" Benson, a member of the Motown vocal group the Four Tops, after he and the group's tour bus arrived at Berkeley on May 15, 1969. While there, Benson witnessed police brutality and violence in the city's People's Park during a protest held by anti-war activists in what was hailed later as "Bloody Thursday". Upset by the situation, Benson said to author Ben Edmonds that as he saw this, he asked, "'What is happening here?' One question led to another. Why are they sending kids so far away from their families overseas? Why are they attacking their own children in the streets?"
Upset, he discussed what he witnessed with friend and songwriter Al Cleveland, who in turn wrote and composed a song to reflect Benson's concerns. Benson wanted to give the song to his group but the other Four Tops turned down the request. "My partners told me it was a protest song", Benson said later, "I said 'no man, it's a love song, about love and understanding. I'm not protesting, I want to know what's going on.'" In 1970, Benson presented the untitled song to Marvin Gaye, who added a new melody and revised the song to his liking, adding in his own lyrics. Benson later said Gaye tweaked and enriched the song, "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem like a story than a song... we measured him for the suit and he tailored the hell out of it." Gaye titled it "What's Going On". When Gaye initially thought the song's moody feel would be appropriate to be recorded by The Originals, Benson convinced Gaye to record it as his own song.
Gaye, himself, had been inspired by social ills committed in the United States, citing the 1965 Watts riots as a turning point in his life in which he asked himself, "'With the world exploding around me, how am I supposed to keep singing love songs?'" Gaye was also influenced by emotional conversations shared between him and his brother Frankie, who had returned from three years of service at the Vietnam War and his namesake cousin's death while serving troops.
RIP Don Cornelius. My brother and I saw him every sunday morning/ noon on UHF.
My second favorite song of all time since it came out. I would be singing it as I walked home from school. Timeless. I pulled out my guitar to play along this time.
He made this song through the hate and violence between whites and blacks, the Vietnam war, the oppression, He was also dealing with the assassination of Martin Luther King as well as Malcom X, plus His own father and son issues. What a time, I had the privilege to live it. Peace and blessings....
This is one of those that I remember exactly where I was in 1971 when I first heard this song. And dang the adds, I was singing along and in pops an add for macaroni and cheese. Talk about breaking your concentration. 😄
The 70's one of the BEST songs EVER!!!
I love that you don't talk during the music. That's why I watch you. I can't handle the people that tell their life stories during the music.
First. 😁 Rolling Stone magazine put out a list of their top 500 albums. The album by the same name of this song was listed as #1. Marvin was shot to death in 1984 by his father during a family argument. Another one who had it all going on and left us way too soon.
Thank You and I Agree
Singing backup: Detroit Lions players Mel Farr and Hall of Famer Lem Barney.
I was in 11th grade in '71 when this song came out and it was an important song.
It was a very turbulent time with Vietam and all the protests.
"We've got to find a way" Marvin Gaye
"We must find a way" King T'Challa
Truth is forever.
Released on this day in 1971 #whatsgoingon #todayinmusichistory #musichistory #classicsingle #7inchsingle #70srandb #marvingayehistory
MARVIN SO BEAUTIFUL SUCH TRAGEDY
I like ur reaction , its perfect u listen to the song without pausing or interrupting and you give ur honest opinion after , that is how its supposed to be done , keep it my brother...
I've been playing that song "over the intercom" for decades, The Black Eyed Peas' song "Where is the love" tells the same story. As does Paulo Nutini's "Iron Sky." You should give them all a listen. An interesting factoid, on Nutini's song he quotes a soliloquy that he took from Charlie Chaplin's 1940's movie "The Great Dictator" which should likewise be played on the intercoms of the world. Just goes to show some things never change.
Also, the song mentions about people facing prejudice due to their long hair presumably a lot of the white students and Left types who were receiving a lot of hate, so Marvin didn't forget his friends.
"Father, father, we don't need to escalate". Apparently they both did need to.
This was done during the Vietnam war and so many other things going on in the Country.
Marvin!! I remember when this album came out. Sadly, what he was saying in his lyrics - could have been written today instead of 1970. Your reaction is right on point.
Luv luv luv you! Its true ur an old soul. And yeh agree: soul is not a color trait. Anyone cam feel that vibe. I luv that you appreciate the musicality in all genres. That is true music appreciation baby. And ur comment about the times is relevent as hell& well received by ur fandom. Check u later!9
Ahhh.. I see my brother was feeling this one :) noice
Beautiful m. Check out Stevie Ray’s “Life Without You,” from the Capital Theater. I think it was recorded in maybe 1985. Check out his message...❤️
❤️
Divide and conquer along racial lines...it' the control freaks! Love you too Chod!
You mentioned about soul having no color. I agree. I'm reminded of a news story I saw where an African American woman was raised by a Mexican Family. As a result she started singing Mexican songs. She said in the interview that she got backlash from both sides. Sarah La Morena is her name. Here is one of her videos: ua-cam.com/video/okHec8CU35w/v-deo.html
please listen to the whole album because talks about police brutality socil injustice and civil rights evevrything thas still happening today one of the greatest recorded albums
So this suggestion has nothing to do with Marvin (
Please, check out stop children what's that sound. More relevant today than it was in the '60s
We now know the biggest peddlers of hatred and division are being stoked from the top down.
Once again... great freakin reaction. God bless you
You need to do some George Benson. No one out there is listening to him. Give me the Night, On Broadway and Breezin are my favorites.
What do you do?
The whole Album is stunning