What's Going On?

Marvin Gaye

According to Ben Edmonds article, What Went On, prior to the recording of What's Going On, Marvin Gaye was a real spiritual guy, yet also a rebel. According to, biography.com, Marvin was born in Washington D.C., sung in his father's church and was a member of the Moonglows before signing to Motown. According to, What Went On, Marvin had a strong appreciation for jazz and wasn't too fond of singing Hitch Hike. According to, biography.com, he played the piano and drums, also blessed with an exceptionally wide range that encompassed three distinct vocal styles—a piercing falsetto, a smooth mid-range tenor, and a deep gospel growl, Gaye combined great technical prowess with rare musical individuality. 

According to What Went On, Marvin, prodded by the song Obie Benson had dropped in his lap, Marvin began to broaden his vision of what his own next project would be. His younger brother Frankie had survived a three-year tour of duty in Vietnam, seeing that hardship of Frankie's return from sacrifice for his country was rewarded with disdain, disrespect and unemployment. When he could find work, it was as a dishwasher or a doorman, influenced the lyrical content of What’s Going On. According to, The Independent article, 

David Van DePitte: Arranger of Marvin Gaye's epochal album 'What's Going On', Gaye used What's Going On, as the starting point for what became a song cycle about the state of America and the world at the start of the Seventies.

Marvin had to face his brother-in-law, Berry Gordy, thoughts of the song being the worst thing he's ever heard, deciding not to record anymore and playing professional football for the Detriot Lions, and even a fist fight with Gordy.  

The typical Motown song was a bright, uptempo number done as a 2/4 shuffle or a hard 4/4 beat. Lyrically it dealt almost exclusively with romance, What's Going On was a more international song.

Overall What's going On' has had a wonderful impression on me helping get through personal situations uplifting my spirit and helps me think more about others than just myself.

Refer

 References:

  

Edmonds, Ben (2001, December 7). What Went On. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2001/dec/08/extract

Edmonds, Ben (2001, December 7). What Went On. Retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2001/dec/08/extract1


Perrone, Pierre (2009, September 12). The Independent. 

David Van DePitte: Arranger of Marvin Gaye's epochal album 'What's Going On'. Retrieved from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/obituaries/david-van-depitte-arranger-of-marvin-gayes-epochal-album-whats-going-on-1786174.html

http://www.biography.com/people/marvin-gaye-9307988