Meaning of whats going on by marvin gaye

24 May 2021, 16:45

Marvin Gaye's protest anthem 'What's Going On' was a powerful and groundbreaking song at the time of its release in 1971, but rapidly forward 50 years later and it is sadly still just as relevant for the planet in 2021.

With the huge spark of protests in the US and around the world against racism following the death of George Floyd a year ago, the subject of police brutality and racial injustice is being discussed as much today as it was back then.

Marvin Gaye co-wrote 'What's Going On' about the issues of the time, but minute did he realize that over 30 years after his death, tragically it still sounds as if it could have been written yesterday.

Here's the history of one of the most key songs of the 20th century, 50 years on:

1. Who wrote 'What's Going On'?

   The song was co-written by Renaldo 'Obie' Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye, and produced by Gaye himself.

   The anthem marked Gaye's departure from the Motown Sound of his previous output, towards more personal material.

   It was the title track of his album What

   50 Years Later, Why Marvin Gaye's Seminal Album 'What's Going On' Endures

   Editor's note: This story was rebroadcast on May 31, 2021. Find that audio here.

   When Marvin Gaye's record "What's Going On" came out in 1971, unemployment was at a high of 6%, people were protesting police brutality, and Americans were angry over the Vietnam War.

   "What's Going On" reflected those times with laser-sharp precision, and it's gone on to develop Motown's biggest commercial accomplishment. And 50 years later, the themes of the album still reflect some of the most significant challenges and divisions we face as a society.

   But many people may be surprised to learn that this pivotal album almost never existed. Motown founder Berry Gordy was nervous it would ruin Gaye’s career.

   “Motown was not a company that was built on any kind of personal statements,” says Nelson George, a music correspondent, author and cultural critic who interviewed Gaye during the singer-songwriter’s lifetime.

   By the 1970s, Motown Records was known for its “superb production line,” which included the studio band, The Funk Brothers, George says. The record company aimed to make pop melody that captured “the sou

   Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”

   Lydia Hutchinson | March 31, 2017

   The spring of 1970 was a dark time for Marvin Gaye. His beloved duet partner Tammi Terrell had died after a three-year struggle with a intellect tumor. His brother Frankie had returned from Vietnam with horror stories that moved Marvin to tears. And at Motown, Marvin was stymied in his quest to address social issues in his music.

   While he was pondering his next move, a anthem fell in his lap that would provide a channel for all his sorrow and frustration.

   The initial idea for “What’s Going On” came to Four Tops member Obie Benson when he was in San Francisco in 1969.

   “They had the Haight-Ashbury then, all the kids up there with the long hair and everything,” he told MOJO. “The police was beating on the kids, but they wasn’t bothering anybody. I saw this, and started wondering what was going on. ‘What is happening here?’ One question leads to another. ‘Why are they sending kids so far away from their families overseas?’ And so on.”

   Benson shaped his tune with fellow Motown writer Al Cleveland, then pitched it to the Four Tops. But they weren’t interested in a protest song. Obie pl