A musical genius' magnum opus (What's Going On - Marvin Gaye)

Member Name: gillyman

Product:	What's Going On - Marvin Gaye
Date:	05/03/02 (142 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beautiful, product of its time that is still relevant today

Disadvantages: None

"I felt the strong urge to write music and to write lyrics that would touch the souls of men. And in that way, I thought I could help".

Marvin Gaye, the product of a strict Christian upbringing (his father was a Reverend) was discovered by the Motown label where he had his first successes at the start of the 1960s with solo work, duetting with other famous names and as a writer for other stars.

Through his hard work and immense talent he became the number one male star in the Motown stable and at the end of the 60's he released probably his best known hit "I heard it through the grapevine".

Success gave him a greater amount of creative freedom and he was able to produce more and more of his own material. The result was a single that seemed decidedly uncommercial and initially, when finished the company refused to release it. Gaye responded by refusing to record anything until it was released. When the company came to its senses, Gaye was vindicated and it even outstripped Grapevine, hitting the top of the charts.

The album that followed was written in an America that was riven by social conflict as a result of the Vietnam war and the civil rights movement led by Martin Luther King Jr. The turmoil that was felt is reflected in the lyrics and the sweeping emotion of the music.

The album swept up the charts and is generally regarded as the greatest soul album of all time and amongst the greatest albums of all time. It has recently been released as a double CD with different versions of the initial album, additional tracks and live tracks.

***** Track listing *****

1) What's going on

This is the song that started it all off. The lyrics are deeply political, reflecting the sentiments felt by many on the American street of the time, some of which are equally relevant today "War is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate".

The song has a relaxed gr
oove which is somewhere between soul and jazz. It is perfect background music to relax to but has much more potency when you listen to the words properly.

2) What's happening brother

What's going on, segues very neatly into this next song which continues the intial antiwar and deprivation theme with a very chilled melody.

3) Flyin' high (in the friendly sky)

The flow continues with this song - it is fair to say I think that the first 6 songs blend effortlessly into one another, taking relevant themes of the day, but making them into a fashioned whole, difficult to see where one ends and another begins - a metaphor for society possibly.

4) Save the children

A heart felt plea to think about the children who are the "really gonna suffer tomorrow". Gaye asks "who really cares?" and in the context of then and now it is hard not to feel a certain amount of guilt.

5) God is love

Coming from a religious background Gaye introduces God into the equation but at the same time addresses the issue of family which he appears to consider extremely important.

6) Mercy Mercy Me (The ecology)

For my money the most beautiful song on the album. This has a melody that manages to be both uplifting and depressing at the same time. Gaye decries the harm that the human race is doing to the world well before green politics were fashionable.

7) Right on

This song addresses the social issues of the time in a manner that is frank and poetical. It returns to the underlying theme that love and respect of out fellow man is all important.

8) Wholy holy

Again, Gaye brings Jesus in and stresses the importance of unity.

9) Inner City Blues (make me wanna holler)

In another hauntingly melodious song attention is drawn to the difference between the haves and the haves not. Gaye despairs for the future and asks us to re-examine out
priorities.

=============================================

This album is tackled issues in a way that no one had done before and no one has done as successfully since.

It is musically and lyrically, as close to perfection as I could imagine it. Gaye himself said when recording that "God is writing this album. God is working through me."

Listen and come to your own conclusion. What is very clear is that God gave him the talent to write an incredible piece of music.

Summary: