Marvin Gaye – What’s Going On
“What’s Going On” is the eleventh studio album by American singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye, released on May 21, 1971, by the Motown Records subsidiary label Tamla. Recorded between 1970 and 1971 in sessions at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, United Sound Studios in Detroit, and at The Sound Factory in West Hollywood, California, it was Gaye’s first album to credit him as producer and to credit Motown’s in-house session musicians, known as the Funk Brothers. The album is widely considered to be one of the greatest albums of all time.
Background and composition
“What’s Going On” was written by Marvin Gaye, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, and Al Cleveland. The song was inspired by Gaye’s experiences of witnessing police brutality and the Vietnam War. The song’s lyrics are a powerful indictment of social injustice and war.
Recording and production
“What’s Going On” was recorded at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, United Sound Studios in Detroit, and at The Sound Factory in West Hollywood, California. The song was produced by Marvin Gaye.
The recording features Marvin Gaye on lead vocals. Gaye’s vocals are passionate and soulful, and they perfectly convey the emotion of the song. The song’s instrumentation is simple, yet effective, with a driving beat and a catchy melody.
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“What’s Going On” is a beautiful and moving album that will be cherished for generations to come.
Here are some additional details about the album:
- The album was released on May 21, 1971, by the Motown Records subsidiary label Tamla.
- The album was recorded between 1970 and 1971 in sessions at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, United Sound Studios in Detroit, and at The Sound Factory in West Hollywood, California.
- The album was produced by Marvin Gaye.
- The album reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and number two on the UK Albums Chart.
- The album won the Grammy Award for Best Album of the Year in 1972.
- “What’s Going On” has been ranked number one on the Rolling Stone list of the “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” since 2003.