Marvin Gaye - 'What's Going On?' Turns 50 today

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by SITKOL'76, Jan 20, 2021.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. They've already done it before now.

    Been done before so yes, not necessary.
     
  2. Kris-AOTY

    Kris-AOTY Guard the Spark

    Location:
    Austin
    Stone cold classic, but I do feel compelled to mention: ‘Save the Children’ is a better sentiment than it is a song. It’s the one weak moment on the album for me. When he hits that ‘save the baaaabies!’ It’s just a bit too much for me, even though I agree with him.
     
  3. classicrockguy

    classicrockguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Livingston NJ
    Just listen to “Inner City Blues” today, it’s (unfortunately) just as relevant today as it was back then, some things never change
     
    chickendinna, CliffL and MikeManaic61 like this.
  4. NickySee

    NickySee Forum Resident

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Masterpiece, no question. But my Pop played it so much it’s in my subconscious. :shake: Shouldn’t be anything there.
     
    Detroit Rock Citizen and rkt88 like this.
  5. dance_hall_keeper

    dance_hall_keeper Forum Resident

    Saturday o8 May 2021 on CNN... "CNN Special Report - What's Going On: Marvin Gaye's Anthem For The Ages", 8:00PM - 9:00PM

    CNN's Don Lemon explores the impact and genius of Marvin Gaye, his unprecedented album, and the anatomy of several of the
    record's iconic hits that reflect some of the most significant challenges and divisions in the nation today.
     
    RickH and oboogie like this.
  6. Radio

    Radio Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan
    oboogie likes this.
  7. Michael

    Michael I LOVE WIDE S-T-E-R-E-O!

    the years are moving faster it seems...great song, great artist...
     
  8. rkt88

    rkt88 The unknown soldier

    Location:
    malibu ca
    it's funny. i'll sing along to a lot of marvin. but i won't touch "what's goin' on"

    i think out of respect.
     
  9. robertawillisjr

    robertawillisjr Music Lover

    Location:
    Hampton, VA
    Still relevant.
     
    Greenalishi likes this.
  10. Purple Jim

    Purple Jim Senior Member

    Location:
    Bretagne
  11. Andrew Chouffi

    Andrew Chouffi Forum Resident

    Location:
    Albany, NY
    Ya know, if Marvin Gaye was still alive today, I bet he would be very happy that so many people believe his 'What's Going On' album is still musically relevant.

    But I bet he would be thoroughly disgusted that it would be still so lyrically relevant.

    I feel that he probably meant it lyrically to be an of-the-moment period piece and hoped that most of the problems addressed in his lyrics would be minimized a half-century later...

    Andy
     
    Greenalishi, CliffL and Timjosephuk like this.
  12. CliffL

    CliffL Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sacramento CA USA
    Just came across this thread and I'm so glad to see this song get a 50th Anniversary remembrance! I bought the single a few days after it was released...I still remember the date (February 2, 1971). I was 14 and had just gotten into the record buying hobby three months earlier. I was with my family visiting my uncle's family in L.A. and on that day we were driving around seeing the sights when we happened to pass a record store...this was somewhere in South Central Los Angeles. Being a budding record fanatic even then I asked my dad and uncle if we could stop for a minute to check it out...so we stopped and I got to scope out the place...within a couple minutes I found a record I had been looking for, James Brown's "Sex Machine". I took it up to the counter and was going to purchase it when my mom said "Why don't you get some more records since were in here...this place has a ton of them!" So I said "good idea, Mom"...but I had no idea what to get.

    So I asked the girl who was working at the cash register (she was about sixteen) if she had any recommendations for good records...she immediately pulled out a copy of "What's Going On" and said she really liked it and put it on the turntable for us to listen to. We all liked it and I said, sure, I'll buy that one...at the time I had never heard of Marvin Gaye (I was a real rookie at the time!)

    So that song became a new favorite...within a few days I heard it on the radio for the first time and of course it became a huge hit...my whole family became Marvin Gaye fans and I made sure to pick up "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues" when they came out...my brother bought the What's Going On LP when it came out. I used to brag to my family that I was the first to get into "What's Going On" but it was the young store clerk who deserved all the credit for turning me onto it.
     
    AnalogJ, wwright, SITKOL'76 and 2 others like this.
  13. CliffL

    CliffL Forum Resident

    Location:
    Sacramento CA USA
    Great to see that it's getting so much recognition...I heard an NPR special a few days ago about the album and it was fascinating to hear how it came to be made...over the objections of label chief Berry Gordy . Smokey Robinson said that he backed up Marvin on releasing the LP and he did have clout, being the Vice President of the company. Berry didn't want to release it because he thought it was too political and he thought it would hurt Marvin's image as the "sex symbol" of Motown.
     
  14. thnkgreen

    thnkgreen Sprezzatura!

    Location:
    NC, USA
  15. dance_hall_keeper

    dance_hall_keeper Forum Resident

    I’m embarrassed to admit that the import of the meaning lyrically of both the first single and its album was that totally lost by me upon its releases.

    However, as I’ve aged and not unlike the purchase purchase of a choice fine”wine-in-a-box”, I have a new appreciation of both of them, particularly with their meaning now.

    My conclusion : not much has changed in the last fifty years and in some areas it’s worse than ever.
     
    Timjosephuk and NickySee like this.
  16. London Beckett

    London Beckett Forum Resident

    Would love a good sounding copy on vinyl that's not $100+ right now. Can anyone recommend a good pressing of it?
     
  17. challenge

    challenge Forum Resident

    Location:
    Missouri
  18. CDV

    CDV Forum Resident

    All Star Tribute - What's Going On

     
  19. JRose

    JRose Forum Resident

    Location:
    North Carolina
    The What's Going On 50th anniversary vinyl reissue is being remastered by Kevin Gray from the original analog tapes. They're doing this right. It's also 2LP with some previously unreleased on vinyl tracks. See the details here:
    - Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (50th Anniversary)

    This is an easy grab for $39.97. I'm really happy about this reissue and proper celebration of this iconic album.
     
    wwright, YCC and dman23 like this.
  20. Andrea_Bellucci

    Andrea_Bellucci Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Hi Guys!

    It's 46,99€ in Europe.

    I wonder what "ditect-to-analougue-mastering" exactly means...

    Bye Andrea :wave:
     
  21. Yost

    Yost “It’s only impossible until it’s not”

    Direct to analogue means the vinyl is sourced from the original analogue master tape without any digital components in the production chain.
     
    Andrea_Bellucci likes this.
  22. Andrea_Bellucci

    Andrea_Bellucci Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Thanks. I pre-ordered it. I hope Kevin has done a great job on this one. I expect nothing else. :)

    Bye Andrea :wave:
     
  23. Andrea_Bellucci

    Andrea_Bellucci Forum Resident

    Location:
    Italy
    Hi Guys!

    It is delayed again.

    In many shops in Europe the release date is now 2/18/2022.

    Bye Andrea :wave:
     
  24. London Beckett

    London Beckett Forum Resident

    It's all good, record plants are backed up so it's to be expected. Looking forward to picking this up!
     
  25. markshan

    markshan Forum Resident

    Location:
    Pittsburgh, PA
    Is there a thread discussing this specific release? I'd like to hear the thoughts of people who have heard it. I have the Matousek Quiex promo and as great as Grey is, it's hard to imagine that one being bettered.

    FWIW, I wish they had made it three albums and included the Detroit mix. I'll have to buy the stand alone of that.
     
    dman23 likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

molar-endocrine