Prior to the recording of What’s Going On, his music and image was similar to other typical Motown musicians who sang love song without political and protest concerns. Before the album, What’s Going On, Marvin Gaye already had huge success on his career and was famous sex symbol at that time. However, he wanted to do jazz instead of typical Motown R&B and make his own creative music.
There were many social and national concerns that influenced the lyrical content of What’s Going on and Marvin Gaye himself. During the 60’s and 70’s, America was in dark period and socially unstable. African-American poverty, unemployment, protest against the Vietnam War, and indiscriminate violence, these were hugely influenced on Marvin Gaye at that moment. And he focused on these social tragedies more when Renaldo “Obie” Benson brought the song What’s Going On inspired from his awful experience that watched violent between protesters and police from San Francisco in 1969. Also, his brother Frankie Gaye who went to The Vietnam War told tragedies in the war and what was going on in the war to Marvin Gaye. After that, Marvin started thinking and questioning about why the World around us is full of tragedies. And these social and national concerns naturally influenced the lyrical content of What’s Going On.
Marvin Gaye faced many obstacles to get What’s Going On released. Berry Gordy who was a founder of the Motown record label didn’t want Marvin Gaye to sing controversial and protest songs. Marvin’s song totally broke the typical Motown sound and Berry Gordy said, “The worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life”. Berry also worried that it would hurt Marvin’s career and losing his fans. So the Motown record refused to release Marvin’s album. After the company refused to release his album, Marvin refused to enter the studio and record anything else for the company until they released the album. After the company released Marvin’s album desperately, the album What’s Going On recorded a huge hit and became one of the most influential album.
There are many aspects that set What’s Going on album apart from other soul and R&B recordings of the mid 1960’s and 1970’s. Compare to typical Motown sounds, this album was totally shock to the record label. They made typical love serenades and pop songs without political and anti-war protest concerns. The record company didn’t want to take a risk and keep their musicians in certain ways. However, the album What’s Going on broke their rules and recorded huge hit. Also Marvin Gaye tried completely new recording and musical approach to his album. During this time, Marvin accidently created his signature sound, Multi layered vocal technique. And he also treated emotional facts as the most important fact to his album. For example, he recorded his intro while the sax player was in warm-up.
As a listener, this album has been one of my favorite albums through my life. His voice is perfect for the song and truly inspiring. The song really touches my heart and emotion. Now I understand why this song was so influential back than. This song touched people’s emotion when they were in dark era of history. As an industry professional, this was first album that Marvin Gaye broke his typical image and music. He tried to put emotion into his album with creating new technique of recording and efforts. He took a risk with his career and put so much passion and effort. I think that makes his album What’s Going On legend.
There were many social and national concerns that influenced the lyrical content of What’s Going on and Marvin Gaye himself. During the 60’s and 70’s, America was in dark period and socially unstable. African-American poverty, unemployment, protest against the Vietnam War, and indiscriminate violence, these were hugely influenced on Marvin Gaye at that moment. And he focused on these social tragedies more when Renaldo “Obie” Benson brought the song What’s Going On inspired from his awful experience that watched violent between protesters and police from San Francisco in 1969. Also, his brother Frankie Gaye who went to The Vietnam War told tragedies in the war and what was going on in the war to Marvin Gaye. After that, Marvin started thinking and questioning about why the World around us is full of tragedies. And these social and national concerns naturally influenced the lyrical content of What’s Going On.
Marvin Gaye faced many obstacles to get What’s Going On released. Berry Gordy who was a founder of the Motown record label didn’t want Marvin Gaye to sing controversial and protest songs. Marvin’s song totally broke the typical Motown sound and Berry Gordy said, “The worst thing I’ve ever heard in my life”. Berry also worried that it would hurt Marvin’s career and losing his fans. So the Motown record refused to release Marvin’s album. After the company refused to release his album, Marvin refused to enter the studio and record anything else for the company until they released the album. After the company released Marvin’s album desperately, the album What’s Going On recorded a huge hit and became one of the most influential album.
There are many aspects that set What’s Going on album apart from other soul and R&B recordings of the mid 1960’s and 1970’s. Compare to typical Motown sounds, this album was totally shock to the record label. They made typical love serenades and pop songs without political and anti-war protest concerns. The record company didn’t want to take a risk and keep their musicians in certain ways. However, the album What’s Going on broke their rules and recorded huge hit. Also Marvin Gaye tried completely new recording and musical approach to his album. During this time, Marvin accidently created his signature sound, Multi layered vocal technique. And he also treated emotional facts as the most important fact to his album. For example, he recorded his intro while the sax player was in warm-up.
As a listener, this album has been one of my favorite albums through my life. His voice is perfect for the song and truly inspiring. The song really touches my heart and emotion. Now I understand why this song was so influential back than. This song touched people’s emotion when they were in dark era of history. As an industry professional, this was first album that Marvin Gaye broke his typical image and music. He tried to put emotion into his album with creating new technique of recording and efforts. He took a risk with his career and put so much passion and effort. I think that makes his album What’s Going On legend.
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