Gaye’s album was a mirrored reflection of the world. His songs full of the strife of inner city life, war protest, and unemployment were an honest commentary of the America that people were dealing with. Gaye’s sincerity and his relief to finally flex and record songs that pertained to what people were seeing on their television screens and hearing over the radio really shines through the album. For this coming-out album, Gaye’s range of vocals on the jazzy tracks really brings the songs together. What is praiseworthy about Gaye is that it was his first self-produced album and that with the help of some creative, brilliant musicians and writers he was able to compile the words and tunes to something people could really relate to. The enormous success of “What’s Going On”, the single, showed for itself. By the end of the year, it had sold 2 million copies. It was obvious that it was something the public, the black public in particular, were thirsty for. To have one of their R&B icons talk about the issues that mattered to them was moving and inspiring for a lot of people. Though Gaye was already established, his legitimacy as an artist, producer, and writer was not, and What’s Going On solidified Gaye as an effective social and political commentator. Throughout the album the undertones of love, understanding, and spirituality are fluent. What Gaye and his production team tried to get across was that these were the answers that plagued American culture. The change that Gaye stresses in “Save the Children” was maybe not going to come immediately, but people definitely listened. Gaye’s groundbreaking album paved the way for Motown artists like Stevie Wonder to take on more serious songs, without such stern backlash from Berry Gordy. Also, it defined the start of R&B soul, and created a template for later soul artists to follow. Gaye’s album should definitely be studied anywhere where reflection is advocated and social issues of a decade are studied.
An exploration of one of the greatest albums of the sixties. This blog is dedicated to illustrating how the music of Marvin Gaye moved people and America as a whole in the late 1960's and beyond.
Friday, May 20, 2011
What were the hits of "What's Going On"
"What's Going On," "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" were all million-selling singles in the U.S. "Save the Children" was a chart single in the U.K.
Spirituality and the complex character of Marvin Gaye
This is Gaye’s break out album where Gaye finally took the reins of his own record. He experimented not only with new sounds, but different aspects of who he was. Gaye’s outlook on the world and his deep-grounded spirituality would show itself through his songs and reflect his character. Gaye’s spritiual consciousness was a integral aspect of the album. His father, with whom he had a long standing dispute that resulted in Gaye being shot, was a preacher of the House of God. This probably had a strong impact on Gaye. A description of Gaye gives a little more insight:
“His paradoxes were fascinating. In the middle of conversations, he’d stop to meditate or pray, his words turning into songs”.
Even Reverend Jesse Jackson chimed in, saying, “Marvin is as much a minister as any man in the pulpit.”
His songs reflect this improntu spirtual reflection like Mercy Mercy Me, where Gaye addresses God at the end with the repeated plea "My Sweet Lord". It seems in the context of the album, Gaye's spirtuality is used to counter the problems and issues he sees in the world.
“His paradoxes were fascinating. In the middle of conversations, he’d stop to meditate or pray, his words turning into songs”.
Even Reverend Jesse Jackson chimed in, saying, “Marvin is as much a minister as any man in the pulpit.”
His songs reflect this improntu spirtual reflection like Mercy Mercy Me, where Gaye addresses God at the end with the repeated plea "My Sweet Lord". It seems in the context of the album, Gaye's spirtuality is used to counter the problems and issues he sees in the world.
Marvin in his own Words
Above is an interview of Marvin in 1983 about 9years after the release of "What's goin on". The interview shows the interesting personality of Marvin Gaye and his feelings about certain things in his personal life like marriage, music and love.
Marvin Gaye’s legacy of voice doubling
The doubling effect of Marvin’s Gaye's layered voice that is heard throughout the song was something that was done by accident, but created an innovative sound that was kept. The resultant was a chorus of scattered Marvin Gayes. This effect parallels the different perspective or thought that Gaye embodies. For instance in “God in Love”, he could question and answer himself. In “Save the Children”, his expressive tenor is laid down first, then on the other side are Marvin’s soft-spoken vocals. This brand of vocal effects went beyond straight singing that artists usually did, and portrayed a deeper emotion that the whole album needed. It also created an atmosphere of spirituality that was appropriate for Gaye’s reflective and spiritual songs. The layer upon layer dubbing that Gaye featured in his songs became a signature of Marvin’s that many artists would later emulate. It became common for artists to use this layering in the studios, to create a fuller sound of their vocals.
Acclaim from Rolling Stone from 1971
By Vince Aletti
Ambitious, personal albums may be a glut on the market elsewhere, but at Motown they're something new. These, from two of the Corporation's Finest, represent a subversive concept, allowed only to producers the overseerstars of Motown's corporate plantation as long as they didn't get too uppity. Both Gaye and Wonder have been relatively independent at Motown, their careers following their own fluctuations outside the mainstream studio trends, but these latest albums are departures even for them.
Both are self-produced and largely self-composed (Wonder working with his wife Syreeta, Gaye with six others including his wife Anna) personal "statements." For the first time on the label, both albums contain printed lyrics. Another unexpected precedent: after all these years. Motown has begun to give credit to its studio musicians, listing 39 of them on Gaye's album and acknowledging for the first time that such people really exist.
Unfortunately, awkwardness easily slipped over in the flow of a song is painfully evident when that song is reduced to printed lines. Although both albums suffer from this over-exposure of lyric stiffness, Gaye's work is much more supple and conversational ultimately smoothing itself out on what is a very fine record while Wonder's is too self-conscious and edges into pretentiousness ("Suffocate the new high Ride the thorny mule that cries 'Dig your grave and step right in'") the recently-developed Curtis Mayfield Syndrome becoming nearly incomprehensible when sung.
This is not Stevie Wonder's first self-produced album he did his last, Signed. Sealed and Delivered. as tight and soul-satisfying as any to have come out of Motown but clearly Where I'm Coming From is an attempt to establish a more completely personal, idiosyncratic style and project it on his own terms. Already one of the most inventive, expressive singers performing today, Stevie apparently wanted an opportunity to loosen up outside the confines of the typical Motown single. But he blew it. Not only are the lyrics sadly undistinguished, but much of the production and arrangement is unusually self-indulgent and cluttered with effects that too often obscure the utter virtuosity of Wonder's singing.
At its worst, in "Do Yourself A Favor" and "I Wanna Talk to You," both more than five minutes, Wonder gets so hung up on exploring this virtuosity that he runs it into the ground. Failing to realize that an extravagant vocal style draws a great deal of its strength from a contrasting, coolly-controlled arrangement which will set it off to greatest effect, Wonder tends to sink everything in thick studio veneer; the use of doubletracking for vocal self-accompaniment is especially overused.
The most successful cuts, "Think of Me as Your Soldier" and "If You Really Love Me," are short, unassuming love songs, pleasant vehicles for the Wonder charm. Here his off-hand intensity, his intimate heavy breathing, his joyous yelps stand out clearly as exciting elements of a warm, sensuous style. In the end, though, even vibrant vocals fail to carry the album beyond its own excesses. Quite a disappointment.
Marvin Gaye's What's Going On is an even more ambitious effort. Where Stevié was content to deliver his messages — however blurred — in three or four songs, Gaye has designed his album as one many-faceted statement on conditions in the world today, made nearly seamless by careful transitions between the cuts. A simple, subdued tone is held throughout, pillowed by a densely-textured instrumental and vocal backing.
At first this sameness in sound persisting from one song to the next is boring, but gradually the concept of the album takes shape and its wholeness becomes very affecting. The style is set in the first cut, "What's Going On," with its sweet horn opening line; Gaye's soft, simmering voice reflecting in on itself beautifully from two or three tracks; the contrast of congas and strings; the breaks an exciting jumble of street-corner jive and scatting. As they are throughout, the lyrics here are hardly brilliant, but without overreaching they capture a certain aching dissatisfaction that is part of the album's mood.
"What's Happening Brother" picks up from "What's Going On," strengthening its impact by making its situation more specific: a brother returning from Vietnam and trying to get his bearings on the block again, shifting between questions about old hang-outs and fears that there's no work anywhere: "Say man, I just don't understand/What's going on across this land." "Mercy, Mercy Me" is one of the most bearable ecology songs, a genre that doesn't seem to inspire especially subtle or intelligent lyrics; Gaye's are inoffensive and the song itself is lovely. Considerably changed from the version that had backed the 45 of "What's Going On," "God Is Love" still has a strange attraction. It begins, "Don't go and talk about my father/God is my friend," and kinda grows on you.
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" ends the album and is one of its finest cuts. Again, an effective combination of latin drumming and strings with multitracked vocals make the most of direct lyrics: "Make me wanna holler/The way they do my life/This ain't livin', this ain't livin'/No, no baby, this ain'! livin'." Taking the album full circle, "Inner City Blues" blends back into "What's Going On," confirming itself nicely.
One or two other cuts don't hold together quite as well ("Right On," the longest number, misses) but the album as a whole takes precedence, absorbing its own flaws. There are very few performers who could carry a project like this off. I've always admired Marvin Gaye, but I didn't expect that he would be one of them. Guess I seriously underestimated him. It won't happen again.
Marvin Gaye: What's Going On. Motown
Rolling Stone:
August 5, 1971
Ambitious, personal albums may be a glut on the market elsewhere, but at Motown they're something new. These, from two of the Corporation's Finest, represent a subversive concept, allowed only to producers the overseerstars of Motown's corporate plantation as long as they didn't get too uppity. Both Gaye and Wonder have been relatively independent at Motown, their careers following their own fluctuations outside the mainstream studio trends, but these latest albums are departures even for them.
Both are self-produced and largely self-composed (Wonder working with his wife Syreeta, Gaye with six others including his wife Anna) personal "statements." For the first time on the label, both albums contain printed lyrics. Another unexpected precedent: after all these years. Motown has begun to give credit to its studio musicians, listing 39 of them on Gaye's album and acknowledging for the first time that such people really exist.
Unfortunately, awkwardness easily slipped over in the flow of a song is painfully evident when that song is reduced to printed lines. Although both albums suffer from this over-exposure of lyric stiffness, Gaye's work is much more supple and conversational ultimately smoothing itself out on what is a very fine record while Wonder's is too self-conscious and edges into pretentiousness ("Suffocate the new high Ride the thorny mule that cries 'Dig your grave and step right in'") the recently-developed Curtis Mayfield Syndrome becoming nearly incomprehensible when sung.
This is not Stevie Wonder's first self-produced album he did his last, Signed. Sealed and Delivered. as tight and soul-satisfying as any to have come out of Motown but clearly Where I'm Coming From is an attempt to establish a more completely personal, idiosyncratic style and project it on his own terms. Already one of the most inventive, expressive singers performing today, Stevie apparently wanted an opportunity to loosen up outside the confines of the typical Motown single. But he blew it. Not only are the lyrics sadly undistinguished, but much of the production and arrangement is unusually self-indulgent and cluttered with effects that too often obscure the utter virtuosity of Wonder's singing.
At its worst, in "Do Yourself A Favor" and "I Wanna Talk to You," both more than five minutes, Wonder gets so hung up on exploring this virtuosity that he runs it into the ground. Failing to realize that an extravagant vocal style draws a great deal of its strength from a contrasting, coolly-controlled arrangement which will set it off to greatest effect, Wonder tends to sink everything in thick studio veneer; the use of doubletracking for vocal self-accompaniment is especially overused.
The most successful cuts, "Think of Me as Your Soldier" and "If You Really Love Me," are short, unassuming love songs, pleasant vehicles for the Wonder charm. Here his off-hand intensity, his intimate heavy breathing, his joyous yelps stand out clearly as exciting elements of a warm, sensuous style. In the end, though, even vibrant vocals fail to carry the album beyond its own excesses. Quite a disappointment.
Marvin Gaye's What's Going On is an even more ambitious effort. Where Stevié was content to deliver his messages — however blurred — in three or four songs, Gaye has designed his album as one many-faceted statement on conditions in the world today, made nearly seamless by careful transitions between the cuts. A simple, subdued tone is held throughout, pillowed by a densely-textured instrumental and vocal backing.
At first this sameness in sound persisting from one song to the next is boring, but gradually the concept of the album takes shape and its wholeness becomes very affecting. The style is set in the first cut, "What's Going On," with its sweet horn opening line; Gaye's soft, simmering voice reflecting in on itself beautifully from two or three tracks; the contrast of congas and strings; the breaks an exciting jumble of street-corner jive and scatting. As they are throughout, the lyrics here are hardly brilliant, but without overreaching they capture a certain aching dissatisfaction that is part of the album's mood.
"What's Happening Brother" picks up from "What's Going On," strengthening its impact by making its situation more specific: a brother returning from Vietnam and trying to get his bearings on the block again, shifting between questions about old hang-outs and fears that there's no work anywhere: "Say man, I just don't understand/What's going on across this land." "Mercy, Mercy Me" is one of the most bearable ecology songs, a genre that doesn't seem to inspire especially subtle or intelligent lyrics; Gaye's are inoffensive and the song itself is lovely. Considerably changed from the version that had backed the 45 of "What's Going On," "God Is Love" still has a strange attraction. It begins, "Don't go and talk about my father/God is my friend," and kinda grows on you.
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" ends the album and is one of its finest cuts. Again, an effective combination of latin drumming and strings with multitracked vocals make the most of direct lyrics: "Make me wanna holler/The way they do my life/This ain't livin', this ain't livin'/No, no baby, this ain'! livin'." Taking the album full circle, "Inner City Blues" blends back into "What's Going On," confirming itself nicely.
One or two other cuts don't hold together quite as well ("Right On," the longest number, misses) but the album as a whole takes precedence, absorbing its own flaws. There are very few performers who could carry a project like this off. I've always admired Marvin Gaye, but I didn't expect that he would be one of them. Guess I seriously underestimated him. It won't happen again.
Analyzation of "Save The Children"
Save the Children is very somber and chilling. That is because the world the Gaye describes is bare, not cultivated, and rendered this way through fault of our own. The most pressing thing that he says is Who really cares, Who’s willing to try to save a world, That’s destined to die”. Automatically it is understood that the world that is destined to die in the near future is not due to some planet imbalance, but due to the legacy of our violence, and our hate. If our world is any indication, this violence and hate will be learned and ingrained into our next generation just like we “inherited” it from the previous generations. Gaye does not sugarcoat the situation he calls the world “in despair”. This reaction to the Earth and the lives in which we live is very strong and dramatic and were probably strongly influenced by the senseless violence that was portraying itself in this song’s time. War has for a long time been a part of humankind’s history. Before when they were no atomic bombs and no threats to wipe out life, war was a way of life. But not in the day Marvin Gaye sings of. If war continues, then the trend we are on shows the only end is sight is through more volatile weapons and more destruction. It nuclear fallout is in our future, then there is little anyone can do to prepare. Not only it is what we were doing, but how we are living. How we live as a society shows the polar inequalities of being in rich and poor and racism between people that has created boundaries and torn people apart. The way how Gaye first normally asks each question shows how serious he is about what he is saying it. Then him singing echoes his earlier sentiment showing how prevalent and how inevitable it is for us to act this way. Like it is our human nature to continue living this destructive way. Gaye describes it here “All who is to blame, we can't stop livin'”. It is a sentiment on how we live the only ways we know how, from what is taught us and what we adopt us our own ways. Unfortunately war with other peoples from different background, languages, and religion has been a consistent blimp on our history. It is how we have learnt to deal with each other, and is almost a practiced nature of humans. We accept it as a way of life, and wars crazy enough make a human life worthless just because it is on the enemy’s side. Also very notable in our world is how a president can inherit a war, when they receiving president left is not fully resolved. Just like that we as people are inheriting this acceptance and desensitization of violence. Because it is all we know, we continue living life like this until given a dramatic reason to stop. Gaye will soon offer a reason to stop the violence. One aspect that compelled me about the line “We can’t stop living”, was that it seems out of our control. For instance, people in war take apart of violence that doesn’t always make sense, but as the Vietnam War showed, it was out of many young boys’ choice whether they would risk their life for war. Although they were made to kill, and to bomb, the choice to order these commands was made from somebody higher up. What was left for Vietnam draftees to do after finding they were going off to war, to either escape or go with it. Just when Gaye’s lyrics have traveled to the abyss of miserable and disheartening. He offers advise to “Live for Life”. So this is living in a way where we don’t have to impress anyone. Or we don’t have because a man in a uniform tells us t. This life that Gaye talks about is quite literally life, posterity, growth. Who else better to encompass that hope, that future than the kids. To reflect this sudden hope, there is a change is the gloomy overcast of the effect of the spoken word, and than the sung word. Just like the lyrics are getting brighter, so is the mood of the tune. The background vocals really work to open up this track and create a different sound at the end. Then the beat changes again, to less jazzy and more up-tempo, usually this would indicate an increase in light-heartedness, but it begins to sound like a carnival tune, where we are back to the present, and therefore are stuck in our bad habits and practices. While the hopeful music represents the future, this return to busy drums, and instruments represents the return to our violent, world full of despair. This return reflects the last lines to be sung, and they are the most gloomy. They are “But who really cares, Who's willing to try, Yes, to save a world, Yea, save our sweet world, Save a world that is destined to die”. The purpose of this I feel was to bring us back to the world in which we are in. The world in which people are set in their ways and change are unsure. Just like that it leaves the hanging question, ‘Will the world be saved for the children”’, unanswered. Gaye has given us our reprieve to “save the children”. It is up to us to decide what kind of world we want to leave for our descendants because what we leave for them, ultimately they can leave for their children, and so on.
Marvin Gaye's "Save The Children" lyrics
I just want to ask a question
Who really cares?
To save a world in despair
Who really cares?
There'll come a time, when the world won't be singin'
Flowers won't grow, bells won't be ringin'
Who really cares?
Who's willing to try to save a world
That's destined to die
When I look at the world it fills me with sorrow
Little children today are really gonna suffer tomorrow
Oh what a shame, such a bad way to live
All who is to blame, we can't stop livin'
Live, live for life
But let live everybody
Live life for the children
Oh, for the children
You see, let's save the children
Let's save all the children
Save the babies, save the babies
If you wanna love, you got to save the babies
All of the children
But who really cares
Who's willing to try
Yes, to save a world
Yea, save our sweet world
Save a world that is destined to die
Oh, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Oh, oh dig it everybody
Who really cares?
To save a world in despair
Who really cares?
There'll come a time, when the world won't be singin'
Flowers won't grow, bells won't be ringin'
Who really cares?
Who's willing to try to save a world
That's destined to die
When I look at the world it fills me with sorrow
Little children today are really gonna suffer tomorrow
Oh what a shame, such a bad way to live
All who is to blame, we can't stop livin'
Live, live for life
But let live everybody
Live life for the children
Oh, for the children
You see, let's save the children
Let's save all the children
Save the babies, save the babies
If you wanna love, you got to save the babies
All of the children
But who really cares
Who's willing to try
Yes, to save a world
Yea, save our sweet world
Save a world that is destined to die
Oh, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Oh, oh dig it everybody
Resources
http://www.allmusic.com/album/whats-going-on-r8079
http://classic.modernrockreview.com/2011/02/1971-marvin-gaye-wgo/
http://www.discogs.com/Marvin-Gaye-Whats-Going-On/release/1559040
http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/g/gayemarvin14982/mercymercyme400425.html
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1547
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_Going_On
http://www.worldsstrangest.com/mental-floss/masterpieces-marvin-gaye%E2%80%99s-what%E2%80%99s-going-on/
http://www.superseventies.com/sw_whatsgoingon.html
http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/marvin.htm
http://performingsongwriter.com/marvin-gaye-whats-going-on/
http://classic.modernrockreview.com/2011/02/1971-marvin-gaye-wgo/
http://www.discogs.com/Marvin-Gaye-Whats-Going-On/release/1559040
http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/g/gayemarvin14982/mercymercyme400425.html
http://www.songfacts.com/detail.php?id=1547
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_Going_On
http://www.worldsstrangest.com/mental-floss/masterpieces-marvin-gaye%E2%80%99s-what%E2%80%99s-going-on/
http://www.superseventies.com/sw_whatsgoingon.html
http://www.soul-patrol.com/soul/marvin.htm
http://performingsongwriter.com/marvin-gaye-whats-going-on/
Back Cover of Album
Side 1:
- What's Going On (3:53)
- What's Happening Brother (2:44)
- Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) (3:50)
- Save The Children (4:03)
- God Is Love (1:42)
- Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (3:16)
- Right On (7:32)
- Wholy Holy (3:08)
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Analyzation of "What's Going On"
http://moodle.cshgreenwich.org/file.php/95/moddata/data/43/141/530/13-marvin_gaye-whats_going_on_original_single_version_.mp3
“What’s Goin On” is the title song and the first song to be produced of the album. It is 3 minutes and 53 seconds. Most unexpectedly the tract starts off with idle and friendly chatter in the first few seconds of the introduction. “Hey what’s happening, brother”, is one of the more distinct greetings heard. Then another line “It a groovy party, man, I can dig it”. Perhaps to the people in 1971 who were used to Gaye’s lighthearted songs, this is what’s to be expected, but for me knowing it is a social and political commentary, it is disarming. Other light, casual banter is thrown around, and it is the sort of talk that resembles any group gathering of friends and family, excusing the distinct 70s lingo. It almost seems like it is a preamble to what will be a fun lighthearted song. But hearing the following words of the song, the placement of the introduction makes more sense. It places the listener into an atmosphere they are very familiar with, with no pretense or veneer. Marvin Gaye is not preaching or presenting himself as superior. It seems he is approaching people on a familiar, casual level, that they are all Gaye included familiar with. Now that they are familiarized and introduced, the real message contained in the song lyrics begin is conveyed through Gaye’s vocals. Gaye is singing from first perspective, and the weaved storyline that this perspective is of a war veteran like Gaye’s brother Frankie returning from war could hold true. Whoever it is it is a person simultaneously with a lot of love and therefore grief for the world and its people. The love is showed by the affectionate terms used. For instance the lines “Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother, There's far too many of you dying” show that the familial terms are used widely and do not just mean actual kin, because it is plural. Instead Gaye’s character is speaking from one person’s perspective but seeming to speak out to all mankind. Because these terms reserved for family are used widely, it shows how Gaye is spreading the reaches of love and care which is usually strongest with family to everyone affected by the current issues of ’71. Specifically the words strongly parallel the situation of Vietnam War, where young men were being sent out to draft. This war had the highest number of American casualties than any other war, and it was taking its toll on the attitudes of Americans hearing more and more about these atrocities in the media. As a result parents had to bury their children, a very tragic consequence of war. The mother term is also perhaps used to represent the nuance of motherly figure that is sensitive, earthly, and emotional. Therefore Gaye is appealing to his listener’s sensitive side.
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother, There's far too many of you dying” show that the familial terms are used widely and do not just mean actual kin, because it is plural. Instead Gaye’s character is speaking from one person’s perspective but seeming to speak out to all mankind. Because these terms reserved for family are used widely, it shows how Gaye is spreading the reaches of love and care which is usually strongest with family to everyone affected by the current issues of ’71. Specifically the words strongly parallel the situation of Vietnam War, where young men were being sent out to draft. This war had the highest number of American casualties than any other war, and it was taking its toll on the attitudes of Americans hearing more and more about these atrocities in the media. As a result parents had to bury their children, a very tragic consequence of war. The mother term is also perhaps used to represent the nuance of motherly figure that is sensitive, earthly, and emotional. Therefore Gaye is appealing to his listener’s sensitive side.
The first line in Verse 2 corroborates this Vietnam War focus. It goes “Father, father, We don't need to escalate, You see, war is not the answer, For only love can conquer hate”. The father figure that Gaye’s person is talking to seems to be President Nixon, the president of the time, as the person is asking him to not escalate, meaning to continue on with the war, or create more wars. Not only could he be talking about President Nixon but any body in a position in an authority. Father is especially fitting in this regard because typically people in positions of authority were called the man in that decade by those that were under their rule. Largely, just as men were seen as fitting these authority figures type, fathers were typically accepted as head of household, and this parallels a president’s role as head of the country. So if the person of Gaye’s words was addressing the president as father is very personal. Though Gaye is denouncing war, he is not criticizing the president, but heralding the president for a change in policy from hate to love that seems warm and personal. It reminds me of how I would try and talk to my parent who is being overbearing, and making rash decisions. The person Gaye is speaking for is calm and wise, and in a lot of ways it seems to reflect the type of person he has become in the past few years.
Here is where the beat becomes steady and up-tempo, and in the tune a layer of what sounds like finger snapping can be heard. For me it was impossible not to snap along. Now in-between lines, it sounds like the backups are repeating sister until the chorus “What’s Going On”. This helps to delineate how much Gaye feels a kinship with the people of the world.
Inside this lead up to the chorus is the address to the police. It comes out of a depiction of “Picket lines and picket signs’s”. These are items seen at protest rallys, and they usually indicate some type of displeasure and opposition with what is going on. In accordance to the song and time period there could be so many things to protest and speak out against such as the war, or inner city poverty, drug prevalence. The first person point of view is now speaking in representation for protestors. This protestor is addressing the police which is exemplified because he asks “Don’t punish me with brutality”. This request is raised due to the occurrences with police brutality in peaceful protests, student protests, and civil right rights sit ins. The protestor also makes a request to instead “Talk to me”. It isn’t the first time non-violence methods instead of physical actions are taken are suggested. With the subsequent lines “So, you can see, what’s going on””, this talking and conversation that is advocated is one that would discuss controversial matters and social issues that are relevant. But it regards also listening to another person’s perspective on a issue. Both these actions are so important because social and political issues affect us hugely, and continued dialogue and awareness ensured people were not throwing it behind them, labeling it as out of their control. Also just like the protestor beseeching the policeman, if everyone seriously put themselves in another person’s shoes, we’d have a lot less rash head on actions and therefore conflicts.
Now again the person in 1st person perspective is again addressing the mother figure. Again this could be symbolic of a mother Earth who provides for everyone and listens to everyone’s distress. Who is addressing her sounds like a hippie, or a rebel of society and government. The lines “everybody thinks we're wrong, Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long”, corroborate this. This is probably the portion of the song where Obie Benson, one of the writers, was influenced by the hippies, as he said he was.
Simply because our hair is long”, corroborate this. This is probably the portion of the song where Obie Benson, one of the writers, was influenced by the hippies, as he said he was.
Than the last stanza is a repeat of the chorus: “Picket lines and picket signs…What’s Going On”. This choice to repeat this stanza and the direction of the song lead me to believe that the person in first person point of view could be the character of a peaceful protestor to the war. What is noteworthy is that this person in the last chorus says after “Tell me what’s going on”, that “I’ll tell you what’s going on”. All throughout the song, this person has been conscious and aware. This repeated question of “What’s going on” may not be one that the person in first person needs the answer to. Instead the person says in the chorus “Talk to me, so you can see what’s going on”. This protestor seems to have seen the effects of “What’s Going On” with war in the effects of his/her world in the first stanza, and is peacefully protesting that war in the second stanza. Then in the chorus, the protestor is trying to impede violence and instead trying to spread knowledge and understanding. What is most integral to the message of this song is dialogue about “What’s Going On” continues. This dialogue is conveyed through the echo effect which represents a request for others to ask what’s going on , and then a question of What’s going On. All throughout the song, the strong themes of family and communion show that that this love and care is needed to not only make dialogue work, and people truly listen, but to impact the world and hopefully lessen these issues. In the final chorus how the protestor beseeches brother in the background between every few words, completes the family analogy that was used throughout the song. The message is received, in a way we are all family, and all related, and need to start treating each other as such.
What's Going On lyrics
"What's Going On" lyrics by Marvin Gaye.
Written-By – Renaldo "Obie"Benson, Alfred Cleveland, Marvin Gaye
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Mother, Mother
everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby
Written-By – Renaldo "Obie"Benson, Alfred Cleveland, Marvin Gaye
Mother, mother
There's too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There's far too many of you dying
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today - Ya
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we've got to find a way
To bring some lovin' here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what's going on
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Ah, what's going on
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Mother, Mother
everybody thinks we're wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we've got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don't punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
What's going on
Ya, what's going on
Tell me what's going on
I'll tell you what's going on - Uh
Right on baby
Right on baby
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
This is a song that directly addresses the living situation in the inner city areas of America which are commonly referred to as ghettos. It was written by Marvin Gaye and James Nyx. The song has a very soulful sound just like most of the songs on the albums with Gaye playing the piano and the The Funk Brothers playing the other instruments.
In this song, Gaye sings about the difficult economic situation in the ghetto and he describes it to be so poor it makes him wanna holler and throw up his hands. Right at the beginning,the song criticizes the government for letting the people still suffer high taxation while it spends most of the money on buying war material like rockets, the "have nots". "This aint livin' this aint livin" Gaye sings as he portrays the picture of inner city life. He also point out the issue of individuals in the ghetto having too many bills to pay and how they naturally cannot pay taxes because of their low income, and how they are forced to send their sons off to war. At the end, the song projects the same feeling of uncertainity of what the future will be. With the crime rate rising and panic among the people, Gaye turns to God to reveal what lies in the future.
As shown by the Lyrics:
Dah, dah, dah, dah
dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
Fore we see it you take it
Oh, make you wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
This ain't livin', This ain't livin'
No, no baby, this ain't livin'
No, no, no
Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
I can't pay my taxes
Oh, make me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Yea, it makes me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God know where we're heading
Oh, make me wanna holler
They don't understand
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Who are they to judge us
Simply cause we wear our hair long
In this song, Gaye sings about the difficult economic situation in the ghetto and he describes it to be so poor it makes him wanna holler and throw up his hands. Right at the beginning,the song criticizes the government for letting the people still suffer high taxation while it spends most of the money on buying war material like rockets, the "have nots". "This aint livin' this aint livin" Gaye sings as he portrays the picture of inner city life. He also point out the issue of individuals in the ghetto having too many bills to pay and how they naturally cannot pay taxes because of their low income, and how they are forced to send their sons off to war. At the end, the song projects the same feeling of uncertainity of what the future will be. With the crime rate rising and panic among the people, Gaye turns to God to reveal what lies in the future.
As shown by the Lyrics:
Dah, dah, dah, dah
dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
Fore we see it you take it
Oh, make you wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
This ain't livin', This ain't livin'
No, no baby, this ain't livin'
No, no, no
Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
I can't pay my taxes
Oh, make me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Yea, it makes me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God know where we're heading
Oh, make me wanna holler
They don't understand
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Who are they to judge us
Simply cause we wear our hair long
The album “What’s Going On” was recorded in Detroit and Los Angeles. It was originally recorded in the Detroit studios, Hitsville USA, Golden World, & United Sound Studios. But when Marvin Gaye submitted it to Berry Gordy, producer of Motown Records, he disliked it, and asked “Marvin, why do you want to ruin your career?”. Still the album spoke for itself, and after Gordy unwillingly released it, it sold 100,000 copies in the US alone, becoming Motown’s fastest selling song. After this Gordy asked Marvin to remix the album in Los Angeles at This version is called the “LA Mix” and was created at The Sound Factory. This is version that was eventually released to the public on May 21, 1971 and is most well known of “What’s Going On”.
 |
| Marvin Gaye: In studio session at Motown. |
Goodbye to Love Songs, Hello to Me
Marvin Gaye had found enormous success with love songs “Ain't That Peculiar," "I'll Be Doggone," and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)", all Top Ten hits. In addition duet songs like the ballad “It takes Two” with Kim Weston and his acclaimed collaborations with Tammi Terrell including the mega popular hits, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “You’re Precious Love” in 1967, and “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing” and “You’re All I Need to Get By” in 1968, proved to be his forte and what the fans loved. His duets with Tammi Terrell showed incredible melodic chemistry and an magnificent harmony of their vocals that people recognized and praised. Unfortunately his partner and long-time friend, Tammi Terrell, prematurely died from a brain tumor on March 16, 1970, that first reared its head in a concert performance in 1967 when she collapsed on stage and had to be held by Gaye. She was 24. Her death greatly devastated and affected Marvin who went into a seclusion, and stopped recording and making pubic appearances. Just as well Gaye was hosting a plethora of personal problems, including dealing with his crumbling marriage to Anna Gordy, as well as a growing frustration witih Motown's stronghold production. His solitutde allowed him reflection in which the issues of the time pressed upon him. In fact his brother Frankie had returned from the Vietnam War, and relayed stories from his experience to Marvin that moved him to tears. All of these factors greatly sobered Gaye, so that when Gaye looked to record again, he found he could no longer find solace in singing irrelevant love songs. For all of these reasons, Marvin Gaye recorded "What's Going On", a protest song that deviated from all other familiar song formulas that Gaye was used to. It was a socially conscious song, written by Four Tops Member Obie Benson and fellow Motown writer Al Clevland.
Incredibly interesting is that Obie Benson came up with the idea for "What's Going On" from one his visits to San Francsico in 1969 where he was impacted by the enormous presence of the kids. He says:
“They had the Haight-Ashbury then, all the kids up there with the long hair and everything,”.“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.”.
These weighted questions were a harbinger for a song that would take about what was happening in their current world. With the tune ready, vocals were needed, but Marvin Gaye was not the first choice to pitch the song to. First Benson pitched it to Four Tops, and then to Joan Baez, who both passed. Then the song was pitched to Gaye, who loved it upon the first hearing, and worked on it. Benson describes how Gaye tweaked the song.
“He definitely put the finishing touches on it,” Benson said. “He added lyrics, and he added some spice to the melody. He added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem more like a story than a song. He made it visual. He absorbed himself to the extent that when you heard the song you could see the people and feel the hurt and pain. We measured him for the suit, and he tailored it."
One aspect that was perhaps tailored by Gaye was how he changed the song to fit the perspective of a veteran returning home to a conflicted nation. Undoubtedly influenced by his brother’s return-home experience, Gaye put his creative spin onto the song that made it something that Gaye was really excited to release. Some of these innovative touches was to bring in some of his friends from the Detriot Lions football team in which he tried out for, but did not make it. Lem Barney and Mel Farmer, his football buddies from his brief stint provided the street chatter for the records as well as the back up vocals for the whole album. The phrase “What’s Going On” was actually a greeting used frequently between them. The first record’s arrangement was a prelude to how the whole album would sound, and concurrent throughout the whole album were the underused talent from Motown like house arranger David Van De Pitte. Also in the album were the Funk Brothers and Eli Fontaine for the sax. Other innovative touches was the infamous double lead echo, where the base vocal was duplicated. It actually occurred by accident but was kept due to Gaye. It showed how much creative license and freeform Gaye was allowing the album to take. Without the confining structure placed by Berry Gordy, it was almost as if the was allowing the album to create itself. People played freely, sometimes using marijuana, but most importantly doing what felt right.
Incredibly interesting is that Obie Benson came up with the idea for "What's Going On" from one his visits to San Francsico in 1969 where he was impacted by the enormous presence of the kids. He says:
“They had the Haight-Ashbury then, all the kids up there with the long hair and everything,”.“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.”.
These weighted questions were a harbinger for a song that would take about what was happening in their current world. With the tune ready, vocals were needed, but Marvin Gaye was not the first choice to pitch the song to. First Benson pitched it to Four Tops, and then to Joan Baez, who both passed. Then the song was pitched to Gaye, who loved it upon the first hearing, and worked on it. Benson describes how Gaye tweaked the song.
“He definitely put the finishing touches on it,” Benson said. “He added lyrics, and he added some spice to the melody. He added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem more like a story than a song. He made it visual. He absorbed himself to the extent that when you heard the song you could see the people and feel the hurt and pain. We measured him for the suit, and he tailored it."
One aspect that was perhaps tailored by Gaye was how he changed the song to fit the perspective of a veteran returning home to a conflicted nation. Undoubtedly influenced by his brother’s return-home experience, Gaye put his creative spin onto the song that made it something that Gaye was really excited to release. Some of these innovative touches was to bring in some of his friends from the Detriot Lions football team in which he tried out for, but did not make it. Lem Barney and Mel Farmer, his football buddies from his brief stint provided the street chatter for the records as well as the back up vocals for the whole album. The phrase “What’s Going On” was actually a greeting used frequently between them. The first record’s arrangement was a prelude to how the whole album would sound, and concurrent throughout the whole album were the underused talent from Motown like house arranger David Van De Pitte. Also in the album were the Funk Brothers and Eli Fontaine for the sax. Other innovative touches was the infamous double lead echo, where the base vocal was duplicated. It actually occurred by accident but was kept due to Gaye. It showed how much creative license and freeform Gaye was allowing the album to take. Without the confining structure placed by Berry Gordy, it was almost as if the was allowing the album to create itself. People played freely, sometimes using marijuana, but most importantly doing what felt right.
Pop Music As Poetry
It is often arguably stated, that the death of the last famous American poets like Robert Frost and T.S Eliot did not only take the most creative and enlightened people in society but also the value of poetry in America. But it is albums like "What's goin on" that prove the above statement wrong. Poetry is very much still alive in our society today in the form of music. Yes, pop music is the aethetic -poetic vehicle of a generation.
Songs on this album, just like poems, carry a message that is grand eventhough they are usually a little over 3 minutes long. Poems usually connect and point out many truths and absurdities about life and that is exactly what songs from this album like "What's goin on" and "Inner City Blues" do.
They creatively describe what's going on in society and pose deeper questions to the listeners which just like poetry induce a process of thought and reflection.
Through his music on this album, Marvin Gaye was able to voice many issuses in the society of America in the late sixties and early seventies such as the war, poverty and violence, and was able to let the listener rethink and reflect on the life he/she lives.
Songs on this album, just like poems, carry a message that is grand eventhough they are usually a little over 3 minutes long. Poems usually connect and point out many truths and absurdities about life and that is exactly what songs from this album like "What's goin on" and "Inner City Blues" do.
They creatively describe what's going on in society and pose deeper questions to the listeners which just like poetry induce a process of thought and reflection.
Through his music on this album, Marvin Gaye was able to voice many issuses in the society of America in the late sixties and early seventies such as the war, poverty and violence, and was able to let the listener rethink and reflect on the life he/she lives.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Culture and History's Influence on the Album
The culture and times of America in 1969-1970 were very influential to the creation of this album. During the time it was made, there was much going on like the vietnam war, the hippie movement, and many other protests and riots like the Detroit Riots(which happened a little earlier in 1967). The album voiced the question that most Americans would pose to their government which is "What's going on?". Many people did not really understand the purpose of the war in Vietnam and did not support the invasion of Vietnam for it yielded nothing but dead soldiers and civilians. This notion of anti war in society is very much apparent and communicated by the album as in "What's going on" Gaye sings, " war is not the answer but love".
The influence of the hippie movement of experimenting drugs and being free was also very much alive on this album as portrayed in one of the songs, "Flying High (in the Freindly Sky)". In the song, Gaye sings of an experience of flying without moving and having a peaceful mind which is very in tune with the hippie philosophy. Other songs on the like "Mercy Me. Mercy Me" and "Save the Children" voice the many troubles in society like war, and injustice that the vulnerable peolple need to be saved from.
"What's going on" paints a great picture of the thoughts and feelings of an individual living in America during the late sixties through early seventies; It was a record very much influenced by the culture and the times then.
The influence of the hippie movement of experimenting drugs and being free was also very much alive on this album as portrayed in one of the songs, "Flying High (in the Freindly Sky)". In the song, Gaye sings of an experience of flying without moving and having a peaceful mind which is very in tune with the hippie philosophy. Other songs on the like "Mercy Me. Mercy Me" and "Save the Children" voice the many troubles in society like war, and injustice that the vulnerable peolple need to be saved from.
"What's going on" paints a great picture of the thoughts and feelings of an individual living in America during the late sixties through early seventies; It was a record very much influenced by the culture and the times then.
Original Track Listing
- "What's Going On" (Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo "Obie" Benson)
- "What's Happening Brother" (James Nyx, M. Gaye)
- "Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)" (M. Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover)
- "Save the Children" (Cleveland, M. Gaye, Benson)
- "God Is Love" (M. Gaye, A. Gaye, Stover, Nyx)
- "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (M. Gaye)
- "Right On" (Earl DeRouen, M. Gaye)
- "Wholy Holy" (Benson, Cleveland, M. Gaye)
- "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (M. Gaye, Nyx)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What's_Going_On
Monday, May 16, 2011
Marvin Gaye's performance of "What's Goin' on/What's Happening Brother"
This is an excerpt from “Real Thing: In Performance 1964-1981”, a recently released compilation of the greatest live performances by Marvin Gaye. The timeline of these performances that spans 17 years encompasses many of Marvin Gaye’s hits. But the pinnacle of this DVD many argue is Marvin Gaye’s live performance of “What’s Goin’ on/What Happening Brother” in 1973. As the song starts, signaled by Marvin Gaye’s, 1,2, 3 introduction, you can see the recognition and excitement of the people in the audience. Noticeably the kids in the crowds are jumping down in anticipation and the impact of Gaye and this groundbreaking song for the early 1970s for people is exemplified. As he sings, what seems like his signature smile stays on his face while his vocals verbalize the socially compelling lyrics of “What’s Going On”. Then the video footage in the DVD performance transitions to footage of inner city black neighborhoods. There are shots of rundown buildings, and of the problems Gaye’s lyrics so famously talks about. An example of this is the panning of a building where almost all of the windows were knocked out in the panels. This shot in particular struck me because it shows the not so perfect living and setting that many blacks were familiar to. In addition a shot of the Chicago police is relevant to this period because of police brutality and their unpopularity with the masses. This footage I felt gave visual connotation to the song and the time period that I felt was very accordant with the message of “What’s Going On”. Appropriately the shots of people in the crowds, showed adults contemplating Marvin Gaye’s sun words. It seemed like his echoed question of ‘What’s Going On” did sink into their heads. Which very well could be the purpose of the social commentary that “What’s Going On” is.
From it I was given a fresh perspective on the song that with just the words I would not have been able to take away. While this background to these social issues prevalent in the 1970s is compelling, it is not all that is shown in the footage. During the interlude where the drums are heard, footage of people doing regular, everyday things are shown too. This includes showing people enjoying themselves in picnic gatherings in the park, people going to church, and kids playing. It struck me how authentic everything seemed, to the piano and drums playing in the interlude to the real life footage of inner-city life in Chicago. These images exemplify the culture and way of life of African Americans as it showed mundane daily occurrences. With the help of these footage of authentic life for blacks, I felt like I had grasped the intention of the performance footage and the song. It is directed towards the everyday person who continues to persevere even as the situation in America deteriorates and makes Gaye question ‘What’s Goin On”.
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