Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye can be described as many things; soul man, musical visionary, instrumentalist, authoritative, driven by a conviction for what is right in the world, and the vulnerability of his very soul that caused him to want to do something about what was wrong in the world in which we all live.  This contrite and spiritual man would infuse and mingle his love for mankind and his desire for equality into his music. 

During the Vietnam War, loved ones were being shipped away and killed on soil not native to our own, equality issues and racial tensions were high, and so many people strived to do something to ease one another’s pain.  Marvin was also striving to try to provide some ventilation for the thoughts and feelings so prevalent at the time.  The album What’s Going On was the product of that. 

As he struggled to record and release this album, he found that its concept and outspoken delivery of the subject matter would impose difficulties of its own.  People desperately needed this album, yet were necessarily ready to receive it.  Barry Gordy has even been quoted as asking him, “Marvin, why do you want to ruin your career?”

Marvin eventually posed a, now famous, ultimatum… let him record and release this album, or he wouldn’t ever record another thing.  The record company found out later how serious this was when Marvin Gaye began training for professional football as a sideline, just in case this album never got released.

Marvin Gaye’s idea behind an album was, simply put, an album should be a cohesive whole telling a broader picture of what’s going on, as opposed to a handful of single, unrelated songs put onto a petroleum disk conglomerate.  This meant that What’s Going On would be a concept album.  It contained a very compelling, gritty, soulful, rhythm and blues sound that would draw you in and not let you go until its tender sonic fingers had somehow touched your very own soul. The lyrics told the tale of war, anguish, sex, pain, deliverance, and equality.

I always thought folks liked Marvin Gaye for his sultry and masculine sound and his distinguished good looks.  Now, I realize, there is so much more to love.