Marvin Gaye was terrified.
It was 1970, and the "Prince of Motown" was staring down a creative crisis that would either destroy his career or redefine American music forever. He was tired of being the handsome guy singing about "How Sweet It Is." He was mourning his singing partner Tammi Terrell, who had just died of a brain tumor. His brother, Frankie, had just come back from Vietnam with stories that made Marvin’s stomach churn.
The what's going on song by marvin gaye didn't start in a studio; it started in a place of deep, agonizing grief. Honestly, if Berry Gordy—the head of Motown—had his way, we would never have heard it. He famously called the song "the worst thing I ever heard in my life." He thought it was too political, too "jazzy," and basically a guaranteed flop.
Gordy was wrong.
The Day Music Finally Grew Up
Most people think Marvin Gaye wrote the whole thing himself. He didn't. Renaldo "Obie" Benson of the Four Tops actually came up with the core idea after witnessing police brutality at a "Bloody Thursday" protest in Berkeley. Benson tried to give the song to his own group, but they turned it down. They didn't want to get political.
When Benson brought it to Marvin, something clicked.
Marvin didn't just sing the lyrics; he lived them. He spent months refining the sound, adding layers of atmosphere that felt more like a street corner than a recording booth. That chatter you hear at the beginning? That’s real. It’s a group of Marvin’s friends—including football players Lem Barney and Mel Farr—just hanging out. It wasn't scripted. It was life.
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The recording process for the what's going on song by marvin gaye was a mess of happy accidents. The legendary "double-voiced" lead vocal, where Marvin sounds like he’s harmonizing with himself, happened because the engineer, Kenneth Sands, accidentally played two different lead vocal takes at the same time. Marvin loved the ghostly, internal-dialogue feel of it and insisted they keep it.
Breaking the Motown Machine
Back then, Motown was a hit factory. You followed the rules. You wore the suit. You sang the hooks. Marvin decided to stop being a puppet. He went on strike. He told Gordy he wouldn't record another note until "What's Going On" was released.
It was a massive gamble.
When the song finally dropped in January 1971, it didn't just chart—it exploded. It became the fastest-selling single in Motown history at that point. People were hungry for the truth. They were tired of the "moon-and-june" lyrics of the sixties. They wanted to hear about the war, the environment, and the kids in the street.
Why the Sound Still Feels Like a Fever Dream
If you listen closely to the bassline, you’re hearing James Jamerson. He’s arguably the greatest bassist to ever live, but the story of this session is wild. Legend has it Jamerson was so drunk he couldn't sit up on a stool. He recorded that iconic, melodic bassline lying flat on his back on the floor, reading the charts and nailing it in one or two takes.
That’s the kind of raw energy that defines the what's going on song by marvin gaye.
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The song isn't just a soul track. It’s a mix of jazz, gospel, and classical orchestration. David Van DePitte’s arrangements gave it a cinematic scope that soul music hadn't really seen before. It felt "vibey" decades before that was even a word.
- The percussion isn't just drums; it's congas and boxes.
- The saxophone by Eli Fontaine was actually a warm-up take that Marvin loved so much he kept it as the intro.
- The lyrics don't blame; they question.
"Mother, mother, there's too many of you crying." It’s a plea for empathy, not a political manifesto. That’s why it still works. It doesn't feel like a lecture; it feels like a conversation with a friend who's just as worried as you are.
The Environmental Connection Nobody Mentions
Everyone talks about the Vietnam protests, but people forget that Marvin was one of the first major artists to tackle ecology. In the album version of the song, he flows right into "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)." He was worried about the "oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas." In 1971!
He was seeing the world as a connected system. He saw that you couldn't have peace in the streets if you didn't have peace with the planet. It was a level of consciousness that most pop stars today still haven't reached.
The Impact on Future Generations
You can't have Kendrick Lamar’s "To Pimp a Butterfly" without this record. You don't get Stevie Wonder’s "Innervisions" or even the neo-soul movement of the 90s. Marvin Gaye proved that a Black artist could be a "thinking man's" musician. He broke the mold of the R&B singer being just an entertainer.
The what's going on song by marvin gaye gave permission to every artist who followed to be vulnerable and political at the same time.
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It’s been covered by everyone from Cyndi Lauper to Hall & Oates, but nobody captures that specific ache in Marvin’s voice. It’s a "holy" sound.
How to Truly Experience the Track Today
To get the most out of this song, don't listen to a tinny smartphone speaker. Use a decent pair of headphones.
- Listen for the "Party" Chatter: Try to isolate the voices in the background. It makes the song feel like it’s happening in your living room.
- Focus on the Bass: Follow Jamerson’s line. It’s like a lead guitar part but deeper. It never stays in one place.
- Read the Lyrics Separately: Take away the music and just read the words. They are remarkably simple, which is why they are so powerful.
The what's going on song by marvin gaye is a masterclass in tension and release. It never quite "resolves" in a happy way, because the problems it addresses—racism, war, poverty—haven't been resolved either.
Moving Forward with Marvin’s Vision
If you want to dive deeper into the history of this era, check out the 50th-anniversary deluxe editions of the album. They include "Detroit Mixes" which are rawer and less polished than the version that hit the radio. It gives you a glimpse into what Marvin was hearing in his head before the label smoothed it out.
Also, look into the work of the Funk Brothers. They were the uncredited studio band behind almost every Motown hit, and "What's Going On" was their crowning achievement. Understanding their contribution changes how you hear the groove entirely.
Ultimately, the best way to honor this song is to actually do what it says: "Talk to me, so you can see what's going on." Communication was Marvin's only solution. It’s still the only one we have.
Next Steps for Music History Lovers:
- Listen to the "Detroit Mix": Compare it to the original release to hear the difference in raw vocal energy.
- Watch the Documentary: Search for "What's Going On: The Life and Death of Marvin Gaye" for the full backstory on his battle with Motown.
- Explore the Funk Brothers: Check out the film "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" to see the musicians who actually played on the track.