a b Graff, Gary; du Lac, Joshua Freedom; McFarlin, Jim, eds. (1998). "Marvin Gaye". MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. ISBN 0-8256-7255-4.

Save The Children" is an emotional plea for Children, that once again could apply 50 years later, with all the tragic crimes against Children!!!!! I first heard this album a few years ago. I heard it because I wanted to expand my musical horizons away from hip hop. My first step in branching out was listening to Bob Marley. After that was very successful, I decided to move on to the genre of soul, figuring I would like it. Marvin Gaye was my artist of choice because I had heard him referenced in multiple hip hop songs and he's often claimed to be one of the best in the genre. This album was the first album that I heard from him. Right off the bat, I loved it. I thought that it was beautiful, incredible music and I couldn't believe how narrow minded I had been before I listened to it. It inspired me to discover new music, not only in soul, but in many other genres as well. I had been looking at music so close mindedly, but this album single-handedly opened my mind to a whole new world of music. This album will always hold a special place in my heart for that reason.Conception [ edit ] Fellow soul singer Renaldo Benson inspired Gaye to write about political themes and social change in his music. Bowman, Kirk (May 21, 2021). "Marvin Gaye – What's Going On (album review)". Sputnikmusic . Retrieved July 29, 2022.

Review of Marvin Gaye – What's Going On – 40th Anniversary Edition Review". BBC – Music. June 27, 2011 . Retrieved September 10, 2012. In 1969 or 1970, I began to re-evaluate my whole concept of what I wanted my music to say... I was very much affected by letters my brother was sending me from Vietnam, as well as the social situation here at home. I realized that I had to put my own fantasies behind me if I wanted to write songs that would reach the souls of people. I wanted them to take a look at what was happening in the world. [15] Recording [ edit ] Gaye recorded the album at Motown's in-house studio Hitsville U.S.A. (since converted into a museum)In an interview with Rolling Stone, Marvin Gaye discussed what had shaped his view on more socially conscious themes in music and the conception of his eleventh studio album: We all know the story: "Marvin" was tired of being a pretty boy (just like "Stevie Wonder" was), and after talking with his Brother about Vietnam, and the tragic death of "Ms. Tammi Terrell", "Marvin" could not take it anymore!!!!! He had to let it out, and what better way then through music!!!!! If spending a coupla years in the white, middle-class Home Counties of England caused Charles and Dee any problems, they never showed it. Charles had served in Vietnam, and was a proper Brother - I guess living in Thame wasn't so hard. Later on, I learned that they liked England very much, and thought about returning to the UK. Sadly, that never happened. But Charlie Smith sho nuff left his influence on one particular corner of this green and pleasant land...

To say that putting this album into words has been overwhelming would be an understatement. Finishing this review would be an even more overwhelming task, which is why I'll finish it with a quote from Marvin himself. He once said, "I mumble things into the microphone. I don't even know what I'm saying, and I don't even try to figure it out. If I try, it doesn't work. If I relax, those mumbles will finally turn into words. It's a slow, evolving process, something like the way a flower grows." Mumble on in heaven, Marvin. Mumble on. Breihan, Tom (May 19, 2011). "Marvin Gaye's What's Going On Gets Box Set". Pitchfork . Retrieved January 30, 2021. Then there's the perfect album closer, "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"....Putting the ills of the city on blast like he did, and believe me, at that time, it was a welcomed and needed "Inner City" anthem.... This release connects me to the music and to the message and makes me feel all of this — in my guts, not in my brain — all over again. It doesn't matter that I am now over 60 and listen to the record on a more sophisticated stereo (at the time, we listened on very basic turntables, not even in stereo, and on cassettes that we used to death), the message is just as strong and powerful. I know that this album has been reviewed millions of times, and even though "Marvin Gaye" had tons, and tons, and tons of great songs before "What's Going On", none, and I do mean none of his albums ever came close to this one!!!!!! The fact that "Marvin" was so defiant of "Berry Gordy", to go ahead with this bombshell of just great music, stuns the mind!!!!

Now the next two songs, "Right On" and "Wholy Holy", I admit are not in the same class as the other songs mentioned....But they are still very good, and do not diminish the album... In fact, this record should not sound like pretty music and lovely words, it should move you and make you feel deeply sad, depressed, happy and hopeful, all at the same time —. It says STOP THE WAR, stop the madness, wake up to reality, take care of the world and of each other. Marvin Gaye | full Official Chart History | Official Charts Company". www.officialcharts.com . Retrieved June 1, 2021.

Gulla, Bob (2008). Icons of R&B and Soul: An Encyclopedia of the Artists Who Revolutionized Rhythm. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-0-313-34044-4. Gaye started to experience more international success around this time as both a solo artist with hits such as " I Heard It Through the Grapevine" and " Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" and as a dual artist with Tammi Terrell, but Gaye said during this time that he felt he "didn't deserve" his success and he felt like "a puppet - Berry's puppet, Anna's puppet. I had a mind of my own and I wasn't using it." [4] [5] [3] In March 1970, Gaye's singing partner Terrell died of a brain tumor. The singer responded to Terrell's death by refusing to perform onstage for several years. In January 1970, Motown released Gaye's next studio album, That's the Way Love Is, but Gaye refused to promote the recording, choosing to stay at home. During this secluded period, Gaye ditched his previous clean-cut image to grow a beard, and preferred to wear sweatsuits instead of dress suits and sweaters. [6] Listen to it if you don’t know it yet, I'm pretty sure that you’ll be extremely satisfied. Don't just listen to it though, LISTEN to it! (or make love on it :)Charles and Dee's house seemed like a different world. Everything moved. Dee couldn't put the kettle on without a few shimmies and pirouettes. When Charlie mowed the lawn, even the grass danced. Music was everywhere, but they never listened to the radio. It was always vinyl, and Charlie treasured his records like no one I'd known before. "You'll like this, Stevie" he used to say, pulling some curiously-named beast from a totally freaky sleeve. It was probably The Temps, or maybe Funkadelic. I don't remember. But I _do_ remember that Charlie seemed to actually _care_ about what I thought of his music. Almost without exception, I loved it. (The exceptions were usually jazz - "I don't like it when there's no singing and it's all strange, Charlie") And the stuff I loved the most was Marvin Gaye. Benson, George (February 22, 2004). "The Classic: Marvin Gaye: What's Going On". The Observer. Archived from the original on March 27, 2007 . Retrieved January 17, 2010. Benson offered the song to Marvin Gaye when he participated in a golf game with the singer. Returning to Gaye's home outside Outer Drive, Benson played the song to Gaye on his guitar. Gaye felt the song's moody flow would be perfect for The Originals. Benson eventually convinced Gaye that it was his song. The singer responded by asking for partial writing credit, which Benson allowed. Gaye added new musical composition, a new melody and lyrics that reflected Gaye's own disgust. Benson said later that Gaye tweaked and enriched the song, "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem like a story and not a song... we measured him for the suit and he tailored the hell out of it." [11] [10] During this time, Gaye had been deeply affected by letters shared between him and his brother after he had returned from service in the Vietnam War over the treatment of Vietnam veterans. [12] Anyway, this record's a trip, and an important one, and not just musically. — and this reissue does it justice.