Fifty years ago, Motown Records shocked radio waves with the release of Marvin Gaye’s classic and iconic album, What’s Going On On, raising the bar for American awareness.
Patty Jackson, a WDAS radio personality and pop culture enthusiast, said:
“Rolling Stone has named it the greatest album of all time, and the theme and painful plea, the question of” What’s Going On “, and the plea of” Mercy, Mercy, Me “are still relevant today. There is sex, “said Jackson.
Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” title track jumped to the top of the music charts and influenced American culture and generations.
“I knew you were listening to classical music. From” God is love “, I’m very impressed with” Mercy Mercy Me “, which he basically sang in” Ecology “. I knew you were listening to something. It reflected your life no matter how old you were, “Jackson said.
In light of this anniversary, gay “What’s Going On” albums and timeless tracks have been brought to life by a variety of networks, music stores, organizations, and fans, fellow musicians, and Detroit natives. I pay tribute to you.
by motownmuseum.comThe Motown Museum will host a 90-minute VIP Marvin Gaye-focused tour every hour from 11am to 5pm. How the album was born, and memories and stories about late icons.
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the single, Motown / UMe has collected a digital release of bonus music entitled “What’s Going On: Deluxe Edition / 50th Anniversary”. This includes the original album and 12 bonus tracks.
And on May 28, CNN will rebroadcast “CNN Special:” What’s Happening “: A Song of the Marvin Gaye Era,” anchored by CNN’s Don Lemon. The special highlights the profound and important influence of the lyrics of “What’s Going On”.
“It was just an overwhelming experience,” said CNN correspondent and journalist Don Lemon. “I started talking to my friends, the people he worked with, and more importantly, his sister Zeora, who I’m now friends with. The documentary travels me. He took me and told me how complicated and genius Marvin Gaye was, “Lemon said.
According to Lemon, the gay message may be even more important today.
“The album still tells what’s happening today. Talking about so many issues was ahead of the curve. Remember that this album was released in 1971. Song Not many people sang about the environment in. Think about the lyrics. “Picket lines and picket signs. Don’t punish me for brutality. I’ll see what’s going on. Talk to. ”That’s Black Lives Matter. It’s now, “Lemon said.
Half a century ago, the iconic hit reflects some of the most important challenges and divisions America faces today, including excessive police force, climate change, and endless wars in foreign countries.
“From the whole experience, I realized that artists, and frankly, people with all sorts of celebrities and platforms, have a duty to reflect the times they are in. They are positive about culture. Marvin Gaye was keenly aware of that duty. Everyone who talked about him had what was happening in the world, and the death of his friend Tammy Terrell. Talked about how he changed him. They saw it turn him into a deeper and more responsible artist, “Lemon said.
When people look back on the gay “What’s Going On” single and his discography, Jackson said he wants people to understand how great he was.
“This soul singer really captured the spirit of the world, from that period of 1970-71 to what we were dealing with in 2021. It’s a wonderful songwriting. I got it today. It’s a great production because it’s not. What other songs are there? Did you know that it’s timeless but still meaningful and captures a moving era when you look at our lives? “Jackson said.
