What's Going On

Il 33 giri "What's Going On" è un'opera di straordinaria coesione e di splendide invenzioni. È il primo vero album soul, concepito unitariamente e non come raccolta di singoli più riempitivi. Ancora: è un concept album sui grandi temi sociali: l'ecologia, i bambini, la gioventù dei ghetti, il Vietnam. Gaye è tra i primi neri ad avvicinarsi a un'estetica "alternativa", ai temi di protesta politica, prima più amati dai bianchi. Ma non dimentica mai che lui è un soulman e che lui ha classe.

La title track, posta in apertura, con la voce raddoppiata tramite sovraincisioni, il tappeto ritmico e il sax, sarà un archetipo per la musica nera. Solo in questa canzone è sintetizzata la spiritualità gospel, il rigore e l'emotività soul, e un suono di modernità sconcertante. Per il tempo e per il genere, è avanguardia. Oggi sarebbe perfetta attualità. La voce di Marvin, che aveva avuto occasionali cadute nello zuccheroso (ma con quel falsetto, sarebbe stato impossibile il contrario…) e che altre dopo ne avrà, qui non cede un centimetro.

Il funk c'è già, ma l'attitudine "urbana" che ne farà la fortuna è sostituito dal gospel. Gli altri otto brani sono tutti ideale continuazione di questo. I ritmi debitori al jazz, i bassi puliti e senza sbavature, un'attenzione al ritmo ossessiva, la vocalità sopraffina di Marvin mettono per la prima volta l'infinita perizia esecutiva e la straordinaria forza comunicativa dei musicisti di scuola "black" al servizio di tematiche di sconcertante profondità.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On :: Le Pietre Miliari di OndaRock

Designed with a somber jazz-inspired tone, "What's Going On" addressed the political and social troubles of the world in a soulful, introspective way, contrasting to the more dramatic socially conscious records made by Sly & the Family Stone and The Temptations over the previous three years. The song originated from an idea by Four Tops member Renaldo "Obie" Benson, who, witnessing stressful conditions while on tour in Europe, began writing a song to express his feelings. Once back in the United States, Benson and Motown songwriter Al Clevland prepared an initial rough version of the song, and invited Marvin Gaye as a third collaborator on the song. Gaye, depressed from the death of singing partner Tammi Terrell and strongly considering a retirement from performing, planned to produce "What's Going On" as a single for The Originals, but Benson and Clevland convinced Gaye to record it himself.

On the finished track, as Gaye musically ponders on the state of the world, a party can be heard going on in the background, from which Gaye's voice is purposely detached. The partygoers are portrayed by Mel Farr and Lem Barney, whose acquaintances Gaye had made during his failed 1970 tryout for the Detroit Lions.

Also, notably for this record, Marvin Gaye sings both lead and background vocals himself, essentially creating what is now recognized as modern-day multitracking. The process had been used for many years to give parts of a recording extra strength (Motown themselves had used it on The Supremes' "You Keep Me Hangin' On), but Gaye took it one step further and sung each of his vocal passes in various harmony parts, creating an ethereal sound that became his trademark.

This song was completed before the rest of the What's Going On album was finished. Motown chief Berry Gordy tried to block the release of the single, deeming it "uncommercial", but after Gaye threatened to cease recording permanently, Gordy reluctantly had the "What's Going On" single issued. "What's Going On" proved to be a substantial commercial hit paving the way for his forthcoming seminal album release of the same title. "What´s Going On" was one of the major hits of 1971 as well as Motown´s fast selling single at that point, reaching #2 for three weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 for five weeks on the Billboard R&B charts. The single would end up to sell over 2,5 million copies and becoming his biggest US Pop hit since "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" hit the charts in late 1968.

from Wikipedia