
21 May 1971 · 56 YEARS
What's Going On
Marvin Gaye
Motown leadership initially feared that the heavy social commentary would cause listeners to disengage. The artist pushed for creative authority to discuss urban poverty and the Vietnam War directly.
Orchestral arrangements flow together to form a dreamlike, continuous experience. Recorded during a time of personal reflection, the production generates an urgent intimacy that expanded the creative boundaries of the genre.