Description
Motowns Prince Of Soul, Marvin Gaye, was already a hit artist for nearly a decade when, in 1971, he reached new heights with his album What’s Going On. An immediate landmark recording, it was the first of Gaye’s albums to break the top ten of Billboards Top LPs, and quickly became Motown’s best-selling record. To this day, What’s Going On is hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time, earning the number one spot on Rolling Stone magazines 2020 list of The 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. Now comes Whats Going On: Deluxe 50th Anniversary Edition. This includes the original album, plus 12 bonus tracks featuring each of the LPs original mono single versions and their B-sides, two of which are different takes God Is Love and Sad Tomorrows, an earlier version of Flying High (in the Friendly Sky) while the pre-album single version of Whats Going On has no party intro and a false fade. Also included is the title songs earliest mix, initially made as a reference for Motowns in-house quality control department before horns and strings were added; a dramatic instrumental mix; a Coffeehouse Mix by Grammy-winning engineer Russ Elevado that emphasizes the tracks previously buried acoustic guitar, originally available on a Record Store Day exclusive 10 EP for the albums 45th anniversary in 2016. Also included from that same 2016 release is a Whats Going On duet with Motown artist B.J. the Chicago Kid. Other tracks are an early working version of Symphony, written by Marvin with Smokey Robinson, in which Marvin sings over and over, whats going on? while the song of the same name sat unreleased; and the instrumental I Love the Ground You Walk On, recorded during the same waiting period. Fifty years later, the influence and meaning behind this legendary record continues to ring true. The single Whats Going On originated as a response to police brutality at a protest in Berkeley, CA and coincided with personal tragedy in Gaye’s life as well as Gayes brother’s time fighting in Vietnam. The compounding experiences sparked the poignant plea that became the full-length LP What’s Going On. Calling out to a broken country, Gaye searched for reason and hope in a world that felt desperate and senseless; a sentiment that many share now more than ever. Marvin Gaye continues to hold his place as one of the greatest singers, composers and producers of all time, and in this half a century What’s Going On has proven itself to be one of the world’s most unforgettable records.
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