What's Going On

"But who really cares? Who's willing to try... to save our sweet world?" Shadows and light. Chiaroscuro, in painting. The bitter and the sweet, in chocolate. It's the stuff of melancholy, of regret, worry, dark times ahead. Marvin Gaye's human pleas, genuine and earnest... to save the babies, up against a symphony that's filmic, romantic, in an almost 1001 Strings kind of way. An orchestral setting that Berry Gordy thought was too old, outdated, the kids will never dig, etc. etc. But it's the perfect backdrop– nostalgia– that gives us context for Marvin's anguish about the future. It's also personal. It's an album about his brother's letters to him from Vietnam... the anti-war protests that Obie Benson saw firsthand which lead him to write "What's Going On?"... his own dark struggles with his family, addiction. A changing planet. And somehow Marvin is perfectly positioned to help us understand. He doesn't preach, he doesn't condescend. He brings you into his inner world, and doesn't count you out. And it's a Motown album? Impossible. I can't imagine the whiplash from the American public when this came out. Motown? Song cycles? Dark subject matter? *That* Marvin Gaye? An album for a coming storm... and one to put together the pieces from a few very real personal storms in the 1960s. An amazing album. The soundtrack to so many people's lives, their own anxieties and dark places and chances for redemption. Music for a sweet world. 5/5

10/10 thanks, Marvin Gaye 👍 Inventor of Sex

Love the sound, but there’s a bit too much about Jesus.

So magnificent and bittersweet. You cannot listen to this album and not feel that sense of sweet sweet nostalgia. It's an album about living in the future, suddenly waking up one day and it's 1971, and there's this moment of clarity, like "wait, what's really going on here?" Somehow it perfectly captures that for me. So beautiful.

Wow. This album puts you into such a specific mood. The rain on Marvin's face reflects today's weather accompanying my listen to this record. We start off this album with a political statement on "What's Going On" that is a very serious statement about police brutality hidden behind what sounds like jubilation and a very calming groovy bongo beat. Apparently when Marvin brought this to Motown they were appalled. Said it was way too political. I'm glad that Marvin stood his ground and argued that it was a very political time to be alive, pushing for the very real nature of this album. It feels visceral, like music that isn't made simply to make music. Lyrics like "Who Really Cares // Who's willing to try // To save a world that's destined to die?" are not the type of lyrics the label was expecting to hear, I'm sure. A lyric I deeply identified with. Save the damn babies. I absolutely love the way it flows, at least from the start through "God Is Love". Like I'm watching a movie. I will say that while the songs after "God Is Love" are still beautifully written and arranged, I wish that the entire album flowed together rather than dropping that concept midway through. Loved the drums on "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)". Loved all of the brass and woodwinds on "Right On". Loved the entirety of "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)". So many simple lines in this song that are just so great. "Panic is spreadin', God knows where we're headin'" As Marvin states on the final track, "this ain't livin'". We've made a lot of progress since 1971 but honestly this record could have been made yesterday and the themes Marvin's lyrics touch on would still be just as pertinent now as they were back then. The album cover makes sense to me now. It's not all sunshine and rainbows. 5/5.

An immaculate and storied album. I listened to it a lot in college. I’ve always loved Gaye’s lyrics, thematic focus, and vocals on this album, but what struck me most today was the production and musicianship exhibited behind the man. And how well these songs flow from one into another. They practically compose a suite from “What’s Happening” through “Mercy” and from “Right On” to “Holy.” Simply one of the great, grooviest albums ever.

Absolute classic from start to finish - such a beautiful unique sound

I want to like Marvin Gaye records more than I usually do after listening to them. I understand it…the cultural relevance, his fantastic voice…this is a great record, but I just don’t see myself listening to it very often.

Can't believe I've never listened to this album the whole way through. It's got a great feel to it and the whole thing is so cohesive. Reading the Wikipedia page about this album, here's one of the most random facts I've heard about a musician. "Around the spring of 1970, Gaye also began seriously pursuing a career in football with the professional football team the Detroit Lions of the NFL, even working out with the Eastern Michigan Eagles football team." That's insane - he would have been 31 and he just decided, ya know, I think I'm going to start playing professional football. Too bad it didn't work out, I'm sure my Lions could have used him. Anyway, back to the music. Going with 4 stars for this one.

I think this is so beloved more for being \"important\" than for sounding great. I bought this many years ago but I haven't listened to it in probably 10 years. There are 2 almost-bangers at the end of the album, tracks 7 and 9. The title track is also pretty great. But the album is not very musically diverse. The second track sounds like a copy of the first, and most of the rest has a similar, slow soul feel. I think if this album mixed things up more I would like it better. That said, the lyrics are good, and I've always like Marvin's singing a lot.

Nice voice but album bored me. I hate 'Save the Children'. I don't hate children and if a child needs saving then yeah, let's save them but this song half makes me think we should just leave the children if it's going to produce more songs like this

9/10. Fellas, it is Gaye

This is one of the most powerful and heartfelt musical statements ever made, and would be a strong contender for greatest album of all time in my book. I have always admired the atmosphere he was able to capture and maintain throughout the record. Although it has its emotional ups and downs, it really is one big musical statement - like a symphony with different movements and recurring themes. The arrangements are bold and intricately layered, but never overdone. The tracks seem to effortlessly flow into one another in a way that just hypnotizes you. The music is obviously meticulously composed and constructed, yet it feels so natural and organic that it almost seems like it could have been miraculously collectively improvised somehow. As you know, right before our last jam, I listened to this on the way up and damn near had a religious experience in my car. I mean I had heard this album dozens of times before but for some reason this album, and everything he was saying on it, just seemed so relevant to what we're still experiencing today and it hit me so hard. I kept turning the volume up, and up, and up, and heard it in whole new way all these years later. This album is a cry for help in an increasingly complicated and difficult world, but it retains a distinct and heartbreakingly beautiful sense of optimism. An optimism that we so desperately need to hold on to.

it was ok, bit overhyped

What's Going On? Not much honestly.

"What's Goin' On" and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" are great. The entire tone of the album is relaxed and enjoyable. However, I found the lack of transitions between songs and the consistent blurring of each song into the next as distracting and a weird choice. 3.4 stars rounded down.

There aren't many albums better than this.

A beautifully arranged and produced album with a powerful message that unfortunately never seizes to be relevant despite being over 50 years old. The way Marvin harmonizes with his own voice on the layered vocals is sublime and I've yet to hear another artist being able to do it in the way he does here. I give it 5 broken unsynchronized clocks, because it is timeless! 🕣🕜🕛🕖🕐

It's smooth, it's epic and it's important. What more could you really ask for. Marvin's estate really needs to take it easy on trying to sue everyone under the sun though. It makes them look bad. It would be an extremely sad thing to ruin this dudes legacy with such crap. Amazing album though. Score: 80 Art: 70

Reminded me of Ozzy Ozbourne

Social and cultural significance: 5 stars. Musically, I’m just not that into it: 2 stars. I would seek this album out to listen to again like I would with Sgt. Peppers or Sticky Fingers.

this album really only has two good songs on it i mean they are realllly good songs i really like those songs

I land somewhere between you two on this one. What’s Going On, Mercy Mercy Me and Inner City Blues are top tier soul classics, but they’re the tent poles that hold this up when in starts to drag. The arrangements are great, and the recurring motifs do make this feel like a concept album rather than a collection of tracks, but it starts to wear thin at times, like he’s just scatting new lyrics over the same backing music. Lyrically it’s of its time (Viet Nam, ecological worries, racism) but it tips into self-parody in places. A three-star, mainly on the strength of those three classic tracks.

It’s decent. A couple classic bangers, but there is a good amount of filler in there as well. Not a lot to say about it. Could be a 2.5, maybe? But I’m good with 3.

've never been able to get on with this album. Some definite classic Marvin in there, but Save the Children is so massively lame it drags the whole thing down

Marvin Gaye: the world is a mess Also Marvin Gaye: just love one another This album is seamless, a work of art.

What an album...!

A groovy yet emotionally charged album, Marvin Gaye looks around and watches society crumble apart, with songs about kids starving on the street, families being torn apart by the Vietnamese war, the aftermath trauma on those veterans, drug addiction, and the environment literally threatening human existence. The lyrics are simple enough that you can follow along and understand the messages he sends, never dragging too long or going on unnecessary tangents. Everything is relevant and to the point. It's hard to find a more consistent album. You really can't tell when one song ends and another begins. The mood flows perfectly and gradually shifts with the songs. Themes persist and are revisited but twisted. This creates a pretty fun experience, with the audience watching how the same melodies can be altered to create different effects and tell different stories. Marvin Gaye's vocals are top notch, smooth and sincere, easy to listen, clear, and yet has a lot to say. But not too much. The instrument is sparse and light enough to relax you and immerse you in the music, especially due to its atmospheric and diverse sounds, with all sorts of instruments (including woodwinds, brass, different percussions), synth effects, and back vocals. It's at times funky to sing or dance to, and at times like a beautifully happy or sad movie soundtrack. I'm also incredibly impressed by the production. Very few soul albums from the early 70s are up to par in terms of the clarity and mixing, as good as Stevie Wonder. This album flies by in 36 minutes. You couldn't argue that any track on here is unnecessary or could be cut. In fact, any less and you'd be complaining it was too short. Melodically, every song transitions well from one to the next. Of course, you got your hits ("What's Going On", "Mercy Mercy Me"). You got your interlude ("God Is Love"). You got your epic ("Right On"). And you got your satisfying closer ("Inner City Blues"). I don't have the faintest clue how you could improve this record.

I hadn’t heard this uninterrupted for over 20 years, and am thankful for being given a weekend for this. Perhaps the only song cycle/concept album that I consider flawless. A student flatmate once complained that the record was samey, which I worried over, but now doesn’t bother me. Its consistency is a marvel.

I've thought highly of this for a good while although don't really listen to it that much. Reading its back story, and that of Marvin Gaye in general, surprised me how radical this album actually was. Of course, it also contains some great tunes. A bit preachy but can't really ding it for that. And, what a piece of shit David Ruffin was! Full marks here

No need to write anything here, it's What's Going On by Marvin Gaye. People who don't like this are empirically wrong.

This is a MOOD

Marvin’s soulful plea of “why can’t we just get along?” Political, funky, and oh so smooth.

Mercy mercy me ( The ecology) was my favorite. Groovy and fun. Smooth

Heard it before. Listening to this album is always a pleasure 4/5

Timeless, lush record. Every track is a winner on this one. Only track that I'm not super hot on is Save the Children. A little too on the nose for me, but still good music wise. Don't got a ton to say about it, other than I appreciate that this album has two inductees on the "Marvin Gaye's Clueless Ass" playlist with What's Going On and What's Happening Brother.

good album that kind of just played through without any repeats. If I see this on a top 5 of all time list, I’ll assume two things 1. I had to be alive at the time to fully get this album 2. This person will ask me to open a pdf.

This album has paces very well and plays like a seamless medley, in a good way. Not in the way that it all sounds the same, it just connects and flows very well between songs. On top of that, it has the two timeless hits that have been smooth R & B hits for decades.

Nothing bad about it it’s just not really my thing.

Very chill and enjoyable

Whats going on 4 Whats happening brother 3 Flyin high 3 Save the children 3 God is love 3 Mercy mercy me 4 Right on 4 Wholy holy 2 Inter City blues 3 3.22

What's going on is iconic. I really disliked some of the songs though. Save the Children seems like a parody.

Easy 5/5

Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On is often described as a “landmark album,” which is confusing because it’s not a building, a statue, or even a hill. But metaphorically, it’s a hill—a big soulful one where Marvin stands at the top shouting, “Guys, the world’s on fire!” Released in 1971, at a time when America was knee-deep in war, smog, and moustaches, the album was Marvin’s way of asking, “What’s going on?”—a bold question considering nobody’s really known since about 1842. The songs are smooth and sad, like a dolphin weeping into a velvet cushion, and they tackle issues like environmental collapse, inner-city poverty, and people generally being a bit rubbish to each other. One track, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”, is basically Marvin apologising to the planet, which is impressive because most people don’t even say sorry when they hit a pigeon with a Segway. Listening to the album is like attending a very funky United Nations meeting, where every delegate is Marvin Gaye and they all brought bongos. It changed the way people thought about soul music, turning it from “Let’s dance and fall in love” to “Let’s sit down and have a serious think about systemic injustice while still dancing a little bit.” Marvin went rogue from Motown’s usual policy of singing about sugar and heartbreak and instead created a sonic tapestry of concern, sorrow, and flutes. The album still sounds fresh today—like it was recorded in the future and sent back to warn us, which would explain why it’s so eerily accurate about everything we’re still ignoring. In many ways, What’s Going On predicted the modern world: rising inequality, environmental disaster, and the constant sense that nobody knows what they’re doing—including, probably, Marvin himself, who at least had the decency to ask.

Oh I just know this is going to be so, so good. I think I’ll probably listen to it late at night tonight while I’m packing for Gdańsk. :)) Yupp. Easy 5/5. Wow, just wow. His voice and the production are both so silky and so, so emotive.

Marvin ilohuuli huhhuh

Marvin Gaye was such a soulful singer. I can only imagine how this album, especially its title track resonated, at the time. I think it resonates with me today. Maybe I shouldn’t have (or should have) been reading the news while listening to this. Some of the synth orchestra pieces still come off as dated, but it still works when considering the context. Mercy Me is right there in the pocket of the times, but I have to say that the groove of Right On was a key track today. That song is due for a Renaissance. This might be his most politically motivated album, but I respect the call for hope and togetherness it provides. This is a classic!

Random thoughts: * This is Marvin Gaye's masterpiece. * The social consciousness album still means as much today as it did in 1971, part because the music is so good and we still have so far to go as a country and civilization. * What's Going On, Mercy Mercy Me, and Inner City Blues are the standout tracks here but the whole album just flows wonderfully. * I'm going to have to listen to this one a few more times.

I have listened to this album. I think I like it more than I did prior. I always liked Marvin Gaye’s songs. I would own this on vinyl.

loved it

4.5-5

This album is genuinely a classic, I’m so glad that I listened to it. It’s all the way through. It’s one of those that I can appreciate the influence hat on modern music, while being so smooth, the court progressions are great. Marvin‘s voice is amazing, And the messaging behind each one of the songs is premier. One of the best of all time. Five out of five.

I love everything Marvin Gaye does. First album in a while that finished and I thought “oh done already?” So good. No notes

Favorites: What’s Going On, What’s Happening Brother, Save The Children, Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Man, words cannot begin to describe the genius of What’s Going On. Marvin Gaye stands as the voice of the oppressed and takes a stand against inequality on the back of some of the most gorgeous soul you’ll ever hear. A timeless record, both sonically and topically, and one that feels just as poignant in 2025.

Would relisten

So smooth.

As perfect an album as there ever was.

One of the greatest jazz albums

Poifect

Marvin Gaye, simply the best...

Great on repeat

Absolutely beautiful, great messaging, Marvin Gaye is one of the greats

War is not the answer

it is what’s going on by marvin gaye

Really enjoyed this

Oh yeah

A Classic. Such a distinctive, soulful sound that has never been replicated. These are great songs, unlike the M. Gaye album i reviewed earlier, which was all his sound, without the song. A five.

This is an incredibly cohesive album. The songs are not the same and do not sound the same, but each one flows into the other one so well. A very impressive example of a concept album that does not feel disjointed. I knew 3-4 of these songs but had never sat down and listened to the whole thing. It's hard to pick out the highlights but I will say that God is Love and Wholy Holy are the only two songs that I would not consider to be worthy of the rest of this album. What I find to be so exemplary is how Marvin Gaye is writing protest music but it is just so laid back and within the flow of the orchestration. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) has always been my favorite track on here and that has not changed. Good statement album.

One of the great albums I've ever heard. Legendary voice and delivery. A landmark in song construction and in social commentary

Nice! Good album!

If you didn't know that it was a concept album, you can think of it s a song cycle. Either way it works. REALLY well. People older than me probably remember when this came out. 14 years later, Marvin Gaye was gone, and a re-examination of this music made people realize how great this album is. My only gripe is I felt the strings in "Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology) were a bit heavy handed, particularly combined with the mellotron. But otherwise, this a classic album, one I will come back to over and over. Top tracks: Title track, "Wholy Holy," "Inner City Blues". (But as a whole, the other tracks are almost as good.)

There are greater 5 star albums, but I'm still giving it 5 stars. It's at least a 4.5. For a soul artist, Marvin Gaye finally pours out his soul, not just with his vocals but with some deep, deep lyrics and themes. It's his writing that really makes this album a standout. He tackles some bleak subjects but with a hopeful attitude (most of the time). My biggest gripe is the finishing touches - he set out to transition from one song to the next so it feels like one big song, but the splicing is off, especially on the first half of the album. Still, these songs are powerful. Not just the well known ones (title track, Mercy Mercy Me, Inner City Blues) but also the lesser known ones (What's Happening Brother, Flyin High, Save the Children). Right On might be the best song on this album next to What's Going On - complex lyrics, wicked grooves, jamming for 7+ minutes.

Smooth grooves over hard lyrics. Musically outstanding, both the writing and the playing, and I love how most of the tracks flow into each other. Plus, Marvin Gaye may have had the smoothest voice in history. If you didn't pay attention to the lyrics, you'd think it was just some smooth let's get it on type music. But then the lyrics create such a jarring contrast. Protests, war, drugs, pollution, poverty. Yet there are also moments of hope on the album. There are a lot of albums on the 1001 that make me question their inclusion. There's no doubt that this is an essential album and demands a close listen. Outstanding - and sad that a lot of it is still relevant. Favorite tracks: What's Going On (I liked a comment on Genius - notice that it's not a question. He's not asking, he's telling us what's going on), Mercy Mercy Me (so smooth while talking about the destruction of the environment - but, hey, that sax solo is awesome!), then the entire second side - Right On, Wholy Holy (love how this track is almost like a relaxing breath after the tension of Right On), and Inner City Blues.

I love this album for years, but them I began to tire of it and play it much less. 'Save The Children', for example, is a bit too earnest and wearying. But I listened to it again today after a break and it was great.

Loved the album. The music is soulful and smooth. The lyrics are powerful--would like to listen to it again to pay more attention to the message.

Rolling Stone rated this the best album in the world in 2022. I would be hard pressed to disagree. Granted there are a lot of albums out there and I primarily consider myself to be a rock fan, but this album just can't stop getting better. As a bass player myself, James Jamerson is a god of the trade and no matter how grueling the vocals are about the reality of life in that era, we will always know what's going on.

Love this one

I mean, exactly what you want, done well. First 5 star album!

Five stars

The Motown Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Denser in sound than any Motown album that came before, Marvin Gaye seized creative control of his music with both hands and created an enduring message of tenderness in a cruel world. It's over 50 years old and still stands as one of the greatest albums ever recorded.

Obviously

Total classic. Very good 10:10

Ik vind het album echt wel goe, de soul is echt aan het soulen. Het eerste nummer “what’s going on” is zo een mooi nummer. Ik vind het dus echt een aanrader.

I rate Whats going on a 5 star because the beat is good and the dynamics are good ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. I rate Mercy mercy me a 5 star because the beat is good and the dynamics are good ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and the drums and gutr are good. I rate Inner city blues a 5 star because the beat is good and the dynamics are good ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and the drums and gutr are good.

I like this album because he has a very good voice and it goes well with his lyrics and there is a good beat. I also like this song because I think it has a special meaning since he is coming home from Vietnam im guessing war

For What's Going On and Ecology alone, this album is an all-time classic. The rest is icing on the cake

Masterpiece!

Loved it.

Pretty amazing album. Love how it is so melodic and lush and at the same time tries to be a little politically confrontational. A true classic. 4.5/5

Amazing album- maybe should go into the category of what is old is new again 5/5 #musicsky #albumsky day 16

An absolute masterpiece. One of the few vinyl albums that I've added to my collection in the recent vinyl resurgence.

Od svih klasičnih albuma ovaj mi je nekako najklasičniji baš se nekako osjetiš ko govno i josip bošnjak ako ovo ne voliš

1971. Soul. R&B. progressive soul. psychedelic soul

custom_rating:9

Amazing, cohesive, powerful record

One of the greatest albums ever made. The RnB and soul heals you spiritually. Not a single miss on the album, just a timeless classic. Marvin Gaye THE GOAT

It’s Gaye

Pure class. Can't fault it.

When you get perfect vocals with perfect instrumentals, an easy 5 star album. Thanks for the update Marvin!

Gaye took Come to My Garden's hippie sensibilities out of the garden and introduced it to the men sleeping under newspapers on park benches. all of a sudden, the flower power shifts from being carefree to being pointed, giving serious thought about the condition of the world as it strolls from topic to topic. it doesn't have any concrete solutions. Marvin is wearing a coat on the cover to shield himself from the rain, but his face is still soaked. he isn't blind to trouble outside, he just wants to survive it. i always wondered why i'd never heard a single from this thing, despite hearing so much of Marvin Gaye's music casually. turns out it's because it's only complete as a whole piece. this is probably transcendent on vinyl.