What's Going On

Fav: Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Least Fav: Right On Got me out of a bad mood, so I’m very appreciative of this album

I really liked it. I thought some of the chorus were either religious, or at least sounded like so, or too simple. However the general vibe was something that I´d love to have sampled on a terrace in a sunny day while I enjoy a drink with friends

This album made me want to grab strangers’ hands in the street, and reassure them that God will show us the way. Beautiful, soulful, groovy. The only note I have is that songs (around) 2-4 feel repetitive and since I’m a serotonin depleted ipad kid maybe I needed the Right On tempo switch earlier. 4 saved children, bc I’ll be coming back to some songs, but not all :)

Hoffes de marvin hed dich nöd zu fest ufgeilt noah und denn na es weekend warte lah für 5 sternlis? Uf all fäll, ich chume immer meh dri in marvin sound. Spassigs und schöns album gsi. Öb mit ere zigare uf de ledercouch, es tänzli inere 4* lobby oder ere gmüetliche zug/bus fahrt. Das album chan jemensch begleite. Sicher au will ich grad inere jass phase bin aber fühl mich langsam chli weniger strassegängster und biz meh upper class neduzen. Also dünd mich ned duzen 4 freudigi cüplis für das kunstwerk

hey nöd so viel mues no chli worke übers weekend aber sust easy bi dir so? so hetti das usgseh wenn de marvin mir das texted hetti hetter aber nöd, wiemer ja vo de letschte "history with vici" lektion wüssed danke namal dafür ezt aber tum review teil vo dere performance - hanmers album ah jedem tag vo dem wuchenend gönnt und au jedesmal hani de pläsche gha aber ich han ja nie es lied abgspeicheret devo, was ja en grosse teil vo mim gedachte kriterium gsi isch drum hani da namal chli müese hirne und bin druf cho dasis album save no ab und zue lose wird - drum bechunt das album 4 komerzielli ahmachtexts vo mir über: hey was machsch? hey wie gahts? hey gahts guet? hey

There’s something magical about this album. The dreamy warmth of the songs, the way tracks blend together, the impassion wisdom in Gaye’s voice- it feels otherworldly despite being of and about our wounded world. It accomplishes a lot in its brief 35 minutes.

another beauty

The lyrics sneak up on you

Отличный альбом, который сентиментальным тоном продвигает ценности мира и добра, поднимает важные темы расизма, войны и т.д. Так ещё и с невероятно прекрасным исполнением, что буквально уносит тебя в другое место, в моем случае к лодке, которая неспешно плывет по реке где-то в небольшом городе США, пока дождь обливает мою куртку. А идеальное продюссирование дополняет картину. Но все же мне нужно дать чуть больше времени этому альбому, ведь не сказать, что я очень много его слушаю. 9/10

Gaye

A decent soul album, bit one note. Vocals excellent, song writing is fine 3.75/5

Good Album, kinda funky, songs did have a habit of sounding very similar but still not too bad

A little samey for me vs let’s get it on but still wonderful

I'm not a huge fan of Soul music but this album is pretty good. I don't have much else to say as I'm not too familar with the genre.

What’s Going On - 7.9/10 What’s Happening Brother - 8.4/10 Flyin’ High (In The Friendly Sky) - 7.0/10 Save the Children - 6.5/10 God Is Love - 8.2/10 Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - 8.1/10 Right On - 7.5/10 Wholy Holy - 6.6/10 Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - 10/10

Smooth

Lovely instrumentation. Sentimental vocals. I need to return to this one later to reevaluate

An absolute classic. One of the best soul albums of all time.

Smooth vocals delivering a genuine and heartfelt message.

4.5

Excellent. Among the very best.

Al Green yesterday Marvin Gaye today. Gaye's falsetto crooning is perhaps the defining sound of this album - backed by grooves that weave between heavy pockets and lighter passages with ease. It seemed like this album was a big leap for him thematically, moving away from the overtly clean suit and tie doowop love songs, to something more existential, open-ended, and funky all the same. Not the most surprising pick, but Mercy Mercy Me is my highlight here -- What's Going on is so culturally significant that I'm sure most everyone already knows it.

Goodie

одиннадцатый студийный альбом американского музыканта Марвина Гэя. Этот альбом является концептуальным и состоит из девяти песен, большая часть которых переходит в последующий трек. Его также относят к вокальному циклу, поскольку альбом заканчивается повтором вступительной композиции. В текстах песен повествование ведётся от лица ветерана Вьетнамской войны, вернувшегося в страну, за которую он воевал, и не увидевшего ничего, кроме несправедливости, страданий и ненависти очень коммерческий успешный альбом с первого трека подумала что будет реп, но нет оказалось соул. включила сразу клип заодно, очень трогательный. музыка очень понравилась в целом я думаю под него хорошо гулять, он очень что называется cozy и спокойный но при этом не фоновый и не скучный потом еще узнала как он умер — он вмешался в ссору его родителей и его отец выстрелил в него дважды. это было за день до его 45 летия

Buja. Zaangażowana politycznie muzyka z charakterystycznym zaśpiewem. Podoba mi się, ale nie wrócę do niej. Doceniam całokształt, ale dla mnie ten ciągły strumień podobnych brzmień jest męczący

It was about time I listened this it was SOSOSOSOS GOOD

Ну это неплохо. Не легендарно, но лучше hot buttered soul.

Really solid album with some great tracks.

super cool all the way through

Хорошенький, под настроение

Mjög groovy plata. Söngurinn er smooth as og barna eitthvað. Textarnir eru betri en ég hélt. Höfða til mín, love and rock n roll

9/10 Highlights: What's going on, Flyin' High, Inner City Blues

Sehr schöne Songs dabei und manche die ich noch nicht kannte. Was ein klasse Sänger!

This was darker than I expected, its pretty good but I think I went in with the mindset of it being sexy and smooth and its really not, it get a tad too preachy, but I think I was interested and enjoyed it

Vocally great. Really enjoyed how the album was a continuous piece. “What’s Going On” is one of the most significant songs in modern music history. 4/5 Will listen again

灵魂音乐……嗯是什么呢……

I go out of town once and I miss a banger like What's Going On?!

Very nice

Pretty good, not really got that much to say. I'll need to come back and give this a few more listens Highlights: What's Happening Brother, What's Going On

I want to love this, I just don’t. I remember getting the CD back in the day and being disappointed - I hope hoping for some pub/club bangers I guess. When I first started listening yesterday, I rolled my eyes at that impatience youth, thinking all the beauty and subtly of this album was lost on me. But no, I was right the first time. Yeah, sure, there is tragic beauty on here, but it’s basically the same beautiful track three times and a bit of filler. More of an EP really. Apt for our times, but it has to be a four I’m afraid.

Great look back in time and such a soulful sound

Intensely beautiful story telling. The entire album is a vibe that you genuinely feel.

A classic to be sure. Though I was annoyed when the songs didn't really start it end.

Mellow, smooth, and relaxing; good music to have on while working. Lyrics were boring, I prefer some of his other songs with more personal connections and stories rather than broad strokes of social commentary. Favorite songs were: 6. Mercy Mercy Me 9. Inner City Blues 7/10

Really great songs with social commentary. Overall great but staying at 4 as there's only one legendary song on it

Classic! Miss him.

This is a very charming Soul album with exactly the right length for my taste. The obvious hit here is the opener What's Going On, but after that, the album just .... goes on in the same way, and this is a good thing, for once. 3.5/5

Dece

I understand that the background vocals bring a vibe, but it was too much for me. I do agree with the Apple Music summary; his approach to discussing social issues is relaxed, light, and gentle. I enjoyed the piano and sax. I did like the album overall.

Some bangers and some just good. Marvin Gaye's singing speaks for itself and cool tunes

So smooth, so groovy. Great album.

My fraternity brothers would just blast some Marvin Gay songs on a giant speaker outside another brother's room if they had a woman visiting to annoy them. Anyway, I'm surprised at how religious many of Gay's songs are. Maybe because my association is seeing others use his romantic songs in unholy annoying ways. Good album. Great voice.

he sure sang about god a lot for a guy that also sang about fucking a lot. fav song: inner city blues

An excellent work-from-home album - such easy listening and Marvin's voice is just beautiful. Faves of the album is the titular "What's Going On" and "Save the Children".

What a classic. Kickin off with the gem of the album title track and maintains such a cheery relaxing soulful vibe throughout. I will say though as much as Marvin Gaye is known for being the king of get it on music, I was surprised by the religious tone of several songs lol. Love it though

Marvin Gaye defines smooth. Doesn't matter what he is talking about, although a lot of it is oddly relatable. I almost don't want to like him because it feels semi-bandwagon for some reason. But here I am thinking holy moly this guy is just silky smooth...

Right on.

Kind of disappointed in myself for not connecting with this one much today. I do like, I've purchased it too on vinyl, and I'm a Marvin Gaye fan. But I'm not sure what it is about this album that just isn't hitting today. Maybe in the aftermath of Let's Get It On, I'm just looking for more infectious grooves. This one is airy, ethereal in comparison, and there are more poignant political lyrics (of course, not a surprise that this wasn't the case on an album full of sex songs). Even on a day when I enjoy this more, I still prefer Let's Get It On. I think there's a tendency in music nerds and critics and whatnot to automatically assign extra points to an album for its message. I get it, but I don't think this is better than his album of sexy songs. Still, a great album, an undeniable classic, even if I didn't save many tracks today. Favorite tracks: What's Going On, Flyin' High, God Is Love. Album art: Headshot of the guy standing in the rain, in a raincoat. What is going on, Marvin? I'll listen to the rain any day. 4/5

It's good. I'm in a hurry. 4 stars.

Only having heard Marvin Gaye’s biggest hits, this was my first time listening through one of his albums. It made me want to learn more about his life and wow. I know I am late to this but that’s insane his father shot and killed him. How terrible. He has a lovely voice and this album is full of love and soul. I also was surprised by his love for God. Did not know he sang about such things.

Felt like I was Flyin’ High when I listened to this. Right On. Save the Children.

Just a lovely warm vibe, hard not to move your body. I must confess it’s my first time listening to this classic and I think it deserves more time to fully appreciate. Christie loved it so it gets a bonus star for that.

Love 'What's Going On' and 'Mercy Mercy Me'. Easy listen. 4/5

Rating: 8/10 Sounded pretty same-y but great production and vocals by Marvin Gaye.

Awesome. Great voice, good R&B vibe, clear production. Not every track was a winner, but most of them were.

Beautiful. I accidentally had it set to loop and listened twice. Even better the second time. 9/10

There are only a couple of really good songs on this album, the wonderful production and Gaye's beautiful voice are the highlights here. What a voice! It's so smooth, like being enveloped by warm liquid. The musical arrangements throughout give his voice room to shine, to breathe. Nothing is overpowering, everything here works in perfect harmony, the music compliments the voice and vice versa, with enough space left for the listener to snuggle in and enjoy.

There is something about this album that transcends Soul. Quietest political music ever.

why did this not hit as much as i thought it would! listened 2x

Easy listen

Awesome groves and I love how Marvin has a very unique sound.

Great stuff.

Zijn onze oren verwend aan het raken na 500 platen? Dit is toch best aardige muziek, jarenzeventigsoul doet het altijd goed hier, en toch hoor ik hier ook weer niet zo veel bijzonders aan. Dat heb je wanneer je al twee platen van de man hebt gehad. Een mager viertje.

Some classics

This always shows up on greatest albums lists, topping rolling stone’s 500 in one edition. I’ve always thought this album was just okay. I appreciate the vibe, and I like the fluidity, where the first side is basically one continuous song. I like the overall message- like, we’ve got radiation in the ground, wtf people? And, Gaye’s world hasn’t changed much, just as he feared, cops are still out there shooting innocents. But, maybe it’s because I wasn’t born yet when this came out, I just don’t understand why this album is always cited as ‘the best.’ It doesn’t have much to tick against it, but it also doesn’t have much that brings me back to it on my own. I only listen to it when going through lists like these. What am I missing?

i thought this was going to be a good album but it became great once i learned the background behind it. the songs are smooth and soulful and flow so well together. marvin addresses some big issues in the lyrics but spends far too long talking about jesus for my taste. many of these songs and their messaging still hold up today, which probably says just as much about our modern society as it does this album's quality. i also found it interesting that a third of these tracks had parenthetical phrases in their titles. that's not relevant to anything, i just wanted to make sure everyone else knew. favorites: what's going on, what's happening brother, flyin' high (in the friendly sky), save the children, mercy mercy me (the ecology), inner city blues (make me wanna holler)

What can I say that hasn't already been said about this album? It's great! I very much enjoyed listening to it

I hope one day I will love this as much as everyone else seems to. 3.5/5

A true classic album - other worldly vocals, important political messages that are still relevant today, soul, funk, splashes of jazz and don't forget strong tunes, melodies and groove. Best Tracks: What's Going On; Right On; Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)

Classic! The title track is very pretty. A lot of the songs do sound quite similar and they fade into each other a bit. But really nice vibes. I know this is generally considered one of the best of all time, maybe I'm missing something but it doesn't quite amaze me to that level.

Really strong start and really strong finish. A lot of stuff in the middle didn't really live up to the hype, though. Good songs sung with a great voice, but the album overall isn't what I'd call a great album.

Mira, ya es una racha de buenos discos. Este me gusta, incluso a pesar de esas canciones religiosas que tanto me aburren. Es que no se puede negar What's Going On y esta vez he descubierto Mercy Mercy me

4.5/5. Excellent concept, love the way the songs blend together.

A good album to listen to in a quiet moment.

This is a really cool.album with a few fantastic songs. Very much enjoyed.

Unfortunately relevant today. 4/5

The first track was absolutely amazing, and while the rest of the album was great, it wasn’t on the same level.

Perfect soul album, but it's not really one of my personal favourites.

Very enjoyable sound and lyrics.

One of the best albums to listen to with a cup of coffee on a weekend morning.

Cool, not my vibe

What a bloody flawless album. I loved how one song lead into the other like it was one entire piece. It was just soothing, sensual magic. So tight. So clean. Blown away.

Favorite Track: Right On

Some really high highs, some pretty “eh” lows, but overall pretty darn good. Gaye has an amazing voice.

Great album!!

Over klassiekers gesproken zeg, jeeeezus! Wat is dit toch een absolute klassieker van Koning Marvin! Met een duur van een schamele 36 minuten is het lekker kort waardoor ik daar in elk geval eens niet over kan zeuren. Marvins stem is geweldig, de recording is sowieso erg lekker. Enkele hoogtepunten zoals What's going on en Mercy Mercy me knallen uit het album, met de nummers eromheen als een soort soepele overgang(zie bijvoorbeeld God is Love -> Mercy Mercy Me, waar de outro overgaat in het volgende nummer!) Voor mij is niet elk nummer even sterk waardoor het geen 5 sterren is, maar dat dit een fantastisch album is staat echt buiten kijf. Je hoort de emotie en helemaal voor de tijdsgeest is het een ontzettend vooruitstrevend album. Het is gewoon zo ontzettend jammer dat het nog steeds net zo relevant is... FAVO: What's going on?, Flying High, Mercy mercy me, Right On, Inner City Blues

# Playlist Track - What's Going On # Notes - That's some well polished, beautifully produced soul music! - Love the choirs and they complement Gaye's voice nicely. - The speaking parts in "Save the children" it a bit boring

Great album, very poignant of it's time but I do feel it gets a bit repetitive after a while

Great album, this was quite a healing experience after I got his abysmal "Here, My Dear" just a few days ago. I've always appreciated this one for what it is, and really enjoy the title track, Mercy Mercy Me, Right On, and Inner City Blues. But I think maybe you had to be around at the time to fully appreciate the significance of this album (I was not). Elements of it are very dated, particularly the 3 really overtly religious songs. Those just don't do much for me - probably why I'm not really into the more gospel side of R&B. Really solid 8/10 for me though.

mega dobry 9/10

A classic

Poignant and beautifully performed

Great listen. Very much enjoyed this.

Knowing the history of what inspired this record as well as the challenges faced with label heads to get it made makes it all the more interesting when listening. Ranked as the #1 album of all time on Rolling Stones 2020 “500 Best of” list I think is a bit of a stretch, but it does rank up there. Some of the extra long jams are probably the determining factor that drop it down for me.

This really is a masterpiece and belongs on the Mount Rushmore of the genre. The way the songs blend seamlessly into each other make this such a great listen, it’s almost one long epic track.

I enjoy how other song titles are blended throughout lyrics of other songs. Who knew activism and Gawd could sound so sexy.

Marvin is the GOAT of speaking something and then singing the same thing right after. Always surprises me how short this album is and how much it's about the big man upstairs. I know this is considered one of the best albums of all time, but it has always fallen a little short for me. This falls into the Rubber Soul bucket of albums I likely rated too low, but whatever. 4.25/5

Тексты не зашли, но музычка что надо

Really enjoyed this album. It had a clear cut message from start to finish and set out to do more than just entertain.

solid. always enjoyable

Pretty enjoyable, better than the other one.

Definitely better than the divorce album. Maybe not one of the greatest albums of all time for me, but still really good

Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)!

Marvin Gaye is going on!

Really, really good. Almost five stars, and I’m on the fence here - could easily go up on a second listen. I’m tired and wish I heard more eloquent comments, but I very much enjoyed this.

Really nice production value and instrumentation propping up Gaye's smooth vocals. The religious ties to it are a little strong for me.

what's happening brother is absolutely becoming one of my likes.

Люблю социальщину в такой музыке

A bit of a snooze at first listen, but really grows after a few more through.

Some good soul that's easy to listen to but does just enough to keep your attention. I must've not paid enough attention because the narrative that everyone raves about was a little lost on me.

Just a sexy majestic voice my god

An unbelievably smooth album… truly just the best!

Sometimes boring, sometimes great!

First track is the best

really great album that’s super funky and really pretty. Lots of current events being tackled through religion, love, and RNB

A timely album with timeless elements.

It’s a vibe, and the urgency of the social issues is real. But it seems heavy handed. Like the ambiance of voices and the hits are great.

Definitely an awesome record though my whole group found it a bit strange that this was apparently voted the best record of all time by Rolling Stone in 2020? That doesn't compute for me at all but this is still an awesome record with tons of soul. It's smooth and sexy and also lyrically a bit political/brash.

Enjoyed great vocals

Great! I only know Marvin Gaye as "the sex music man" and it turns out that's a total disservice. Talented musician, absolutely unfair that he's best known for a meme.

Soft and lush socially charged soul album. Lyrics less preachy.Short and precise even though sounds loose and jazzy. Has great flow. Favorites: What's Going on, Mercy Mercy, Save the children, inner city blues

Classic

I own this one.

Great vocals. I didn't know he was religious.

An undeniable classic but I have trouble lumping it in with my personal favorite albums. Perhaps the 'song cycle' structure makes it so not enough of the songs stand out? There are only like 4 songs on here that really make me perk up and the rest just kind of doesn't excite me to that level.

Already listened.

That’s a fun one.

brillante, un poco mucho GOOD VIBES

er het scho e goldigi stimm gha sehr geil wied lieder innenand inneflüssed es isch huere schön aber s passiert gad echli wenig? save the children huere schö SAVE DA BABY?? god is love chli too much aber de seitch zu danke danke ich (d ökologie) insane omg ich bin vill z müed gsi aber ja es isch es huere schöns album aber musikalisch hetmi jz wenig überrascht

Chad

Listened before, solid album 7/10

No one sounds like Marvin Gaye. He is/was truly an original. This really is a protest album masked by such a soulful voice. War, racism, pollution were all addressed on this album. It is definitely one of the best albums to come out of Motown. Marvin could sing the phone book and make it sound soulful - he was a gifted singer and songwriter who made a huge statement with this album.

whats going on - an absolute classic. i love everything about this song. great bass, great lyrics, great harmonies. A real stand out on the album, no doubt. Theres a lot of heart and emotion in this album. You can feel the influence from the war and social issues coming through the lyrics. Overall theres some very nice soulful tunes on this album. However, only one stand out track for me, which means i cant give it a 5.

So good. Classic chill vibe. Beautiful, gorgeous singing. Awesome musicians, tight but relaxed grooves. Only reason I'm not giving it five stars is I have not heard it enough times to deem it a classic, although it probably is one.

Easy to listen to.

He asks the tough questions.

every time i listen it grows on me

4.

Loved this

A legendary album filled with beautiful and magnificent storytelling. Gaye was a master with his lyrics and sound throughout. I've listened to this many times, but each time makes me realize more just how influential this album has been on generations of artists that followed.

Silky smooth. Really enjoyed this album, and the vibes that come along with it.

good, tho too churchy

R&B/Soul. Me ha gustado. Un 4.

I think it's awesome how a record that is basically multiple takes on a single song can resonate so broadly.

Love me some Marvin Gaye.

Can't go wrong with soul music, and can't go wrong with Marvin Gaye.

‘Like a warm summer’s night by the docks’ 7.8/10 - enjoyable listen hosting an array of flavourful instrumentation. The soulful tones formed an engaging story across throughout the. track list. Some sections felt flat and struggled to meet the over ambience the album sets with its highs. Favourite song - Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Best song - Right On

Marvin Gaye. What’s going on. Nuff said.

such a wonderful & joyful album. What's going on & mercy mercy me are the standouts for me. It doesn't have high relisten-ability in my life, but every time it's on I can appreciate how important it was for its time

Phenomenal album, it’s truly one of the greats

incredibly powerful music, feels like it's genuinely challenging the world and established music, which in 1971 I guess it was. 4.4

Bangaa

legally i cannot give this under a 4

listened to the first six tracks two years ago and remember feeling in awe of how lush the production was. pretty immaculate arrangements on some of these tracks. I didn’t pay full attention on this first full listen so I haven’t grasped all of the lyrical content yet, but from what I’ve picked up on in the first third it’s very conversational and feels very natural. his emotions feel so real and naturally conveyed in his performances. need to give this another listen to fully grasp it (which is gonna be the case for most of these albums that I’m listening to for the first time) but this is obviously very good. 7.5-8

"What's going on", "Mercy mercy me (The ecology)" y "Inner city blues" me han encantado. Me gusta como suena el disco en general, con auriculares es un gustazo. Una pena que muriera tan joven.

4.75

Jam after jam after jam after jam. Honestly no stand outs, but just solid throughout. Gaye is definitely going to be more heavily involved in my weekend mornings going forward.

I like how this is just one long song essentially. Couldn't tell where the transitions were at all. Such a smooth flowing album that felt like it was over in a breeze.

Great Monday morning listen. Very chill. Definitely flew by

The album in its entirety is overrated in my opinion. A lot of the interlude elements connecting the tracks I find boring. However at the same time some of Marvin Gayes finest songs are on this album. And that is magic!

It's a classic, I understand that. And from my first listen its a very good listen, but I think I'll perhaps need more time and repeat listens to fully appreciate it.

He's mostly singing about social and environmental issues - so why do get the get the distinct impression that this album is trying to seduce me?

Yes. It’s absolutely lovely. The structure of the album is magnificent how all songs fade into one another. The topics are complex and noble. Marvin is a very talented singer, and the instrumentation is beautiful. I find it a nice background accompaniment.

I love the vibes of this album, Marvin Gaye's voice is so beautiful

Enjoyable listen

Marvin’s best album. Smooth, funky, short and sweet. 8/10

chill album ya dig

Great opener and closer. Solid throughout.

I’m going to finish this tomorrow, but it’s so good. I can’t see myself changing the rating

I can appreciate Gaye's great voice even though the genre is not particularly my favourite and this kind of albums always sound a bit dated to me. The age particularly show in the arrangements; some songs have great background music to go with Gaye's voice, some others are a bit dull and boring with too many strings and mellow melodies. When the brass come or the rhythm kicks in, it's another story!

Wow. Entire album is deep

A very good album. Big on social justice, great musically. Some minor lyrical hiccups - sociopolitical lyrics are hard, but rhyming mercy mercy mercy with fish full of mercury is a bridge too far for me...

Iconic 70s soul

Great album. Not my style but I still enjoyed it.

Excellent! Marvin at his best!

I like it, beautiful, deep but simple

I knew several songs. I enjoyed it. The album did not carry on too long and most songs were appropriately edited. I would listen to it again.

Such a groovy album that never lets up, and much more about positive messaging and humanitarian concerns over his other thirsty album.

iconic

Soft and soulful. Didn't really strike me right for get a 5, but was good

Much better than the earlier Marvin Gaye album on this list. Songs flow together beautifully, the vocals are on point (of course), and the backing instrumentals are good too. Above average and would consider listening to again in its entirety. 7.5/10 (3.75/5)

Overall just a solid album with good vocals and a nice band

Marvin Gaye's voice alone carry's this record.

My last favourite track is the title track... The rest is great though.

What’s Going On Flyin’ High Mercy Mercy Right On Feels majestic. Almost makes me imagine ascending into the sky. Fills the room with beauty. Ending wasn’t as amazing as the beginning but was still good

Wish it was longer!

As Spencer distinctly put it, I am definitely a Gaye guy. Like any other elementary school kid, I was infatuated with him after titans and then developed a true romance after some contestant on American idol performed “you’re all I need to get by” (I’ve tried looking up and down to find out who it was but alas, I cannot. Regardless, it really made me look into Marvin more). I did struggle in giving this a four because it has one of my fave songs of all time with inner city and obvs what’s going on is an American staple. Whenever I listen to this on vinyl, I very actively listen to those two songs and then for the middle section kind of just casually listen. So I did have to go back and reevaluate a lot of the middle songs. Gaye’s voice and music style is on another level and already take each song to a higher tier than plenty of his contemporaries but I can’t in good conscious say that these middle songs (for me personally) are life changing. I’m sure the meaning behind the lyrics are incredible and obviously he touches on a number of bold themes of God, racism, environmentalism, and so on, which at this time is I’m sure an achievement in of itself. The last thing I wanted to say about this album is the “free flowing” aspect in which most of the songs seamlessly blend together has not aged well for me personally. This is not Gaye’s fault at all and I think I’ve read somewhere that this is one of the first albums that has done that. Unfortunately this has been done and copied ad nauseam in modern music that it just annoys me. I have no problem with it as a musical device and honestly it works perfectly for this album, it’s just the whole, being born in a different era thing and having heard it to diminishing returns so many times. Now, as for the song “what’s going on”, plenty has been written and documented about the importance of this song in post Vietnam protest song culture and for good reason and I really don’t have anything too unique to add. The one thing I’ll say is just how poignant the phrase “what’s going on” is to truly describe the indescribable of war and its tumultuous effects that literally transcends to this day. True poetry. The first 40 seconds of inner city changed my musical life. I remember exactly where I was the moment I heard it. That single repeated distorted Eb minor7 chord, then the bongo, then the sultry scat, and then finally a bass line that will make yo panties drop. Just perfection. Like an ogre, there are just so many layers to this song that are all beautiful by themselves and make a perfect song. I feel guilty in loving this song because of its lyrical content and what black people during this time must have gone through but man does Marvin just put it all on the line. I really want to give this album a five just because of this song. (Of note John Mayer does a cover of this song that has aged extremely poorly unfortunately). Also I find it comical that rolling stone retroactively made this album their number one album of all time after they got so much shit in not having any black artists in the top 15. It’s a little too late RS.

Absolutely an album I expected to see at some point on this list. Between the talent of Marvin Gaye and the social commentary, this is not only a great album to listen to but an important work of art in American history. It’s brief, but the only reason that’s bad is because I want to hear more of Marvin’s voice.

The songs all flow into each other on this album, and not in a bad way. It's not just one really long song split up into sections. It's a really cohesive album from start to finish. It's almost hard to see how some of these songs became standout hits when the album works so well together as a whole. It's short, It's strong, hard not to love this one.

Easy listening. Beautiful voice.

I may be wrong but I think he might have been a jesus fan. Classic album but I need to be in a specific mood for it. This album demands rainy days and much looking out of the window whilst self reflecting. Sadly its sunny today so I'm gonna put on some twisted sister instead

An enjoyable, easy listen.

First time listening to Marvin Gaye, really liked it

So good. First time I listened to it I didn't really pay attention but songs were getting stuck in my head so I've listened to it 3 times already. Marvin Gaye has so much influence in all my favorite genres

What a wonderful album , great production, amazing concept , love IT

DER Klassiker! Schwer nicht zu mögen. Säusel auf hohem Niveau. Ach das war nett damals (:o)

All time album but all the songs kind of sound the same.

Timeless, ahead of it’s time

A wonderful feel good soul album. I can see myself revisiting this when I need a pick me up.

Great album. Listened to it once when I was younger but couldn't get into it. Right time/age now. Appreciate him not overdoing it and making an hour long 14-track album which kneecaps most of the best ones. Few weaker, softer, more biblical tracks stop the covered 5*, but it sure comes close. 4.5*

4.5 - great chilled album!

Stoned and spiritual!

What a voice.

still going on, marv

Beautiful

mmmmmmmm Marvin

Really nice

Like a perfect album. Really strong messaging, though not too specific, that’s important to be expressed especially at the time. It rocks. RIP.

3/18/24. Marvin Gaye is one of the best singers we’ve had. Songs here flow beautifully into each other and carry a significant message that still resonates today. Also love the classic R&B sound with the Philly-soul elements.

Smooth and enjoyable

vibez

The first 2 songs' titles make it seem like he is really confused

3.7

The title track is very groovy and a very good song the second song is much slower but still very strong this album works as both a good album and also a strong statement

The album is good. Many of the songs easily blend from one to another.

Smooth and soulful, definitely a nice listen. There are some really cool grooves in here. If I was more into R&B or Soul I would give this five stars, but four stars.

Easy listen, nice groove and a sense of cohesiveness.

Good

I really just equate Marvin Gaye with date night music, but this album was much more than that. There's some really good, deep lyrics in this album that surprised me. The title track is fantastic, and it sets the tone for what is a lovely album all around. Maybe could've used a bit more variety, but Gaye knew his sound, and he leaned into his strength well.

It’s pretty damn good.

Let's go baby, I'm in for some soullllll. Though its themes are a little overly saccharine for me. God is Love is a little too much. Inner City Blues is a bop though.

Great album. Love Marvin, and overall good vibe from this one. Very soulful and peaceful.

Mercy me

Awesome grooves and a lot of soul.

I'll give it a four. It didn't really chime with me yesterday (probably because there are about 10 versions of the same song on the Deluxe version of the album I was listening to) but its undoubtedly a good listen.

Great album

Classic bedroom music 7/10

"What's Going On" by Marvin Gaye, released in 1971, is a timeless masterpiece that transcends the boundaries of traditional soul music. The album is a concept album that addresses social and political issues of the time, including poverty, war, and environmental degradation. Tracks like the title track "What's Going On," "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)," and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" are not only musically captivating but also lyrically profound, showcasing Gaye's vocal prowess and songwriting genius. Musically, the album blends soul, jazz, and gospel influences, creating a lush and immersive sound that perfectly complements the album's lyrical themes. Overall, "What's Going On" is a groundbreaking album that remains relevant and impactful to this day. It earns a solid 4/5 rating for its artistic vision, musicality, and cultural significance.

A stone cold classic.

Mjög gott concept albúm. Vel gert. Góð ádeila. Geggjuð rödd.

This album has definitely stood the test of time. The production and lyrics hit, and if you told me this came out in the last 20 years I would’ve believed you. Favorite track: Title Track

A question asked in the early 70's, in the most beautiful way ever, Gaye's voice, that can be asked in today's world. Just what is going on? This an album with some many beautiful lyrics that are still relevant in the world today. This album is not only beautiful, you can feel his pain and yet, remains just a wonderful listen. These are the albums I live to hear. You FEEL his music, his words, his wonderful gift of a silky smooth voice. Ready the story behind the album made the listening experience even better. One of my favorite songs by Gaye is the opener What's Going On and have to be honest and say I probably didn't get the message of the song until this week. Shame on me. Listening to the entire album, his messages, the struggles and still be a sensual album is not easy to do. But damn, it's Marvin Gaye. This guy is definitely one of the best ever. Top 3 for me, What's Going On, Mercy Mercy Me and Inner City Blues. I'm not going to rip of the flute parts in Right On. Ha. 4.5

Such a great, sweet listen. 4 stars

Really good, very listenable enjoyed from start to finish

Rien à dire de plus, un classique. 9/10

I love everything about this except the percussion

I must admit I listened to this one without paying too much attention. It's Marvin Gaye, potentially good and transformative for its time. I'll listen to it again later just to be sure, but I'll give it a 4-star rating just based on my confidence, even knowing I didn't even note when it finished in my listening session.

There are 3 great tracks here - the title track, Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) & one of my all-time Gaye faves - Inner City Blues(Makes Me Wanna Holler). That’s enough to make this a great record, although I have to say the other half-dozen tracks don’t thrill me greatly. Still, the big three are outstanding, for many reasons & there’s no doubt that this album had enormous influence over the music that was to come. A great listen.

Classic, and we already own collector's vinyl.

To be honest, I always thought this album was overrated and I still think it's the case. Nevertheless... It's still a great smooth soul/motown album and considered its reputation, a spot on the 1001 is well deserved. I'm not a fan of Marvin's way of singing, but musically speaking, the strings arrangements are brillant here and the percussions are creative, varied and well done.

immense levels of grooviness. 4/5

Beautiful music

- production is so pretty i love the strings and the chorus and everything - marvin gaye's voice is so beautiful - the music kinda has a hazy dreamlike quality esp with the chord progressions which use lots of extended chords esp extended minor chords and the progressions aren't straightforward pop progressions theyre like slow shifting backgrounds so each time you shift to a new chord it isn't clear where in the cycle you are and you just get like lulled in and also each song transitions smoothly into the next one, also the production contributes to this to bc its so full bodied and theres so many different parts and instruments so the texture is always so filled up and its just like this luscious shifting soundscape that envelopes you - i know this is not very insightful at all because im so unfamiliar with this kind of music so im really just noting the most obvious and characteristic traits of it - but anyways the warm, encompassing, slightly meandering nature of the music is the perfect accompaniment for the sentiments expressed in the lyrics of peace and love, and against war and pollution. its like the music creates the tranquility gaye advocates for god thats so corny but yeah - the final song stands out a bit stylistically compared to the rest of the album i feel like it has a stronger groove and a clearer structure with a slow build in the instrumental and strong hooks - my thoughts are kinda dumb asf im just not familiar enough with this music to give any real insight but you know what i enjoyed listening to the album it was something new for me and there was a lot of beauty in it and i felt very at peace

Super great. Almost a 5, but I think the whole album is a little disconnected.

Classic album. Solid outing.

Eerder geluisterd en natuurlijk een tragische antiheld dus extra interessant

Beautiful voice, soulful stories sung through music.

Good

Gorgeous.

Beautiful sounds on this album, the vocals, the bass sounds and bass tones almost pushed this album to be my first 5 Star. This album yet sorrowful still grooves. Songs bleed into eachother artfully with consistently beatufiul instrumentations and compositions to make this album so cohesive and epic. For me this is a super strong 4, almost my first 5 Star Rating.

he sounds beautiful

Tight. Inner city holler!

Great

Rhythm section is insane. Crystal clear vocals. Marvin has a silky voice. Consistent themes and has something to say. Save the Children is amazing. Nice building string section. Love the consistent tempo. Lack of variety at times. Mercy mercy me is great. Very soulful. Really like it but don't absolutely love it. 4 for me! Breakdown on Right On is sick.

Very cool

The best opening track that the rest never quite match, great album overall

ein/zwei gute Tracks, Rest so lala

"Father, father. We don't need to escalate. You see, war is not the answer for only love can conquer hate." What's Going On is the best Marvin Gaye song and generally one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, both lyrically and sonically.  Best Song: What's Going On Worst Song: N/A PS: Mercy Mercy Me is also fantastic song

Cada vez disfruto más de los álbumes souleros y funky. Empezó fuerte, pero no terminó de mantener el hype.

duplicate

I have to force myself to make it through this album, not because it's poor but because it seems to be the same song again and again. All very similar sounding tracks. But making the effort does pay off, his vocals are as plaintive and angelic as you'd expect, and the over-reaching sense of hopelessness and futility in a world going off the rails is annoyingly still pretty relevant. A benchmark album in terms of creative freedom and political awareness... just maybe not quite the musical epic it is made out to be.

What a wonderful voice! I knew the two famous songs of course, Mercy Mercy Me and What's Going On, but hadn't ever listened to the album before.

What’s going on

Classic.

Classic.

Fantastic listen, not the first time I have heard this album. This album is an all time classic. Very smooth and easy to listen to.

Smooth, elegant, wonderful, dreamy but very powerful

BL: Second Marvin Gaye album I've received on the generator. I liked the previous album but my major gripe with it was it's length, I think it did not justify it's runtime. I will see if this record does. AL: I liked this. I didn’t think it was anything mind blowing but it was incredibly listenable and the instrumentation and production is absolutely at its best here. Some tracks are very recognisable, and some are album cuts but all were enjoyable. Didn’t have a single song I disliked to be honest. FT: “What’s Happening Brother”, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”, “Inner City Blues” 4/5

i’d love to give it 5 stars but sometimes it veers into self-parody

Perfect album for a rainy day. Makes me nostalgic for a time in music I wish I was around for. Beautiful intro to the album with the title track. Great consistency and mood for next couple of songs Most likely good for slow lovemaking Does slow down a tad too much at the end. And the theme musically and lyrically is done so well in the title track as an intro, the middle fails to return to that peak. But then, what an ending! Great song to close out the album. Hell of a voice

"Modern Day Marvin Gaye" would be a fantastic cover band name.

What’s Going On and Inner City blues were the strong points of the album.

First Marvin Gaye album I’ve fully listened to. Almost every song was added to my playlist and I will definitely be returning to it for samples

Tre riktigt bra låtar (What’s going on, Mercy mercy me och Inner city blues). Resten är helt okej utan att sticka ut, men med ett genomgående härligt sound. Att låtarna går över i varandra ger en trevlig helhetskänsla. Lite för mycket predikande och jidder om Jesus tyvärr.

Fantastic album. Needs more listens, but 4/5 for now!

Sweet sweet protest

À peine deux secondes ont fallu pour que mon sexe durcisse comme de la pierre et pointe vers le plafond. Rien d'anormal, Marvin Gaye est la référence absolue de l'ultra-sexual-soul.

Good shit

Great voice, but some underwhelming songs in between

This album is a powerhouse. Songs are great, vocals great, instruments great. You can listen to it so easily

Not something I would listen to often, but beautiful. Just not a 5 for me though but very close.

Not only is What's Going On seamless, the transitions are all effortless. A little different each time, that is, crafted but not, like the record putting you back at the beginning with theme instead of sound cue.

Beautiful. The title track and Mercy Mercy Me are five star songs, and the rest of the album is delightful.

Pretty great, though very repetitive. One song out of the lot doesn’t really work for me, the rest is very very good.

I like it and understand how great it is. It’s just too much non-melodic sing-talking for me.

Very solid soul/R&B/Motown sound. I like how smoothly the songs transition from one to the next. This was the 3rd Marvin Gaye album I've gotten so far, the guy just makes smooth music

What's Going on is a classic song. Standouts: What's Going On, Mercy Mercy Me, What's Happening Brother, Inner City Blues, Save The Children, God is Love. 4/5

Although this album was written in thr 1970s about the social issues of that time, it could have been written yesterday because the same social issues persist today. 3 stars for the music alone, 1 more for the hood social message

I tried to listen as unbiased as possible even though I hated Marvin Gaye because my mom would play it over and over and over and over again. I really enjoyed the album it feels like a timeless album of being a black man in the city. My only knock is the first six songs sound literally like one extended song for better or for worse

Great sound, definitely ideal background music for me. I can see how so many artists since then have been influenced by this album - particularly one of my favorites, Silk Sonic (collaboration between Bruno Mars and Anderson.Paak). Only giving four stars because I would definitely use it as background music, and I’m reserving 5 stars for any albums that I would turn on because I want to listen to and engage with the songs.