Marv Gaye's 'What's Gog On?' turns 50 | CNN

Contents:

• PASSNATE FACTS ABOUT MARV GAYE, PRCE OF SOUL
• MARV GAYE’S ‘WHAT’S GOG ON’ IS AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IT WAS 1971
• MARV GAYE
• 10 SURPRISG FACTS ABOUT MARV GAYE
• THE REAL MEANG BEHD MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• 50 THGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MARV GAYE'S WHAT'S GOG ON
• THE STORY OF MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• REMEMBERG MARV GAYE'S INIC 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• MARV {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE PRODUCED HIS OWN RERDS AND OFTEN ADDRSED NTROVERSIAL {MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;} SPAN{LE-HEIGHT:1.6;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;}{FONT-STYLE:NORMAL;PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;FONT-FAY:RALAS,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;LOR:#323232;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.3;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;TEXT-TRANSFORM:PALIZE;}{DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;MARG-LEFT:0.625REM;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}UPDATED: APR 19, {DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;}{MARG-BOTTOM:0.9375REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 64REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(100VW - (1REM * 2));MARG-LEFT:1REM;MARG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(-1 * 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - (LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 2 * 1REM)) / -2);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 90REM){{MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / 2);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM) - 1REM - 20.625REM) / -2) - 1REM);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 2);MAX-WIDTH:LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM);PADDG-LEFT:1REM;PADDG-RIGHT:1REM;} .E152U5OS0{WIDTH:100VW;MARG-LEFT:LC(LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 + 1REM)) / -2) - LC(2 * 1REM));}[DATA-HAS-SPONSOR] {MARG-LEFT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);MARG-RIGHT:LC((100VW - LC(20.625REM * 2 - 1REM)) / 4);}}{JTIFY-SELF:CENTER;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG-LEFT:-50VW;MARG-RIGHT:-50VW;WIDTH:100VW;LEFT:50%;RIGHT:50%;}}{HEIGHT:TO;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO LC(50% - 50VW);}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:TO;}}{POSN:RELATIVE;HEIGHT:TO;}{POSN:RELATIVE;--POSN:ABSOLUTE;HEIGHT:TO;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:TO;} A{POSN:ABSOLUTE;}{POSN:RELATIVE;WIDTH:100%;HEIGHT:100%;OBJECT-F:VER;VERTIL-ALIGN:TOP;}{BACKGROUND:#C92228;BOTTOM:0;PADDG:.5REM;RIGHT:0;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG:0.39REM;}}{DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:1REM;WIDTH:1REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{WIDTH:1.063REM;HEIGHT:1.063REM;}}{LE-HEIGHT:1;MARG-TOP:0.3125REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 73.75REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0.9375REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0;}}{PADDG-RIGHT:0.3125REM;LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-SIZE:0.75REM;LE-HEIGHT:1;FONT-WEIGHT:800;}PHOTO: NBCU PHOTO BANK/GETTY {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;POSN:RELATIVE;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{PADDG-LEFT:3.5REM;PADDG-RIGHT:3.5REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{MAX-WIDTH:45.25REM;MARG-LEFT:TO;MARG-RIGHT:TO;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 61.25REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 73.75REM) AND (MAX-WIDTH: 100REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 90REM){{PADDG-LEFT:0REM;PADDG-RIGHT:0REM;}} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;}{CLEAR:BOTH;NTENT:" ";DISPLAY:BLOCK;FONT-SIZE:0.7REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.5REM;HEIGHT:0REM;VISIBILY:HIDN;}{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;}(1939-1984){LOR:#323232;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:800;LETTER-SPACG:0.02EM;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;MARG-TOP:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 64REM){{FONT-SIZE:2REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.1;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;}WHO WAS MARV GAYE?MARV GAYE SANG HIS FATHER'S CHURCH AND THE MOONGLOWS BEFORE SIGNG WH MOTOWN. HE RERD SONGS BY SMOKEY ROBSON BEFORE BEG HIS OWN PRODUCER ON THE PROTT ALBUM WHAT'S GOG ON (1971). GAYE'S LATER RERDS VELOPED HIS PRODUCTN STYLE AND YIELD SEVERAL HS, CLUDG "LET'S GET IT ON," "SEXUAL HEALG" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE." GAYE WAS KILLED 1984 DURG A DOMTIC DISPUTE WH HIS FATHER.EARLY LIFESGER MARV PENTZ GAYE, JR., ALSO KNOWN AS THE "PRCE OF SOUL," WAS BORN WASHGTON, D.C., ON APRIL 2, 1939. GAYE WAS RAISED UNR THE STRICT NTROL OF HIS FATHER, REVEREND MARV GAY SR.—MARV GAYE JR. ADD THE "E" ON THE END OF HIS NAME LATER LIFE—THE MISTER AT A LOL CHURCH, AGAST A BLEAK BACKDROP OF WISPREAD VLENCE HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THROUGHOUT HIS CHILDHOOD, GAYE OFTEN FOUND PEACE MIC, MASTERG THE PIANO AND DMS AT A YOUNG AGE. UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, HIS SGG EXPERIENCE WAS LIMED TO CHURCH REVIVALS, BUT SOON HE VELOPED A LOVE FOR R&B AND DOO-WOP THAT WOULD SET THE FOUNDATN FOR HIS REER. IN THE LATE 1950S, GAYE JOED A VOL GROUP LLED THE NEW MOONGLOWS. THE TALENTED SGER HAD A PHENOMENAL RANGE THAT SPANNED THREE VOL STYL AND HE SOON IMPRSED THE GROUP'S FOUNR, HARVEY FUQUA. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE GAYE AND FUQUA BOTH ME TO THE ATTENTN OF DETRO MIC IMPRAR {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BERRY GORDY JR. AND WERE SIGNED TO GORDY'S LEGENDARY MOTOWN RERDS.MOTOWN RERDSGAYE'S FIRST CERTIFIED H UNR HIS OWN NAME WOULDN'T E UNTIL 1962, BUT HIS EARLY YEARS AT MOTOWN WERE FULL OF BEHD-THE-SCEN SUCCS. HE WAS A SSN DMMER FOR MOTOWN LEGENDS SUCH AS LTLE STEVIE WONR, THE SUPREM, THE MARVELETT AND MARTHA AND THE VANLLAS. SHOWG HIS STRIP AS MOTOWN'S RENAISSANCE MAN, GAYE WENT ON TO BREAK TO THE TOP 40 FOR THE FIRST TIME ON HIS OWN 1962 WH HIS SOLO SGLE "HCH HIKE." THROUGHOUT THE 1960S, GAYE WOULD SHOW HIS IMMENSE RANGE, CHURNG OUT SOLO DANCE HS AND ROMANTIC DUETS WH H-MAKERS LIKE DIANA ROSS AND MARY WELLS. "CAN I GET A WNS" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE" WERE SOME OF GAYE'S BIGGT HS OF THE PERD, THE LATTER ACHIEVG S PLACE AS MOTOWN'S BT-SELLG SGLE OF THE 1960S. FOR THREE HIGH-FLYG YEARS, GAYE AND TAMMI TERRELL WOWED THE UNTRY WH THEIR SOARG DUET PERFORMANC OF SONGS LIKE "A'T NO MOUNTA HIGH ENOUGH" AND "IF I COULD BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU." UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR REIGN AS THE ROYAL COUPLE OF R&B END WHEN TERRELL SUCCUMBED TO A BRA TUMOR 1970. HIS BELOVED PARTNER'S ATH HERED A DARK PERD FOR THE SGER, WHO SWORE NEVER TO PARTNER WH ANOTHER FEMALE VOLIST AND THREATENED TO ABANDON THE STAGE FOR GOOD.POLIL MSAGEIN 1970, SPIRED BY LATG VLENCE AND POLIL UNRT OVER THE VIETNAM WAR, GAYE WROTE THE LANDMARK SONG "WHAT'S GOG ON." DPE CLASH WH MOTOWN OVER THE SONG'S CREATIVE DIRECTN, THE SGLE WAS RELEASED 1971 AND BEME AN STANT SMASH. ITS SUCCS PROMPTED GAYE TO TAKE EVEN MORE RISKS, BOTH MILLY AND POLILLY. WHEN WAS RELEASED THE SPRG OF 1971, THE WHAT'S GOG ON ALBUM SERVED TO OPEN GAYE UP TO NEW DIENC WHILE MATAG HIS MOTOWN FOLLOWG. DEPARTG OM THE TRIED AND TE MOTOWN FORMULA, GAYE WENT OUT ON HIS OWN ARTISTILLY, PAVG THE WAY FOR OTHER MOTOWN ARTISTS LIKE WONR AND MICHAEL JACKSON TO BRANCH OUT LATER YEARS. BEYOND FLUENCG HIS PEERS, THE ALBUM GARNERED WISPREAD CRIL ACCLAIM, WNG THE ROLLG STONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR AWARD.CROSSOVER SUCCSIN 1972, GAYE MOVED TO LOS ANGEL AND SOON MET JANIS HUNTER, WHO WOULD LATER BEE HIS SEND WIFE. INSPIRED PART BY HIS NEWFOUND PENNCE, GAYE RERD ONE OF THE MOST REVERED LOVE ANTHEMS OF ALL TIME, "LET'S GET IT ON." THE SONG BEME HIS SEND NO. 1 BILLBOARD H, CEMENTG HIS CROSSOVER APPEAL ONCE AND FOR ALL. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, MOTOWN PHED GAYE TO TOURG TO PALIZE ON HIS MOST RECENT SUCCS; RELUCTANTLY THE SGER-SONGWRER RETURNED TO THE STAGE. THROUGH MOST OF THE MID-1970S, GAYE WAS TOURG, LLABORATG OR PRODUCG. WORKG WH DIANA ROSS AND THE MIRACL, HE PUT OFF RELEASG ANOTHER SOLO ALBUM UNTIL 1976. HE NTUED TOURG AFTER THE RELEASE OF I WANT YOU (1976) AND, AFTER SRG A NO. 1 H 1977 WH THE DANCE SGLE "GOT TO GIVE IT UP," RELEASED HIS LAST ALBUM FOR MOTOWN RERDS (HERE, MY DEAR) 1978. (DES LATER, "GOT TO GIVE IT UP" WOULD BEE THE CENTER OF A BIG NTROVERSY. IN 2013, GAYE'S TATE ASSERTED THAT PRODUCER/SONGWRER PHARRELL WILLIAMS AND SGER/SONGWRER ROB THICKE HAD MTED PYRIGHT GEMENT BY TAKG MAJOR MIL ELEMENTS OM THE DIS TRACK FOR THE MEGA-H "BLURRED L." AFTER A SE WHICH THICKE TTIFIED THAT HE'D HAD LTLE TO DO WH THE WRG OF THE SONG, THE JURY LED FAVOR OF GAYE'S FAY, WHO WERE AWARD $7.3 LN DAMAG AND PROF SHAR. THE JURY ALSO LED THAT NEHER WILLIAMS OR THICKE HAD PURPOSELY MTED GEMENT.) AFTER TWO S AT MOTOWN, GAYE SIGNED WH CBS'S COLUMBIA RERDS 1982 AND BEGAN TO WORK ON HIS LAST ALBUM, MIDNIGHT LOVE. THE LEAD SGLE OM THAT ALBUM, "SEXUAL HEALG," BEME A HUGE EBACK H FOR THE R&B STAR AND EARNED HIM HIS FIRST TWO GRAMMY AWARDS AND AN AMERIN MIC AWARD FOR FAVORE SOUL SGLE.PERSONAL LIFEIN 1975, GAYE'S WIFE ANNA GORDY—BERRY GORDY'S SISTER—FILED FOR DIVORCE, AND TWO YEARS LATER GAYE MARRIED HUNTER, WHO HAD BY THEN GIVEN BIRTH TO THEIR DGHTER, NONA (BORN SEPTEMBER 4, 1974) AND THEIR SON FRANKIE (BORN NOVEMBER 16, 1975). GAYE ALSO HAD AN ADOPTED SON (MARV PENTZ GAYE III) OM HIS PREV MARRIAGE. THE SGER'S MARRIAGE TO HUNTER PROVED SHORT LIVED AND TUMULTUO, ENDG DIVORCE 1981.DEATH AND LEGACYDPE HIS SUCCSFUL EBACK THE EARLY 1980S, GAYE STGGLED BADLY WH THE SUBSTANCE ABE AND BOUTS OF PRSN THAT HAD PLAGUED HIM FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE. AFTER HIS LAST TOUR, HE MOVED TO HIS PARENTS' HOE. THERE HE AND HIS FATHER FELL TO A PATTERN OF VLENT FIGHTS AND QUARRELS THAT RELLED NFLICTS THAT HAD HNTED THE FAY FOR S. ON APRIL 1, 1984, MARV GAYE SR. SHOT AND KILLED HIS SON AFTER A PHYSIL ALTERTN; THE FATHER CLAIMED HE ACTED SELF-FENSE BUT WOULD LATER BE NVICTED OF VOLUNTARY MANSLGHTER. THREE YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, GAYE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME. CREATG BETIFUL ART OM A TROUBLED LIFE, GAYE AGA AND AGA BROUGHT HIS VISN, RANGE AND ARTISTRY TO THE WORLD STAGE. AT THE END OF HIS REER, HE ADMTED HE NO LONGER MA MIC FOR PLEASURE; STEAD, HE SAID, "I RERD SO THAT I N FEED PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY FEEL. HOPEFULLY, I RERD SO THAT I N HELP SOMEONE OVERE A BAD TIME."{BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}NAME: MARV GAYEBIRTH YEAR: 1939BIRTH DATE: APRIL 2, 1939BIRTH CY: WASHGTON, D. C.BIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE PRODUCED HIS OWN RERDS AND OFTEN ADDRSED NTROVERSIAL THEM.INDTRIPOPASTROLOGIL SIGN: ARIINTERTG FACTSBEFORE MAKG AS A SOLO ARTIST, MARV GAYE PLAYED DMS FOR ARTISTS SUCH AS STEVIE WONR AND THE SUPREM.DEATH YEAR: 1984DEATH DATE: APRIL 1, 1984DEATH STATE: CALIFORNIADEATH CY: LOS ANGELDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECKWE STRIVE FOR ACCURACY AND YOU SEE SOMETHG THAT DON'T LOOK RIGHT,NTACT !CITATION INFORMATIONARTICLE TLE: MARV GAYE BGRAPHYAUTHOR: EDORSWEBSE NAME: THE WEBSEURL: ACCS DATE: PUBLISHER: A&E; TELEVISN NETWORKSLAST UPDATED: APRIL 19, 2021ORIGAL PUBLISHED DATE: APRIL 2, 2014QUOTES
• 50 YEARS AFTER MARV GAYE ASKED, ‘WHAT’S GOG ON?’ AMERI STILL SEARCHG FOR AN ANSWER
• THE UNTOLD TTH OF MARV GAYE
• AN INTRODUCTN TO MARV GAYE IN 10 SONGS
• 50 YEARS LATER, WHY MARV GAYE'S SEMAL ALBUM 'WHAT'S GOG ON' ENDUR

PASSNATE FACTS ABOUT MARV GAYE, PRCE OF SOUL

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MERCY MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY)")MARVIN GAYE: (Sgg) Woah, oh, mercy, mercy She grew up Mkegon, Mich., alongsi Whe Lake and Lake Michigan. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MERCY MERCY ME (THE ECOLOGY)")GAYE: (Sgg) Woah, mercy, mercy You know, he's talkg about air pollutn and overcrowdg and, you know, how much more abe om man n she stand is one of the last l the song. For his What's Gog On album (1971), Gaye got away om love ballads and explored eper social them, which at first didn't s well wh Motown boss Berry Gordy, who thought the songs wouldn't be marketable.

MARV GAYE’S ‘WHAT’S GOG ON’ IS AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IT WAS 1971

One reason he did this was bee of the endls homophobic jok ma at his expense, while another reason stated by Gaye’s relativ was that he wanted to distance himself om his father.

MARV GAYE

Gaye was beaten for any reason that his father uld fd, to the pot where Gaye once remarked that by the time he was 12, there wasn’t a sgle part of his body that hadn’t been “bised and beaten” by his father.

His father reportedly add terror and huiatn to the punishment by havg the young Gaye strip naked and listen to the sound of the belt buckle before the whippg began. A legend attached to the song claims that Gaye clapped ey on Janis Hunter, his future send wife, and spent a mere two hours wrg and rerdg the song, clearly spired by her.

10 SURPRISG FACTS ABOUT MARV GAYE

By ntrast to the myth of Gaye wrg and rerdg a song jt two hours, took him five ssns to rerd the song “I Heard It Through the Grapeve, ” one of his biggt hs. Convced that someone was plottg to kill him, Gaye eventually spent his Sexual Healg tour wearg bullet-proof vts and employg armed bodyguards to follow him wherever he went. Gary Gray were both set to direct films about Gaye, wh actors like Will Smh and Terrence Howard beg nsired as possible lead actors for those film projects.

THE REAL MEANG BEHD MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'

Released on May 21, 1971, at the height of the Vietnam War, Marv Gaye’s album beme a monster, spawng three h sgl on s way to beg Motown’s bt-sellg album to date. And the host of the weekly rad show “Soul Stori, ” I am stck by how many of the them Gaye explor rema as relevant today as they were when he first wrote about them 50 years ago. Blsed wh an exceptnally wi range that enpassed three distct vol styl—a piercg falsetto, a smooth mid-range tenor, and a ep gospel growl—Gaye bed great technil prows wh rare mil dividualy.

50 THGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MARV GAYE'S WHAT'S GOG ON

Gaye also displayed dazzlg virtuosy by overdubbg (buildg sound track by track onto a sgle tape) his own voice three or four tim to provi his own rich harmony, a technique he would employ for the rt of his reer. Here, My Dear (1979) brilliantly alt wh Gaye’s divorce om Gordy’s sister Anna (the first of the sger’s two tumultuo divorc)’s growg addictn to e exacerbated his psychologil stggl. Gaye, who ced his chief fluenc as Ray Charl, Cly McPhatter, Rudy Wt (lead sger for the doo-wop group the Five Keys), and Ltle Willie John, was ducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 1987.

He received a Grammy Award for lifetime achievement an artist who employed urban soul mic to exprs social and personal ncerns, as well as a sger of exquise sensivy and romantic grace, Gaye left a legacy that has wined sce his mise, and his mic has bee a permanent fixture Amerin pop.

THE STORY OF MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'

Marv Gaye add the “e” to the end of his name to dispel mors of his homosexualy and to distguish himself om his father, Marv Gay Sr., wh whom he did not get along. You may or may not know that Marv Gaye’s first wife, Anna, is the elst sister of mic in and Motown founr Berry Gordy, makg Marv an official member of the Motown fay.

Dpe not beg the first songwrer, Gaye left his mark on the song, pletely reworkg the melody and addg new lyrics on top of Benson and Cleveland's origal posn. Wh progrs, 100 years we'll look back on the rerd as an album that broke down barriers and beme the blueprt on how to live harmonly wh each other and our, though, let's take a closer look at the makg of Gaye's masterpiece as the album reach s mid-life surround by a world still crisis.

REMEMBERG MARV GAYE'S INIC 'WHAT'S GOG ON'

The boss at Motown thought Gaye was jeopardizg his reer wh this albumIn the fall of 1970, Gaye was so exced about the prott album he had md — and the song "What's Gog On" that he'd jt fished — that he tracked down the head of Motown Rerds, Berry Gordy, who was on vatn the Bahamas, to tell him the ia. Bettg on 30 days of What's Gog OnAfter Gordy had been proven wrong about the succs of the sgle "What's Gog On, " he drove to Gaye's hoe to ask for the full album.

MARV {LOR:#595959;FONT-FAY:GILROY,HELVETI,ARIAL,SANS-SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:600;MARG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;}@MEDIA(MAX-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:0.875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{FONT-SIZE:1.25REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.2;}} A{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:HER;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;} A:HOVER{LOR:#A00000;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. 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HE RERD SONGS BY SMOKEY ROBSON BEFORE BEG HIS OWN PRODUCER ON THE PROTT ALBUM WHAT'S GOG ON (1971). GAYE'S LATER RERDS VELOPED HIS PRODUCTN STYLE AND YIELD SEVERAL HS, CLUDG "LET'S GET IT ON," "SEXUAL HEALG" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE." GAYE WAS KILLED 1984 DURG A DOMTIC DISPUTE WH HIS FATHER.EARLY LIFESGER MARV PENTZ GAYE, JR., ALSO KNOWN AS THE "PRCE OF SOUL," WAS BORN WASHGTON, D.C., ON APRIL 2, 1939. GAYE WAS RAISED UNR THE STRICT NTROL OF HIS FATHER, REVEREND MARV GAY SR.—MARV GAYE JR. ADD THE "E" ON THE END OF HIS NAME LATER LIFE—THE MISTER AT A LOL CHURCH, AGAST A BLEAK BACKDROP OF WISPREAD VLENCE HIS NEIGHBORHOOD. THROUGHOUT HIS CHILDHOOD, GAYE OFTEN FOUND PEACE MIC, MASTERG THE PIANO AND DMS AT A YOUNG AGE. UNTIL HIGH SCHOOL, HIS SGG EXPERIENCE WAS LIMED TO CHURCH REVIVALS, BUT SOON HE VELOPED A LOVE FOR R&B AND DOO-WOP THAT WOULD SET THE FOUNDATN FOR HIS REER. IN THE LATE 1950S, GAYE JOED A VOL GROUP LLED THE NEW MOONGLOWS. THE TALENTED SGER HAD A PHENOMENAL RANGE THAT SPANNED THREE VOL STYL AND HE SOON IMPRSED THE GROUP'S FOUNR, HARVEY FUQUA. IT WASN'T LONG BEFORE GAYE AND FUQUA BOTH ME TO THE ATTENTN OF DETRO MIC IMPRAR {-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN-THICKNS:0.0625REM;TEXT-RATN-LOR:HER;TEXT-UNRLE-OFFSET:0.25REM;LOR:#A00000;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;TRANSN:ALL 0.3S EASE--OUT;}{LOR:#595959;TEXT-RATN-LOR:BORR-LK-BODY-HOVER;}BERRY GORDY JR. AND WERE SIGNED TO GORDY'S LEGENDARY MOTOWN RERDS.MOTOWN RERDSGAYE'S FIRST CERTIFIED H UNR HIS OWN NAME WOULDN'T E UNTIL 1962, BUT HIS EARLY YEARS AT MOTOWN WERE FULL OF BEHD-THE-SCEN SUCCS. HE WAS A SSN DMMER FOR MOTOWN LEGENDS SUCH AS LTLE STEVIE WONR, THE SUPREM, THE MARVELETT AND MARTHA AND THE VANLLAS. SHOWG HIS STRIP AS MOTOWN'S RENAISSANCE MAN, GAYE WENT ON TO BREAK TO THE TOP 40 FOR THE FIRST TIME ON HIS OWN 1962 WH HIS SOLO SGLE "HCH HIKE." THROUGHOUT THE 1960S, GAYE WOULD SHOW HIS IMMENSE RANGE, CHURNG OUT SOLO DANCE HS AND ROMANTIC DUETS WH H-MAKERS LIKE DIANA ROSS AND MARY WELLS. "CAN I GET A WNS" AND "I HEARD THROUGH THE GRAPEVE" WERE SOME OF GAYE'S BIGGT HS OF THE PERD, THE LATTER ACHIEVG S PLACE AS MOTOWN'S BT-SELLG SGLE OF THE 1960S. FOR THREE HIGH-FLYG YEARS, GAYE AND TAMMI TERRELL WOWED THE UNTRY WH THEIR SOARG DUET PERFORMANC OF SONGS LIKE "A'T NO MOUNTA HIGH ENOUGH" AND "IF I COULD BUILD MY WHOLE WORLD AROUND YOU." UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR REIGN AS THE ROYAL COUPLE OF R&B END WHEN TERRELL SUCCUMBED TO A BRA TUMOR 1970. HIS BELOVED PARTNER'S ATH HERED A DARK PERD FOR THE SGER, WHO SWORE NEVER TO PARTNER WH ANOTHER FEMALE VOLIST AND THREATENED TO ABANDON THE STAGE FOR GOOD.POLIL MSAGEIN 1970, SPIRED BY LATG VLENCE AND POLIL UNRT OVER THE VIETNAM WAR, GAYE WROTE THE LANDMARK SONG "WHAT'S GOG ON." DPE CLASH WH MOTOWN OVER THE SONG'S CREATIVE DIRECTN, THE SGLE WAS RELEASED 1971 AND BEME AN STANT SMASH. ITS SUCCS PROMPTED GAYE TO TAKE EVEN MORE RISKS, BOTH MILLY AND POLILLY. WHEN WAS RELEASED THE SPRG OF 1971, THE WHAT'S GOG ON ALBUM SERVED TO OPEN GAYE UP TO NEW DIENC WHILE MATAG HIS MOTOWN FOLLOWG. DEPARTG OM THE TRIED AND TE MOTOWN FORMULA, GAYE WENT OUT ON HIS OWN ARTISTILLY, PAVG THE WAY FOR OTHER MOTOWN ARTISTS LIKE WONR AND MICHAEL JACKSON TO BRANCH OUT LATER YEARS. BEYOND FLUENCG HIS PEERS, THE ALBUM GARNERED WISPREAD CRIL ACCLAIM, WNG THE ROLLG STONE ALBUM OF THE YEAR AWARD.CROSSOVER SUCCSIN 1972, GAYE MOVED TO LOS ANGEL AND SOON MET JANIS HUNTER, WHO WOULD LATER BEE HIS SEND WIFE. INSPIRED PART BY HIS NEWFOUND PENNCE, GAYE RERD ONE OF THE MOST REVERED LOVE ANTHEMS OF ALL TIME, "LET'S GET IT ON." THE SONG BEME HIS SEND NO. 1 BILLBOARD H, CEMENTG HIS CROSSOVER APPEAL ONCE AND FOR ALL. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, MOTOWN PHED GAYE TO TOURG TO PALIZE ON HIS MOST RECENT SUCCS; RELUCTANTLY THE SGER-SONGWRER RETURNED TO THE STAGE. THROUGH MOST OF THE MID-1970S, GAYE WAS TOURG, LLABORATG OR PRODUCG. WORKG WH DIANA ROSS AND THE MIRACL, HE PUT OFF RELEASG ANOTHER SOLO ALBUM UNTIL 1976. HE NTUED TOURG AFTER THE RELEASE OF I WANT YOU (1976) AND, AFTER SRG A NO. 1 H 1977 WH THE DANCE SGLE "GOT TO GIVE IT UP," RELEASED HIS LAST ALBUM FOR MOTOWN RERDS (HERE, MY DEAR) 1978. (DES LATER, "GOT TO GIVE IT UP" WOULD BEE THE CENTER OF A BIG NTROVERSY. IN 2013, GAYE'S TATE ASSERTED THAT PRODUCER/SONGWRER PHARRELL WILLIAMS AND SGER/SONGWRER ROB THICKE HAD MTED PYRIGHT GEMENT BY TAKG MAJOR MIL ELEMENTS OM THE DIS TRACK FOR THE MEGA-H "BLURRED L." AFTER A SE WHICH THICKE TTIFIED THAT HE'D HAD LTLE TO DO WH THE WRG OF THE SONG, THE JURY LED FAVOR OF GAYE'S FAY, WHO WERE AWARD $7.3 LN DAMAG AND PROF SHAR. THE JURY ALSO LED THAT NEHER WILLIAMS OR THICKE HAD PURPOSELY MTED GEMENT.) AFTER TWO S AT MOTOWN, GAYE SIGNED WH CBS'S COLUMBIA RERDS 1982 AND BEGAN TO WORK ON HIS LAST ALBUM, MIDNIGHT LOVE. THE LEAD SGLE OM THAT ALBUM, "SEXUAL HEALG," BEME A HUGE EBACK H FOR THE R&B STAR AND EARNED HIM HIS FIRST TWO GRAMMY AWARDS AND AN AMERIN MIC AWARD FOR FAVORE SOUL SGLE.PERSONAL LIFEIN 1975, GAYE'S WIFE ANNA GORDY—BERRY GORDY'S SISTER—FILED FOR DIVORCE, AND TWO YEARS LATER GAYE MARRIED HUNTER, WHO HAD BY THEN GIVEN BIRTH TO THEIR DGHTER, NONA (BORN SEPTEMBER 4, 1974) AND THEIR SON FRANKIE (BORN NOVEMBER 16, 1975). GAYE ALSO HAD AN ADOPTED SON (MARV PENTZ GAYE III) OM HIS PREV MARRIAGE. THE SGER'S MARRIAGE TO HUNTER PROVED SHORT LIVED AND TUMULTUO, ENDG DIVORCE 1981.DEATH AND LEGACYDPE HIS SUCCSFUL EBACK THE EARLY 1980S, GAYE STGGLED BADLY WH THE SUBSTANCE ABE AND BOUTS OF PRSN THAT HAD PLAGUED HIM FOR MOST OF HIS LIFE. AFTER HIS LAST TOUR, HE MOVED TO HIS PARENTS' HOE. THERE HE AND HIS FATHER FELL TO A PATTERN OF VLENT FIGHTS AND QUARRELS THAT RELLED NFLICTS THAT HAD HNTED THE FAY FOR S. ON APRIL 1, 1984, MARV GAYE SR. SHOT AND KILLED HIS SON AFTER A PHYSIL ALTERTN; THE FATHER CLAIMED HE ACTED SELF-FENSE BUT WOULD LATER BE NVICTED OF VOLUNTARY MANSLGHTER. THREE YEARS AFTER HIS ATH, GAYE WAS DUCTED TO THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME. CREATG BETIFUL ART OM A TROUBLED LIFE, GAYE AGA AND AGA BROUGHT HIS VISN, RANGE AND ARTISTRY TO THE WORLD STAGE. AT THE END OF HIS REER, HE ADMTED HE NO LONGER MA MIC FOR PLEASURE; STEAD, HE SAID, "I RERD SO THAT I N FEED PEOPLE WHAT THEY NEED, WHAT THEY FEEL. HOPEFULLY, I RERD SO THAT I N HELP SOMEONE OVERE A BAD TIME."{BORR:0;BORR-BOTTOM:TH SOLID BLACK;MARG:1.875REM 0;CLEAR:BOTH;}QUICK {FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-SIZE:1.1875REM;LE-HEIGHT:1.6;MARG:0.9375REM 0 0 0.625REM;PADDG:0 0 0 1.25REM;}@MEDIA(M-WIDTH: 48REM){{MARG:0.9375REM 0;}} B, STRONG{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} EM{FONT-STYLE:ALIC;FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;} EM, I{FONT-FAY:HER;FONT-STYLE:ALIC;} LI{PADDG-BOTTOM:0.625REM;} STRONG{FONT-FAY:CHARTER,GEIA,TIM,SERIF;FONT-WEIGHT:BOLD;} LI::MARKER{LOR:#323232;}NAME: MARV GAYEBIRTH YEAR: 1939BIRTH DATE: APRIL 2, 1939BIRTH CY: WASHGTON, D. C.BIRTH COUNTRY: UNED STATGENR: MALEBT KNOWN FOR: MARV GAYE WAS A SOUL SGER-SONGWRER WH MOTOWN THE 1960S AND 1970S. HE PRODUCED HIS OWN RERDS AND OFTEN ADDRSED NTROVERSIAL THEM.INDTRIPOPASTROLOGIL SIGN: ARIINTERTG FACTSBEFORE MAKG AS A SOLO ARTIST, MARV GAYE PLAYED DMS FOR ARTISTS SUCH AS STEVIE WONR AND THE SUPREM.DEATH YEAR: 1984DEATH DATE: APRIL 1, 1984DEATH STATE: CALIFORNIADEATH CY: LOS ANGELDEATH COUNTRY: UNED STATFACT CHECKWE STRIVE FOR ACCURACY AND YOU SEE SOMETHG THAT DON'T LOOK RIGHT,NTACT !CITATION INFORMATIONARTICLE TLE: MARV GAYE BGRAPHYAUTHOR: EDORSWEBSE NAME: THE WEBSEURL: ACCS DATE: PUBLISHER: A&E; TELEVISN NETWORKSLAST UPDATED: APRIL 19, 2021ORIGAL PUBLISHED DATE: APRIL 2, 2014QUOTES

This irked Gaye, bee Gordy had actively tried to stop the song om beg Gordy knew that one sure-fire way to get mic out of Gaye was to make a bet wh the sger. 'What's Gog On' almost beme a song for vol group the OrigalsIn mid-1970, after workg on the song wh lyricist Al Cleveland, Benson fally had a chance to play for Gaye after trackg him down on a golf urse. Many of his fans pied his fashn sense, but Gaye later admted to bgrapher David Rz that he wore them to ver up a growg bald spot on the top of his head, and was tickled to see people wear them to look Gaye, wearg his signature toque.

50 YEARS AFTER MARV GAYE ASKED, ‘WHAT’S GOG ON?’ AMERI STILL SEARCHG FOR AN ANSWER

Unlike most producers, Gaye sat down the Snakep wh the micians, leadg the rhythm sectn and playg piano stead of producg om behd the glass the Snakep, where What's Gog On was rerd.

The end of 'The Sound of Young Ameri'Both the ont and rear ver shots for the album were taken the backyard of the hoe where Gaye and his wife were livg wh their son, Marv III. In the image on the rear of the album, Gaye is surround by a swg set and toys piled up agast a wall, echog one of the album's central songs, "Save the Children.

Gaye went heavy on percsn players, g Eddie Brown (Gaye's former valet) and Earl Derouen on ngas and bongos, Jack Brokensha on vib and Jack Ashford on tamboure.

THE UNTOLD TTH OF MARV GAYE

Jam Jamerson rerd his bass l while layg flat on his backThe story go that Gaye knew he wanted Motown ssn man and key Funk Brother Jam Jamerson to play bass on the rhythm tracks, so he followed Jamerson down to a lol Detro blu club where the bassist was playg the band.

Gaye axed him offstage and back to the stud, but Jamerson was so toxited he kept fallg off his stool durg the rerdg, so he lay flat on his back to lay down the bass riffs that were wrten out for him by arranger David Van DePte. Ward was gettg a one-dience-member Marv Gaye ncert but says that she was so by gettg the lyrics down rrectly that she didn't have time to enjoy Gaye sgg jt for her.

Gaye was a nervo performer at the bt of tim, but on his namake day, four years sce his last performance, sred, stoned and wh a hired band of unr-rehearsed micians, Gaye panicked and accintally started wh "Right On, " the album's first song on the send si, playg the album back to ont.

AN INTRODUCTN TO MARV GAYE IN 10 SONGS

SmokeThis album was the product of many wrers, among them Anna Gordy, Obie Benson, Al Cleveland, Elgie Stover, Jam Nyx and Earl Derouen, but Gaye always claimed there was one wrer on the album who didn't receive an album cred: Smokey Robson.

Those vol loops were a happy accintAnother signature sound on the album was the layerg of Gaye's vols, his abily to back his own voice and harmonize wh himself over and over. The three had bee close iends, and 1970 Farr and Barney both helped nvce Gaye that "What's Gog On" was the perfect song for him to sg, bolsterg the early argument om Benson.

50 YEARS LATER, WHY MARV GAYE'S SEMAL ALBUM 'WHAT'S GOG ON' ENDUR

Their voic n be heard the vol chatter at the begng of the song and, even wh ltle vol talent between them, Gaye asked the pair to sg backg vols on the whole song. Buried the mix of "What's Gog On" you n hear Gaye beatg on a rdboard box to accentuate the percsn of the ngas and the dmmg of big-band tubthumper Chet Fort. 'Father, father, we don't need to late'The lyric "Father, father, we don't need to late" "What's Gog On" speaks both to God and Gaye's own father, Marv Gay Sr.

'What's Happeng Brother'The song "What's Happeng Brother" me directly out of a nversatn between Gaye and his younger brother, Frankie, who had been to Vietnam and pleted a three-year tour of duty.