What’s Gog On, 50 years on: The bter te story of Marv Gaye’s inic album | The Inpennt

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• WHAT’S GOG ONMARV GAYETRACK 1 ON WHAT’S GOG ON PRODUCED BYMARV GAYEWHAT’S GOG ON IS AN EXQUISE PLEA FOR PEACE ON EARTH, SUNG BY A MAN AT THE HEIGHT OF CRISIS. IN 1970, MARV GAYE WAS MOTOWN’S TOP MALE VOL STAR, YET HE WAS TRATED… READ MORE JAN. 17, 19711 VIEWER587.9K VIEWS85 CONTRIBUTORSWHAT’S GOG ON LYRICS[INTRO]HEY, HEY-HEYHEY, WHAT'S HAPPEN'?HEY, BROTHER, WHAT'S HAPPEN'?BOY, THIS IS A GROOVY PARTY (HEY, HOW YOU DO'?)MAN, I N DIG YEAH, BROTHER, SOLID, RIGHT ONWHAT'S HAPPEN'?HEY, MAN, WHAT'S HAPPENG?WOOEVERYTHG IS EVERYTHGWE'RE GONNA DO A GET DOWN TODAY, BOY, I'LL TELL YA[VERSE 1]MOTHER, MOTHERTHERE'S TOO MANY OF YOU CRYGBROTHER, BROTHER, BROTHERTHERE'S FAR TOO MANY OF YOU DYGYOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO FD A WAYTO BRG SOME LOVG HERE TODAY, YEAH[VERSE 2]FATHER, FATHERWE DON'T NEED TO LATEYOU SEE, WAR IS NOT THE ANSWERFOR ONLY LOVE N NQUER HATEYOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO FD A WAYTO BRG SOME LOVG HERE TODAY, OH (OH)YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE[CHOS]PICKET L (SISTER) AND PICKET SIGNS (SISTER)DON'T PUNISH ME (SISTER) WH BTALY (SISTER)TALK TO ME (SISTER), SO YOU N SEE (SISTER)OH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)YEAH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)OH, WHAT'S GOG ON[POST-CHOS]AH-AH-AH-AH (IN THE MEANTIME, RIGHT ON, BABY)WOO (RIGHT ON, BABY), WOOAH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA, YA-YA-YA-YA-YAWOO (RIGHT ON, BABY, RIGHT ON), WOOAH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YABA-DA-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOOBA-DA-BOO-BOO-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-BA-BA-DO[VERSE 3]MOTHER, MOTHEREVERYBODY THKS WE'RE WRONGOH, BUT WHO ARE THEY TO JUDGE SIMPLY 'E OUR HAIR IS LONG?OH, YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO FD A WAYTO BRG SOME UNRSTANDG HERE TODAY, OH-OH[CHOS]PICKET L (BROTHER) AND PICKET SIGNS (BROTHER)DON'T PUNISH ME (BROTHER) WH BTALY (BROTHER)COME ON, TALK TO ME (BROTHER), SO YOU N SEE (BROTHER)OH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)YEAH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)TELL ME WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)[POST-CHOS]WOO-OOH-OOH-OOH (RIGHT ON, BABY, RIGHT ON)AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA, YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YAWOO, WOO (RIGHT ON)AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YABA-DA-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-DOOBA-DA-BOO-BOO-BOO-DOO, BA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA[OUTRO]WOO (RIGHT ON, BABY, E ON, RIGHT ON)AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YAWOO (RIGHT ON)LISTEN, AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YADA-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-DOODA-BOO-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO49EMBEDCANCELHOW TO FORMAT LYRICS:TYPE OUT ALL LYRICS, EVEN REPEATG SONG PARTS LIKE THE CHOSLYRICS SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN TO DIVIDUAL LUSE SECTN HEARS ABOVE DIFFERENT SONG PARTS LIKE [VERSE], [CHOS], ETC.USE ALICS (<I>LYRIC</I>) AND BOLD (<B>LYRIC</B>) TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT VOLISTS THE SAME SONG PARTIF YOU DON’T UNRSTAND A LYRIC, E [?]TO LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT OUR TRANSCRIPTN GUI OR VIS OUR TRANSCRIBERS FOMABOUT
• WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHERMARV GAYETRACK 2 ON WHAT’S GOG ON PRODUCED BYMARV GAYETHE SEND SONG ON MARV GAYE’S WHAT’S GOG ON TELLS A STORY OF A SOLDIER G BACK TO THE UNED STAT AFTER FIGHTG VIETNAM, AND THE ADJTMENTS TO CULTURE THAT… READ MORE MAY. 21, 19711 VIEWER43.9K VIEWS23 CONTRIBUTORSWHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER LYRICS[VERSE 1]HEY BABY, WHAT YOU KNOW GOOD?I'M JT GETTG BACK, BUT YOU KNEW I WOULDWAR IS HELL, WHEN WILL END?WHEN WILL PEOPLE START GETTG TOGETHER AGA?ARE THGS REALLY GETTG BETTER, LIKE THE NEWSPAPER SAID?WHAT ELSE IS NEW MY IEND, BIS WHAT I READ?[VERSE 2]CAN'T FD NO WORK, N'T FD NO JOB, MY IENDMONEY IS TIGHTER THAN 'S EVER BEENSAY MAN, I JT DON'T UNRSTAND WHAT'S GOG ON ACROSS THIS LAND?AH, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?YEAH, WHAT'S HAPPENG? WHAT'S HAPPENG MY MAN?[VERSE 3]ARE THEY STILL GETTG DOWN WHERE WE ED TO GO AND DANCE?WILL OUR BALL CLUB W THE PENNANT, DO YOU THK THEY HAVE A CHANCE?AND TELL ME IEND, HOW THE WORLD HAVE YOU BEEN?TELL ME WHAT'S OUT AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S [VERSE 4]WHAT'S THE AL MANWHAT'S HAPPENG? WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?AH, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?WHAT'S HAPPENG MY MAN?WHOO, AH, AH, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?SAY MAN, WHOO, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE[OUTRO]WHAT'S BEEN SHAKG UP AND DOWN THE LE?I WANT TO KNOW, BEE I'M SLIGHTLY BEHD THE TIM5EMBEDCANCELHOW TO FORMAT LYRICS:TYPE OUT ALL LYRICS, EVEN REPEATG SONG PARTS LIKE THE CHOSLYRICS SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN TO DIVIDUAL LUSE SECTN HEARS ABOVE DIFFERENT SONG PARTS LIKE [VERSE], [CHOS], ETC.USE ALICS (<I>LYRIC</I>) AND BOLD (<B>LYRIC</B>) TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT VOLISTS THE SAME SONG PARTIF YOU DON’T UNRSTAND A LYRIC, E [?]TO LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT OUR TRANSCRIPTN GUI OR VIS OUR TRANSCRIBERS FOMABOUTGENI ANNOTATN2 NTRIBUTORSTHE SEND SONG ON MARV GAYE’S WHAT’S GOG ON TELLS A STORY OF A SOLDIER G BACK TO THE UNED STAT AFTER FIGHTG VIETNAM, AND THE ADJTMENTS TO CULTURE THAT HE HAS TO MAKE. THIS TRACK WAS SPIRED BY GAYE’S BROTHER FRANKIE, WHO SPENT THREE YEARS SERVG VIETNAM.EXPAND +45SHAREASK A QUTN ABOUT THIS SONGASK A QUTN *‌WHO PRODUCED “WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER” BY MARV GAYE?WHEN DID MARV GAYE RELEASE “WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER”?WHO WROTE “WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER” BY MARV GAYE?WHAT’S GOG ON (1971)MARV GAYE1. WHAT’S GOG ON2. WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER3. FLY’ HIGH (IN THE FRIENDLY SKY)4. SAVE THE CHILDREN5. GOD IS LOVE6. MERCY MERCY ME (THE ELOGY)7. RIGHT ON8. WHOLY HOLY9. INNER CY BLU (MAKE ME WANNA HOLLER)EXPAND CREDSPRODUCED BYMARV GAYEWRTEN BYMARV GAYE & JAM NYXARRANGED BYDAVID VAN PTEBASS GUARJAM JAMERSONVOLSMARV GAYERELEASE DATEMAY 21, 1971SONGS THAT SAMPLE WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHERGHETTO ROCK BY AMERIGO GAZAWAY, THE PANTI BY AMERIGO GAZAWAY & BETIFUL PEOPLE BY A$AP FERG (FT. CHUCK D & MAMA FERG)SONGS THAT INTERPOLATE WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHERWHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER BY THE VERNON SPRGWHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER COVERSWHAT'S GOG ON BY JEFF BECK & JOHNNY DEPP & WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER BY KEB' MO' (FT. BETTYE LAVETTE)WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER REMIXWHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER (DETRO MIX) BY MARV GAYEWHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER LIVE PERFORMANCWHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER (LIVE 1972) BY MARV GAYEVIEW WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER SAMPLTAGSR&BSEVENTIMOTOWNSOULEXPAND COMMENTSADD A MENTSIGN UP AND DROP KNOWLEDGE ?GENI IS THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF MIC KNOWLEDGE, CREATED BY SCHOLARS LIKE YOU WHO SHARE FACTS AND SIGHT ABOUT THE SONGS AND ARTISTS THEY LOVE.SIGN UPGENI IS THE WORLD’S BIGGT LLECTN OF SONG LYRICS AND MIL KNOWLEDGE
• REMEMBERG MARV GAYE'S INIC 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• THE STORY OF MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• WHAT’S GOG ON, 50 YEARS ON: THE BTER TE STORY OF MARV GAYE’S INIC ALBUM
• THE LIFE AND TRAGIC ATH OF MARV GAYE, THE SON OF A PREACHER WHO BEME MOTOWN'S VOICE OF POLIL CHANGE AND DIED AT THE HANDS OF HIS OWN FATHER
• JEANNE GAY (SISTER OF MARV GAYE) PASS AFTER SHORT ILLNS – SHE WAS 87
• THE UNTOLD TTH OF MARV GAYE
• MEET MARV GAYE’S 3 KIDS INCLUDG SON OM HIS WIFE ANNA’S UNRAGE NIECE DENISE GORDY

WHAT’S GOG ONMARV GAYETRACK 1 ON WHAT’S GOG ON PRODUCED BYMARV GAYEWHAT’S GOG ON IS AN EXQUISE PLEA FOR PEACE ON EARTH, SUNG BY A MAN AT THE HEIGHT OF CRISIS. IN 1970, MARV GAYE WAS MOTOWN’S TOP MALE VOL STAR, YET HE WAS TRATED… READ MORE JAN. 17, 19711 VIEWER587.9K VIEWS85 CONTRIBUTORSWHAT’S GOG ON LYRICS[INTRO]HEY, HEY-HEYHEY, WHAT'S HAPPEN'?HEY, BROTHER, WHAT'S HAPPEN'?BOY, THIS IS A GROOVY PARTY (HEY, HOW YOU DO'?)MAN, I N DIG YEAH, BROTHER, SOLID, RIGHT ONWHAT'S HAPPEN'?HEY, MAN, WHAT'S HAPPENG?WOOEVERYTHG IS EVERYTHGWE'RE GONNA DO A GET DOWN TODAY, BOY, I'LL TELL YA[VERSE 1]MOTHER, MOTHERTHERE'S TOO MANY OF YOU CRYGBROTHER, BROTHER, BROTHERTHERE'S FAR TOO MANY OF YOU DYGYOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO FD A WAYTO BRG SOME LOVG HERE TODAY, YEAH[VERSE 2]FATHER, FATHERWE DON'T NEED TO LATEYOU SEE, WAR IS NOT THE ANSWERFOR ONLY LOVE N NQUER HATEYOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO FD A WAYTO BRG SOME LOVG HERE TODAY, OH (OH)YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE[CHOS]PICKET L (SISTER) AND PICKET SIGNS (SISTER)DON'T PUNISH ME (SISTER) WH BTALY (SISTER)TALK TO ME (SISTER), SO YOU N SEE (SISTER)OH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)YEAH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)OH, WHAT'S GOG ON[POST-CHOS]AH-AH-AH-AH (IN THE MEANTIME, RIGHT ON, BABY)WOO (RIGHT ON, BABY), WOOAH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA, YA-YA-YA-YA-YAWOO (RIGHT ON, BABY, RIGHT ON), WOOAH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YABA-DA-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOOBA-DA-BOO-BOO-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-BA-BA-DO[VERSE 3]MOTHER, MOTHEREVERYBODY THKS WE'RE WRONGOH, BUT WHO ARE THEY TO JUDGE SIMPLY 'E OUR HAIR IS LONG?OH, YOU KNOW WE'VE GOT TO FD A WAYTO BRG SOME UNRSTANDG HERE TODAY, OH-OH[CHOS]PICKET L (BROTHER) AND PICKET SIGNS (BROTHER)DON'T PUNISH ME (BROTHER) WH BTALY (BROTHER)COME ON, TALK TO ME (BROTHER), SO YOU N SEE (BROTHER)OH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)YEAH, WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)TELL ME WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S GOG ON (WHAT'S GOG ON)[POST-CHOS]WOO-OOH-OOH-OOH (RIGHT ON, BABY, RIGHT ON)AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA, YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YAWOO, WOO (RIGHT ON)AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YABA-DA-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-DOOBA-DA-BOO-BOO-BOO-DOO, BA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA[OUTRO]WOO (RIGHT ON, BABY, E ON, RIGHT ON)AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YAWOO (RIGHT ON)LISTEN, AH-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YA-YADA-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO-DOODA-BOO-BOO-DOO, BOO-BOO-BOO49EMBEDCANCELHOW TO FORMAT LYRICS:TYPE OUT ALL LYRICS, EVEN REPEATG SONG PARTS LIKE THE CHOSLYRICS SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN TO DIVIDUAL LUSE SECTN HEARS ABOVE DIFFERENT SONG PARTS LIKE [VERSE], [CHOS], ETC.USE ALICS (<I>LYRIC</I>) AND BOLD (<B>LYRIC</B>) TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT VOLISTS THE SAME SONG PARTIF YOU DON’T UNRSTAND A LYRIC, E [?]TO LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT OUR TRANSCRIPTN GUI OR VIS OUR TRANSCRIBERS FOMABOUT

Gaye’s trospective lyrics discs them of dg abe, poverty, and the Vietnam there an official vio for "What's Gog On"? But Marv Gaye died a btal ath at the hands of his own father - shot at pot blank range the bedroom of their Los Angel home.

It also marked the high pot of 25-year Marv Gaye’s reer - which went hand hand wh womanisg, dg addictn and creasg paranoia, and end wh tragedy a day before his 45th birthday.

WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHERMARV GAYETRACK 2 ON WHAT’S GOG ON PRODUCED BYMARV GAYETHE SEND SONG ON MARV GAYE’S WHAT’S GOG ON TELLS A STORY OF A SOLDIER G BACK TO THE UNED STAT AFTER FIGHTG VIETNAM, AND THE ADJTMENTS TO CULTURE THAT… READ MORE MAY. 21, 19711 VIEWER43.9K VIEWS23 CONTRIBUTORSWHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER LYRICS[VERSE 1]HEY BABY, WHAT YOU KNOW GOOD?I'M JT GETTG BACK, BUT YOU KNEW I WOULDWAR IS HELL, WHEN WILL END?WHEN WILL PEOPLE START GETTG TOGETHER AGA?ARE THGS REALLY GETTG BETTER, LIKE THE NEWSPAPER SAID?WHAT ELSE IS NEW MY IEND, BIS WHAT I READ?[VERSE 2]CAN'T FD NO WORK, N'T FD NO JOB, MY IENDMONEY IS TIGHTER THAN 'S EVER BEENSAY MAN, I JT DON'T UNRSTAND WHAT'S GOG ON ACROSS THIS LAND?AH, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?YEAH, WHAT'S HAPPENG? WHAT'S HAPPENG MY MAN?[VERSE 3]ARE THEY STILL GETTG DOWN WHERE WE ED TO GO AND DANCE?WILL OUR BALL CLUB W THE PENNANT, DO YOU THK THEY HAVE A CHANCE?AND TELL ME IEND, HOW THE WORLD HAVE YOU BEEN?TELL ME WHAT'S OUT AND I WANT TO KNOW WHAT'S [VERSE 4]WHAT'S THE AL MANWHAT'S HAPPENG? WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?AH, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?WHAT'S HAPPENG MY MAN?WHOO, AH, AH, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?SAY MAN, WHOO, WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER?YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE[OUTRO]WHAT'S BEEN SHAKG UP AND DOWN THE LE?I WANT TO KNOW, BEE I'M SLIGHTLY BEHD THE TIM5EMBEDCANCELHOW TO FORMAT LYRICS:TYPE OUT ALL LYRICS, EVEN REPEATG SONG PARTS LIKE THE CHOSLYRICS SHOULD BE BROKEN DOWN TO DIVIDUAL LUSE SECTN HEARS ABOVE DIFFERENT SONG PARTS LIKE [VERSE], [CHOS], ETC.USE ALICS (<I>LYRIC</I>) AND BOLD (<B>LYRIC</B>) TO DISTGUISH BETWEEN DIFFERENT VOLISTS THE SAME SONG PARTIF YOU DON’T UNRSTAND A LYRIC, E [?]TO LEARN MORE, CHECK OUT OUR TRANSCRIPTN GUI OR VIS OUR TRANSCRIBERS FOMABOUTGENI ANNOTATN2 NTRIBUTORSTHE SEND SONG ON MARV GAYE’S WHAT’S GOG ON TELLS A STORY OF A SOLDIER G BACK TO THE UNED STAT AFTER FIGHTG VIETNAM, AND THE ADJTMENTS TO CULTURE THAT HE HAS TO MAKE. THIS TRACK WAS SPIRED BY GAYE’S BROTHER FRANKIE, WHO SPENT THREE YEARS SERVG VIETNAM.EXPAND +45SHAREASK A QUTN ABOUT THIS SONGASK A QUTN *‌WHO PRODUCED “WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER” BY MARV GAYE?WHEN DID MARV GAYE RELEASE “WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER”?WHO WROTE “WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER” BY MARV GAYE?WHAT’S GOG ON (1971)MARV GAYE1. WHAT’S GOG ON2. WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER3. FLY’ HIGH (IN THE FRIENDLY SKY)4. SAVE THE CHILDREN5. GOD IS LOVE6. MERCY MERCY ME (THE ELOGY)7. RIGHT ON8. WHOLY HOLY9. INNER CY BLU (MAKE ME WANNA HOLLER)EXPAND CREDSPRODUCED BYMARV GAYEWRTEN BYMARV GAYE & JAM NYXARRANGED BYDAVID VAN PTEBASS GUARJAM JAMERSONVOLSMARV GAYERELEASE DATEMAY 21, 1971SONGS THAT SAMPLE WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHERGHETTO ROCK BY AMERIGO GAZAWAY, THE PANTI BY AMERIGO GAZAWAY & BETIFUL PEOPLE BY A$AP FERG (FT. CHUCK D & MAMA FERG)SONGS THAT INTERPOLATE WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHERWHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER BY THE VERNON SPRGWHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER COVERSWHAT'S GOG ON BY JEFF BECK & JOHNNY DEPP & WHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER BY KEB' MO' (FT. BETTYE LAVETTE)WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER REMIXWHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER (DETRO MIX) BY MARV GAYEWHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER LIVE PERFORMANCWHAT'S HAPPENG BROTHER (LIVE 1972) BY MARV GAYEVIEW WHAT’S HAPPENG BROTHER SAMPLTAGSR&BSEVENTIMOTOWNSOULEXPAND COMMENTSADD A MENTSIGN UP AND DROP KNOWLEDGE ?GENI IS THE ULTIMATE SOURCE OF MIC KNOWLEDGE, CREATED BY SCHOLARS LIKE YOU WHO SHARE FACTS AND SIGHT ABOUT THE SONGS AND ARTISTS THEY LOVE.SIGN UPGENI IS THE WORLD’S BIGGT LLECTN OF SONG LYRICS AND MIL KNOWLEDGE

At the same time he add an ‘e’ to his origal surname of Gay - to shut down any speculatn about his sexualy and to distance himself om his abive dad.

Up to that pot, Gaye was known for R&B pop hs like "Heard It Through The Grapeve" and "A't No Mounta High Enough" wh Tammi Terrell. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "AIN'T NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH")MARVIN GAYE: (Sgg) Listen, baby, a't no mounta high, a't no valley low, a't no river wi enough, TERRELL: (Sgg) If you need me ll me, no matter where you are, no matter how (Sgg) Don't worry, Tammi Terrell's ath 1970 vastated Marv Gaye.

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

I loved Grand Funk Railroad, The Suprem, really loved The Temptatns and then sudnly, "What's Gog On" by Marv Gaye. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WHAT'S GOING ON")GAYE: (Volizg) JEFFERSON PATERSON: I thk the plight and the history of Ains this untry is one of btaly. (SOUNDBITE OF MARVIN GAYE SONG, "MERCY MERCY ME")CERMAK: The song "Mercy Mercy Me" sort of stood out to me - oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MERCY MERCY ME")GAYE: (Sgg) Oil wasted on the oceans and upon our seas, fish full of That one really h me bee I was an environmental science scholar studyg the world's oceans, lerally, and studyg the creatur the oceans and startg to learn that same bad news all over aga. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "MERCY MERCY ME")GAYE: (Sgg) Oh, mercy, mercy In the late 2000s, I found myself dog outreach tn wh high schoolers and teachg this environmental science g standardized textbooks and realizg that I wasn't really engagg the stunts - right?

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

(SOUNDBITE OF MARVIN GAYE SONG, "MERCY MERCY ME")JEFFERSON PATERSON: The other song that actually guts me is the song - and I feel like I'm gog to choke up now talkg about , but 's the song "Inner Cy Blu. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "INNER CITY BLUES")GAYE: (Sgg) Oh, make me want to holler the way they do my life, yeah, make me want to holler the way they do my life. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "INNER CITY BLUES")GAYE: (Volizg) That was Eva Jefferson Paterson, a civil rights lawyer who -found the Equal Jtice Society and also sgs a Motown ver band Oakland, Calif.

His album beme an ternnected sue, a gallery of songs reflectg the state of the unn as Gaye saw , om neglected ghettos to the thrivg muny church, to the abed environment. Gaye relished the visibily, but hr knew that the real triumph was the way he transformed vexg social problems to an implorg emotnal appeal. Sign up to Rois O’Connor’s ee weekly newsletter Now Hear This for the si track on all thgs micGet our Now Hear This email for eePut out or I’ll never rerd for you aga” was Marv Gaye’s stark warng to Berry Gordy, after the founr of Motown Rerds refed to release the sgle “What’s Gog On” the summer of – who was Gaye’s brother--law at the time – told almost anyone who would listen that he tted Gaye’s prott song, which he thought was too long, too formls and not mercial enough to be played on rad, a prerequise for the sr of No 1 songs he’d crafted at his Detro stud known as Hsville USA.

WHAT’S GOG ON, 50 YEARS ON: THE BTER TE STORY OF MARV GAYE’S INIC ALBUM

Gordy was even quoted as scribg “What’s Gog On” as “the worst rerd I ever heard my life” his memoir Smokey: Insi My Life, soul legend Smokey Robson relled tellg Gordy he thought Gaye’s track was “brilliant”. ”Gaye held firm durg a seven-month power stggle that eventually nclud wh the h sgle beg the centrepiece of the ground-breakg album What’s Gog On, which explored the issu of poverty, racial discrimatn, environmental stctn, urban y, police btaly, dg abe, polil rptn and the vastatg effects of the Vietnam War. David Van DePte, the album’s arranger, later revealed that Gordy thought Gaye “was absolutely sane” to want to feature social mentary on a rerd “that was gog to be the biggt fias that ever was”’s Gog On is now wily regnised as one of the most important mil works of the 20th century, a song cycle that gave Black artists a licence to ph the mil and polil boundari of their art.

Unterred, seizg an opportuny while Gordy was away travellg, Balk went to Barney Al, vice print of sal, and told him that unls they released “What’s Gog On”, they would have nothg new to release om Gaye, a performer who’d ma the pany lns of dollars wh hs such as “I Heard It Through the Grapeve” and “Too By Thkg About My Baby”. “The police was beat’ on them, but they weren’t botherg anybody, ” Benson told Ben Edmonds for the book What’s Gog On: Marv Gaye and the Last Days of the Motown Sound. ”Marv Gaye sgg on stage 1970 (Ao Amerin Newspapers/Gado/Getty)One of the key chang that Gaye ma to the song was to remove the qutn mark that Benson had origally fixed to the track.

THE LIFE AND TRAGIC ATH OF MARV GAYE, THE SON OF A PREACHER WHO BEME MOTOWN'S VOICE OF POLIL CHANGE AND DIED AT THE HANDS OF HIS OWN FATHER

’” After the succs of the sgle, however, Gordy realised that was Motown’s tert to palise on the sal and release a whole album of Gaye’s new songs. He realised he’d antagonised Gaye and vised a way to entice him to rerd the album: he bet Gaye that he uld not liver an album jt 30 days. ”Gaye tried to put himself Frankie’s sho by wrg the song “What’s Happeng Brother”, about the disillnment of war veterans returng to Print Richard Nixon’s Ameri, a untry which unemployment was nng at six per cent 1971.

JEANNE GAY (SISTER OF MARV GAYE) PASS AFTER SHORT ILLNS – SHE WAS 87

In his one terview the summer of 1971, wh Disc and Mic Echo magaze’s Phil Sym, Gaye admted “I was terribly disillned wh life general. ”The ver art for ‘What’s Gog On’, featurg Gaye as photographed by Jim Hend (Motown Rerds/UMG)Although Gaye, who said that all the spiratn for the album “me om God Himself”, won his bet wh Gordy – the album was pleted unr 30 days – there has been plenty of mythologisg about the rerdg ssns, durg which Gaye supposedly worked nstant 16-hour days to cut the ne tracks: “What’s Gog On”, “What’s Happeng Brother”, “Fly’ High (In the Friendly Sky)”, “Save the Children”, “God is Love”, “Mercy Mercy Me (The Elogy)”, “Right On”, “Wholy Holy”, and “Inner Cy Blu (Make Me Wanna Holler)” ssns at both Hsville and Goln World Rerd studs were, tth, chaotic, often not startg until midnight.

Acrdg to mic journalist Dorian Lynskey, his book 33 Revolutns Per Mute: A History of Prott Songs, “Gaye kept jots and stch on hand for the terie of iends that attend the ssns, and masturbated at length before vol tak orr to dra himself of rnal distractn.

THE UNTOLD TTH OF MARV GAYE

”At the end of a month of rerdg dat, Gaye took some of the master tap wh him when he flew om Detro to Sylmar, California, to play the role of a biker lled Jim Chrome and Hot Leather, a movie about a young Green Beret.

”Although Gaye tkered wh the mixg of the songs up to the pot of fal productn, he nced that Van DePte had helped fulfil his visn, orchtratg versns of Gaye’s ventive words and melodi a skilful blend of jazz and soul micians, the Detro Symphony Orchtra and Gaye’s smooth, soulful voice.

The arranger brought the brilliant dmmer Chet Fort and saxophonists Eli Founta and Wild Bill Moore, as well as suggtg the mil bridg between the tracks as way of helpg Gaye’s “ltle stori” flow to one another. ”One of the stand-out tracks was “Mercy Mercy Me (The Elogy)”, wrten solely by Gaye, which lamented the elogil nightmare of “oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury and radiatn unrground and the sky”. In his ler not, Gaye clud the cred: “Thanks too to Jam Nyx, a gentleman and a scholar (which I’m apparently not)”, tribute to a songwrer who also worked as a janor and elevator operator at Motown’s offic.

MEET MARV GAYE’S 3 KIDS INCLUDG SON OM HIS WIFE ANNA’S UNRAGE NIECE DENISE GORDY

Gaye wrote the melody for “Inner Cy Blu” and Nyx me up wh the lyrics about the “have-nots” of Ameri after seeg a newspaper headle about the “ner cy” of Detro.