The Story Of Marv Gaye's 'What's Gog On' : NPR

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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
• MARV GAYE’S ‘WHAT’S GOG ON’ IS AS RELEVANT TODAY AS IT WAS 1971
• THE REAL MEANG BEHD MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• REMEMBERG MARV GAYE'S INIC 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• MARV GAYE: WHAT’S GOG ON NOW
• 50 YEARS AFTER MARV GAYE ASKED, ‘WHAT’S GOG ON?’ AMERI STILL SEARCHG FOR AN ANSWER
• MARV GAYE’S H SGLE “WHAT’S GOG ON?” RELEASED
• THE STORY OF MARV GAYE'S 'WHAT'S GOG ON'
• MARV GAYE’S ‘WHAT’S GOG ON’ GETS 50TH ANNIVERSARY DIGAL REISSUE
• 50 YEARS LATER, WHY MARV GAYE'S SEMAL ALBUM 'WHAT'S GOG ON' ENDUR
• HOW DID MARV GAYE DIE? INSI THE MOTOWN LEGEND’S MURR
• 50 THGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MARV GAYE'S WHAT'S GOG ON

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

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. Gaye repeats the affirmatn “right on” – a phrase distctly ground black urban vernacular – throughout the album and on a song bearg that name.

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. Acrdg to Smooth Rad, Obie Benson said Marv Gaye, "add some thgs that were more ghetto, more natural, which ma seem like a story than a song. (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.

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

(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? (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.

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

(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. When Marv Gaye brought the tle track of 1971’s What’s Gog On to Motown founr Berry Gordy, Gordy reportedly said was the worst thg he’d ever heard. As Sly & The Fay Stone channeled their anger to to bter funk (1971’s There’s a Rt Go’ On), Gaye sublimated his lh strg sectns and Lat percsn—signals not jt of mil gentlens, but cultural sophistitn.

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

The revelatn is that polil mic don’t have to be nontatnal— n be mellow and vg too, the provce not jt of radils, but the same mixed, middle-class dienc that had been buyg Gaye’s albums all along.

You tch more fli wh honey than wh vegar, and as Gaye seems to say on What’s Gog On, you don’t have to be a hippie to be worried by what you see—you jt have to be human. We celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of Marv Gaye’s landmark album What’s Gog On – scribg the events Marv’s life that led to him to rerd such a groundbreakg album, which ntu to spire a new generatn of fans.

As a child, mician Devon Gilfillian remembers his father, a profsnal weddg sger, harmonizg wh Marv Gaye’s inic “What’s Gog On” album their livg room. In a recent terview for a new CNN documentary about Gaye’s work, tled “What’s Gog On: Marv Gaye’s Anthem for the Ag, ” the Grammy-nomated artist and activist relled redisverg the album jt before headg to a prott Nashville last summer.

MARV GAYE: WHAT’S GOG ON NOW

" In addn to beg a massive h, the song marked a turng pot Gaye's reer and the trajectory of achieved populary the 1960s wh songs like "How Sweet Is (To Be Loved by You)" and "I Heard It Through the Grapeve, " prime exampl of the "Motown Sound" which blend soul, rock, and pop and is often creded wh a leadg role the racial tegratn of popular mic Ameri. Gaye's rerd label, Tamla, was an imprt of Motown Rerds, and as such Gaye's work was guid and supervised by legendary Motown founr Berry Gordy.

The album What's Gog On, released the followg May, was a ncept album that further explored Gaye's opposn to the war as well as other sensive topics like poverty and dg e. 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.

Motown/UMe has marked the 50th anniversary of Marv Gaye’s sgle release for “What’s Gog On” — the tle track om Rollg Stone’s Greatt Album of All Time — wh an all-enpassg digal reissue of the 1971 LP out now on streamg servic. To honor the sgle’s 50th birthday, Motown/UMe grouped together all that bon mic for the digal release dubbed What’s Gog On: Deluxe Edn/50th Anniversary, which ntas the origal album pl 12 bon tracks cludg sgle versns, mos and more, the “Detro Mix” of the album and the llectn of “Funky Natn” stmentals om Gaye’s post-What’s Gog On rerdg ssns. “The Detro Mix” of What’s Gog On, Gaye’s origal versn of the album before ncelg and reworkg Los Angel, prevly featured on the 30th anniversary reissue of the album 2001.

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

“Funky Natn: The Detro Instmentals, ” a seri of jams Gaye laid down the rerdg ssns after releasg What’s Gog On, was clud the 40th anniversary reissue. “Through the regnn of What’s Gog On Day, we hope to brg awarens to Marv Gaye’s profound words as his timels mic remas our hearts and mds and ntu spirg generatns to e. 11:08Download AudCopy the below to embed the WBUR d player on your seRumeMarv Gaye performs on stage at De Doelen, Rotterdam, Netherlands, July of 1980.

Fd that d Marv Gaye's rerd "What's Gog On" me out 1971, unemployment was at a high of 6%, people were prottg police btaly, and Amerins were angry over the Vietnam War. “Motown was not a pany that was built on any kd of personal statements, ” says Nelson Gee, a mic journalist, thor and cultural cric who terviewed Gaye durg the sger-songwrer’s the 1970s, Motown Rerds was known for s “superb productn le, ” which clud the stud band, The Funk Brothers, Gee says. ”“That kd of polil, social, personal work was not a signature of the pany, ” Gee a tour stop Berkeley, California, Renaldo “Obie” Benson of Motown giant the Four Tops was spired to wre “What’s Gog On” after wnsg a scuffle between police and monstrators at an anti-Vietnam War Benson brought the song to him, Gaye was reluctant to rerd .

At this pot his reer, Gaye was famo for his pop duets and love ballads, such as “A't No Mounta High Enough” wh Tammi Terrell and “I Heard It Through the Grapeve. ”Gaye thought the song was better sued for a band lled The Origals, but he agreed to rerd himself after Benson allowed him to rewre some parts of .

MARV GAYE’S H SGLE “WHAT’S GOG ON?” RELEASED

One of the most notable chang Gaye ma was the fal versn of the song, there was no qutn mark the song illtrat the challeng society durg the 1960s — “spirualy, brotherhood, the onens of man” — and speaks to what Gaye thks are solutns, Gee explas. ”Gaye Captured A ‘Sense Of Confn And Sadns’The send song on the album, “What's Happeng Brother” was wrten for Gaye's brother, Frankie, who had jt returned om a tour Vietnam and was stgglg to fd a 1971, the Amerin people were learng through the Pentagon Papers how the U. 4 on the Billboard pop sgl chart and even had a rare appearance for Gaye on the adult ntemporary sound of that song has an “herent spirual dimensn” that embrac many tradns om European and Black church, Gee says.

(Gems/Redferns)‘A Betiful Piece Of Art’In the followg years after the album was released, Gaye stggled wh prsn and dg abe, survivg a suici attempt 1979. Shot his son Marv Gaye at pot-blank range si the fay's Los Angel home on April 1, mic cric Michael Eric Dyson once said, Motown legend Marv Gaye “chased away the mons of lns… wh his heavenly sound and dive art. But not only did Marv Gaye endure this abive childhood, he eventually found worldwi fame as a soul sger for the inic Motown Rerds the 1960s and ’70s.

But as the Prce Of Motown’s brother, Frankie, later said his memoir Marv Gaye: My Brother, Marv Gaye’s ath seemed wrten stone om the begng. By the time he had a fay himself, Gay was a mister a strict Pentestal sect who discipled his children severely, wh Marv reportedly gettg the worst of .

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

Whether or not that’s te, the source of the mors was largely that he cross-drsed, a behavr that was — often erroneoly — lked wh homosexualy, pecially s past. Acrdg to Marv Gaye, his father often wore women’s cloth, and “there have been perds when [my father’s] hair was very long and curled unr, and when he seemed que adamant showg the world the girlish si of himself. As he started to make a name for himself profsnally, Gaye wanted to distance himself om his toxic relatnship wh his father so he changed his name om “Gay” to “Gaye.

MARV GAYE’S ‘WHAT’S GOG ON’ GETS 50TH ANNIVERSARY DIGAL REISSUE

Gaye eventually moved wh a mil lleague of his to Detro and was able to secure a performance for the biggt name on that cy’s mic scene, Motown Rerds founr Berry Gordy. By the time Marv Gaye fished what would be his last tour 1983, he had veloped a e addictn to pe wh the prsur of the road as well as his failed marriage to Anna due to his fily and which rulted a ntent legal battle.

That one shot was enough to kill Gaye, but after he fell to the ground, his father approached him and shot him a send and third time at pot-blank range. Alberta fled horror and her younger son Frankie, who lived a gut hoe on the property wh his wife, was the first one to enter the scene jt after Marv Gaye’s ath. Kypros/Getty ImagAfter the funeral, which clud a performance om Stevie Wonr, Marv Gaye was cremated and his ash were sttered near the Pacific Ocean.

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

In a jail cell terview before his trial, Gay admted that “I pulled the trigger, ” but claimed that he thought the gun was load wh BB pellets. Furthermore, his fense, Gay claimed that his son had bee “somethg like a beastlike person” on e and that the sger beat him terribly before the shootg occurred.

As for the nature of the argument that preced Marv Gaye’s ath, distrght neighbors claimed at the time that the fight was over plans for the sger’s 45th birthday, which was the next day. Whatever the e and whatever the tth of Gay’s BB claims, he add that he was remorseful and that he didn’t even know his son had died until a tective told him hours later.

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.

HOW DID MARV GAYE DIE? INSI THE MOTOWN LEGEND’S MURR

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.

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. Gaye flew across the untry to fulfil an actg mment, all the while nstantly addg to the songs, even until the last moments before the fal mix. '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.

The album hered a new look for GayeTo separate himself om the fishg-school look of other Motown artists, Gaye changed his image while rerdg this album. 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 THGS YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MARV GAYE'S WHAT'S GOG ON

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. 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. 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.