Throughout the 60’s, Marvin Gaye was a hit machine for Motown.  His songs were soulful and polished and appealing to just about everyone.  The man was a king.  By the end of the decade, however, the wheels of the machine were slowing down – not just for Marvin – but for all of Motown’s big dogs.  As America boiled over with the civil rights movement, Vietnam, the environment and the generation gap, the relevancy of the entertainment business was challenged.  Are you with us?   Do you understand what we’re feeling?   The savvy ones felt their pain and prevailed.   Marvin gave us What’s Going On in 1971 and it was an awesome achievement.

Part protest and part plea, What’s Going On hits like a ton of bricks.   The title song boldly questions the War and the seemingly senseless loss of life.   Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) laments our careless stewardship of the environment.   Save the Children (later covered by Diana Ross), pleads for hope and how the little ones might escape the bitterness of abject poverty.   Marvin, the preacher’s son, doesn’t forget the Creator on this album – his God is Love and Wholy Holy are respectful reminders of the grace, mercy and salvation offered to us all.   Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) is probably the most passionate of all the tracks – the road to happiness is so long and so hard.   And Flying High (In the Friendly Sky) is a flat-out admission of his drug addiction, sung not proudly, but plaintively.   The world is messed up and he’s just a worldly guy.   It hits closer to home with every listening.   The overall message is simply L-O-V-E.   Pretty trite concept, but certainly not a bad idea.   Try it.  GD