What's Going On 40th Anniversary Box Set

[pj1]

http://theseconddisc.com/2011/04/13/...set/#more-6016

containing 11 previously unreleased tracks

[soulster]

Damn! You beat me to it!

I will get this box, and it will be the last time I buy this album. But, look at all the great stuff on it! I just hope they kept their paws off the compressor/limiter this time!

Marvin Gaye, What’s Going On: Super Deluxe Edition [[Motown/UMe, 2011)

Disc 1

What’s Going On
What’s Happening Brother
Flyin’ High [[in the Friendly Sky)
Save the Children
God is Love
Mercy Mercy Me [[The Ecology)
Right On
Wholy Holy
Inner City Blues [[Make Me Wanna Holler)
What’s Going On [[Original Rejected Single Mix)
Head Title [[Distant Lover) [[Demo)
Symphony [[Demo)
I Love the Ground You Walk On [[Instrumental)
What’s Going On [[Mono Single Version)
God is Love [[Mono Single Version)
Mercy Mercy Me [[The Ecology) [[Mono Single Version)
Sad Tomorrows [[Mono Single Version)
Inner City Blues [[Make Me Wanna Holler) [[Mono Single Version)
Wholly Holy [[Mono Single Version)

Disc 2

Checking Out [[Double Clutch)
Chained
Country Stud
Help the People
Running from Love [[Version 1)
Daybreak
Doing My Thing
T Stands for Time
Jesus is Our Love Song
Funky Nation
Infinity
Mandota [[Instrumental)
Struttin’ the Blues
Running from Love [[Version 2 with Strings)
I’m Going Home [[Move)
You’re the Man [[Parts I & II)
You’re the Man [[Alternate Version 1)
You’re the Man [[Alternate Version 2)
LP: Original Detroit Mix [[April 5, 1971)

What’s Going On
What’s Happening Brother
Flyin’ High [[in the Friendly Sky)
Save the Children
God is Love
Mercy Mercy Me [[The Ecology)
Right On
Wholly Holy
Inner City Blues [[Make Me Wanna Holler)
Disc 1, Tracks 1-9 from What’s Going On, Motown LP TS-310, 1971
Disc 1, Tracks 10, 13 and Disc 2, Tracks 3-4, 6-11, 13 previously unreleased
Disc 1, Track 11 previously released on What’s Going On: Deluxe Edition, Motown 440 013 404-2, 2001
Disc 1, Track 12 and Disc 2, Tracks 5, 12, 14, 17-18 previously released on Let’s Get It On: Deluxe Edition, Motown 440 014 757-2, 2001
Disc 1, Tracks 14-15 from Tamla single T-54201, 1971
Disc 1, Tracks 16-17 from Tamla single T-54207, 1971
Disc 1, Tracks 18-19 from Tamla single T-54209, 1971
Disc 2, Tracks 1-2, 15-16 first released on The Master: 1961-1984, Motown 314 530 492-2, 1995
All LP tracks first released on What’s Going On: Deluxe Edition, Motown 440 013 404-2, 2001

[tamla617]

ace! any prices? is it from motown/universal or hipo?
thanks for info

[pj1]

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Going-An...3250085&sr=1-8

[pj1]

http://www.deepdiscount.com/index.cf...-1551A707DBCB/

[pj1]

The more I think about it- this edition will be much harder to sell. Why would one need an lp of the Detroit mixes one already has on cd? And so many of the unreleased tracks are instrumentals.. i.e. no vocals by Marvin. Unless as Soulster says the mastering is more natural than previous re-issues of this material.
UMG did release a single cd of the rareties from the double cd set at a later date. Perhaps they'll do the same with this set as a means of making as much money as they can from Marvin's music and legacy.

[robbert]

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Going-An...3250085&sr=1-8

Hahaha, look at the titles... Marvin meets Robbie Williams!

[marv2]

They've been sitting on those 11 tracks all these years? How dare they! This is one that I want to buy!!!

[kenneth]

Hahaha, look at the titles... Marvin meets Robbie Williams!

And Kevin Spacey!

[jaybs]

What is the reason for the vinyl LP when the majority of us no longer have a player, at least they could have done an option!

[jack020]

It's sort of a trend right now: Bowie had his Station To Station album re-released last year in a big boxset with 3 LPs in it and now there is a Layla/Derek & Dominoes boxset that has 2 LPs.

[Sotosound]

At least the same thing didn't happen with re-issues of stuff that originally came out on 78s, i.e. a collection of shellac discs accompanying a single LP.

[soulster]

The more I think about it- this edition will be much harder to sell. Why would one need an lp of the Detroit mixes one already has on cd? And so many of the unreleased tracks are instrumentals.. i.e. no vocals by Marvin. Unless as Soulster says the mastering is more natural than previous re-issues of this material.
UMG did release a single cd of the rareties from the double cd set at a later date. Perhaps they'll do the same with this set as a means of making as much money as they can from Marvin's music and legacy.

Well, the Detroit mix has already been issued on CD, so this is a way to get the vinyl fans. I guess it's also a "what if" kind of thing, if the original mixed album had been issued.

I like instrumentals. I don't know how old you are, but I also realize that younger people probably don't understand the concept because instrumentals haven't been in fashion since the mid-80s. It's nice to hear stuff without vocals. The instrumental backing of Gaye's music was good enough to stand on it's own.

[paladin]

I like instrumentals. I don't know how old you are, but I also realize that younger people probably don't understand the concept because instrumentals haven't been in fashion since the mid-80s. It's nice to hear stuff without vocals. The instrumental backing of Gaye's music was good enough to stand on it's own.

Soulster thats the only thing that has peaked my interest. Its why Trouble Man is one of my favorite Marvin LPs. Although I must agree with Marv, 11 years? 11 frigggin years .....actually much more, makes me want to tell them kiss my azz...... tell you what they better start releasing a lot more of this in the vaults stuff on the Tempts, Tops etc... before we're too dam old to buy them or even care. Another thing is the subj of the vinyl, it too seems like an odd choice since vinyl copies of WGO are readily availible........I dunno...maybe I'll just go sit down and count to ten......

[jaybs]

Agree with Paladin that there is a limited market for ever and ever for these sets, "What's Going On" may be a little different with the way the album has always been so highly rated by the more popular and rock journalists, add to that the concert being talked about and it may work, but such as The Tempts and The Four Tops time is running out Fast! and that is so the case with the Norman Whitfield album with the Four Tops and the last album recorded with LEVI, it is a crime that it has sat on the shelf for over 11 years now!

[marv2]

Soulster thats the only thing that has peaked my interest. Its why Trouble Man is one of my favorite Marvin LPs. Although I must agree with Marv, 11 years? 11 frigggin years .....actually much more, makes me want to tell them kiss my azz...... tell you what they better start releasing a lot more of this in the vaults stuff on the Tempts, Tops etc... before we're too dam old to buy them or even care. Another thing is the subj of the vinyl, it too seems like an odd choice since vinyl copies of WGO are readily availible........I dunno...maybe I'll just go sit down and count to ten......

No you done good Paladin! It has always pissed me off that they wait a couple of generations before releasing some of the best rare stuff! The target market for this product is getting older, so I don't understand what all the waiting has been about?. I do that Marvin Gaye was a genius and has a substantial fan base that still listen to his music. They may not be buying as much music as they once did say in their 20's due to other life's responsibilities now, but they would purchase the rare, unique and GOOD offerings if and when they are made available. I still have my original vinyl of What's Going On? in pretty good condition. Problem is I rarely have the time to listen to vinyl by reconnecting my turntable ,etc,etc.

[marv2]

Agree with Paladin that there is a limited market for ever and ever for these sets, "What's Going On" may be a little different with the way the album has always been so highly rated by the more popular and rock journalists, add to that the concert being talked about and it may work, but such as The Tempts and The Four Tops time is running out Fast! and that is so the case with the Norman Whitfield album with the Four Tops and the last album recorded with LEVI, it is a crime that it has sat on the shelf for over 11 years now!

I've wanted the album Norman produced on the Four Tops for years now. I want someone to go into the vaults and release some things by the Tops we have not heard. In just few more years , it probably won't matter much sadly.

[midnightman]

Universal Motown could've done like they did with the 40th anniversary of "I Want You Back" and release the 11 tracks as a separate disc and re-release the 2001 deluxe edition.

[paladin]

I have collected music since I was a child. The very first record that I bought with my own money was "I'll Love You Forever'" by the Holidays, I can remember walking into and hanging out in record shops like they were my second home. I was so excited to purchase "Open The Door To Your Heart'' By D. Banks. I also collected baseball cards, built model cars/airplanes and played marbles.To say that is to say this, they are all related practices because collectors are serious people and I have a very good collection of vinyl, even after all these years. But we all know how fragile some vinyl and tapes can be, so when the technology changed I had my happy ass right there getting pristine copies of my favorite tunes and soon realized that I was buying the same things I already had, but I was too lazy to stop, play, admire and enjoy my collection.

Well "F" that, I'm back to playing and discovering all the things I have and have begun to care less about the things I don't. If I never bought another record/cd, I have enough to play until the end of days and I think I shall. I ain't hating on Marvin or the backassward record companies, we all know what kind of trouble they are in........

I really didn't think about being angry before but I'm mad now and even though I am highly curious and still love to collect, this is about the last dam straw. All of these artists that are no longer with us like Teena Marie/Luther/Gerald Levert are going to have new releases that my Grandchildren are gonna buy ?....oh hell no......thats it guys I'm done, through, fini......

thanks for reading my mini rant.....

Pssst: I was on Oldies.com Today and look what I saw: the Stones are vinyl box sets ...whoa......The Jackson CD includes those Steeltown sides Big Boy and You've Changed.....The Tops......well who knows... this site has improved upon the quality of their product but I mostly purchase jazz cd's from them.

[daddyacey]

Alright , we been screwed , cause they held back on some important tracks from this period. Truth is that Marvin played on as well as composed those instrumentals and instrumentals are the base on which he composed his vocals ,'duhhhh'. True it will only be acceptable to die hard Marvin fans. I'm one and I will buy this ,while looking back at Universal as they hump my pocket ,but what can you do when you love the man and his work on the higher scale. Fanatic ,yes ,so sue me. Now excuse me while I order.

[jack020]

I think the Detroit mix of WGO is much better and funkier than the first released mix!

[mr soul]

dam it!!!, it can't be true, I hear they're taking pre-orders for the 50th extrasupperdeluxebigripoffanniversary edition, ok just a thought, but I had you going.lol.

[midnightman]

Alright , we been screwed , cause they held back on some important tracks from this period. Truth is that Marvin played on as well as composed those instrumentals and instrumentals are the base on which he composed his vocals ,'duhhhh'. True it will only be acceptable to die hard Marvin fans. I'm one and I will buy this ,while looking back at Universal as they hump my pocket ,but what can you do when you love the man and his work on the higher scale. Fanatic ,yes ,so sue me. Now excuse me while I order.

If I had the money and sh**, I'd be doing the same thing you're doing. LOL But I heard "Struttin' the Blues", "Mendota" and "I'm Going Home" though. Great tracks.

[soulster]

dam it!!!, it can't be true, I hear they're taking pre-orders for the 50th extrasupperdeluxebigripoffanniversary edition,

That's the norm these days.

[daddyacey]

midnightman , It's not that I didn't consider the thought of NOT buying this set ,because I do have the original pressing on vinyl and the Deluxe CD set. But the Deluxe set has the live material , otherwise I would have bought this and traded the Deluxe away. With the unreleased tracks on this and the Detroit mix issued on vinyl ,It swayed me to go on and get it. $50 bucks is $50 bucks though and I am now going through that collectors paradox of ,should I wait and see if I can get it cheaper ,and risk it being sold out ,or jump on it now. That happened with me with the Tops ,Lost and Found ,and I caught hell trying to find one cause it sold out fast. I bought the SLY Box for example ,that had the Stand lp. I have the original on vinyl and had a CD copy also. Then they came out with the complete Woodstock recordings and the original Stand in a set.
What could I do but bend over when I had the Woodstock lp ,but the complete Woodstock set???? ,Shiii !!! So with 3 CD copies of Stand ,no doubt a classic album but really............I was able to give the earliest CD copy to a friend who is a little younger than me and didn't have Stand at all ,and that opened the door to him giving me something that I wanted but was putting off buying. It worked out in the end. Thats how you have to juggle when you have this music monkey on your back.

I wound up looking at the Deluxe booklet to refresh myself and found that it said that the outtakes were "disgarded". ????
I guess they were found somehow ,and I wouldn't be surprised if next year they find outtakes from Lets Get It On.
Assume the position , again. But that's bizness

[uptight]

LOL, Daddyacey. See? That's how they getcha!

[marv2]

midnightman , It's not that I didn't consider the thought of NOT buying this set ,because I do have the original pressing on vinyl and the Deluxe CD set. But the Deluxe set has the live material , otherwise I would have bought this and traded the Deluxe away. With the unreleased tracks on this and the Detroit mix issued on vinyl ,It swayed me to go on and get it. $50 bucks is $50 bucks though and I am now going through that collectors paradox of ,should I wait and see if I can get it cheaper ,and risk it being sold out ,or jump on it now. That happened with me with the Tops ,Lost and Found ,and I caught hell trying to find one cause it sold out fast. I bought the SLY Box for example ,that had the Stand lp. I have the original on vinyl and had a CD copy also. Then they came out with the complete Woodstock recordings and the original Stand in a set.
What could I do but bend over when I had the Woodstock lp ,but the complete Woodstock set???? ,Shiii !!! So with 3 CD copies of Stand ,no doubt a classic album but really............I was able to give the earliest CD copy to a friend who is a little younger than me and didn't have Stand at all ,and that opened the door to him giving me something that I wanted but was putting off buying. It worked out in the end. Thats how you have to juggle when you have this music monkey on your back.

I wound up looking at the Deluxe booklet to refresh myself and found that it said that the outtakes were "disgarded". ????
I guess they were found somehow ,and I wouldn't be surprised if next year they find outtakes from Lets Get It On.
Assume the position , again. But that's bizness

Daddy, Daddy, Daddy! hehehehehe......!

[paladin]

I'll wait to hear the cuts first, but I won't blindly buy anything and if they run out of copies ...well.....

[soulster]

My main purpose for buying the box is that it might have superior mastering. The deluxe set was a bit too compressed for my taste.

[daddyacey]

That's another good point soulster. I hadn't noticed the compression issue before. I will be checking that out.

On the subject of this album ,I have to recommend a book by Barry Edmonds ,from 2001 ,titled "What's Going On ? ,Marvin Gaye And The Last Days Of Motown". This is a baaaddd litle red book that has a hell of a lot of info on the issues of the time span when the album was made and facts about the writing and production and recording and mixing of the album. More than any CD booklet could ever have in it. There are so many interviews from insiders and folks that were involved with the album ,firsthand. They have statements from some of the Funk Bros ,saying that Marvin was like an honorary Funk Bro ,just as Preaston was considered the "5th Beatle". Van Petite was to Marvin as Riddle was to Sinatra. The book says that the Detroit Orch enjoyed the hell out of the string and horn sessions and that at one point Marvin was reduced to tears during a playback. It's a very interesting read.

[phil]

On the subject of this album ,I have to recommend a book by Barry Edmonds ,from 2001 ,titled "What's Going On ? ,Marvin Gaye And The Last Days Of Motown".

Daddy, it's Ben Edmonds. You're right it's a great book !

http://www.amazon.com/Marvin-Gaye-Wh...3558510&sr=8-1

[uptight]

My main purpose for buying the box is that it might have superior mastering. The deluxe set was a bit too compressed for my taste.

"It might have better mastering..." Oh, I say that all the time... much to my disappointment. I usually end up playing the Master Series version of WGO from the 90s.

I remember enjoying Ben Edmonds' book immensely.

[daddyacey]

Thank you Phil , I stand corrected. Old age
In reading this book and other research on the WGO album ,I understand that there is much much more to the importance of this album than just a classic Marvin project. It's one of David Van Petite finest works ,it's the first gatefold album packages from MOTOWN ,notorious for its "unique" covers prior to it ,it's the first with arrangers credit on the cover and credits to the musicians. It now not only represents to me an important Marvin project ,but an example of many great individuals work under the direction of Marvin , and thats what makes it classic.

[jtf1972]

I will be buying this set. I could live without the LP, as this set won't fit on the CD shelf [[+ it would probably be $20 cheaper with just the CD's) but I have been wanting more of the "Just a bunch of guys from Detroit" sessions since the Marvin Master set hit my CD player.

I wonder what they're holding back for the 50th anniversary set in a decade...

[tamla617]

it'll be a reproduction cd and a sepia photo of a record deck and record.by then it'll all be downloads direct to your brain by bluetooth thingy fired thru the skull.people will be looking back thru misted red tinted glasses about the good old mp3s'

[soulster]

"It might have better mastering..." Oh, I say that all the time... much to my disappointment. I usually end up playing the Master Series version of WGO from the 90s.

Many audiophiles believe the older Motown two-fer CD from the 80s sounds best.

[uptight]

Yikes! LOL

[soulster]

Yikes! LOL

Because it wasn't messed with. The converters were primative by today's standards, but the tapes were straight from the master tapes to the digitizer. The 1994 remaster was pretty good, but, after that, everything was shoved through a compressor.

[jack020]

Good thing I did not sell my two-fer!

[soulster]

Well, the newer transfers will give you the full range of sound, but it gets messed up in the mastering stage when they decide to compress it. The older CDs sound a bit weak in comparison. It's like you can't win. It's no wonder many have gone back to vinyl.

[marv2]

I never really given up on my vinyl. Through all the changes I never bought a huge amount of CDs compared to the several thousand vinyl albums I own. Bought a new turntable back in 2001.

[soulster]

I started buying CDs in 1984. I was very impressed, so impressed that I bought CDs before I had a player. I used to take it out of the case and just marvel at how such clean sound could come off of a shiny little computer disc. Of course, many people thought like me, but I did have a decent turntable and cart [[JVC direct drive TT with an Audio Technica cart). I used Sound Design table mats and preservative, Zerostat guns, all that. I kept my records in the sleeves inserted so the record didn't slide out, stored them standing up...you know...anyway, my first CD player was very bright-sounding and I somehow excused that because I was so enamoured with clean sound. But, I grew weary of the bright, edgy sound.

I stopped buying vinyl in 1988, but picked it back up ten years later. During that time, I replaced my CD player and amp...and...wow! My CD sound got much better. It was smoother, warmer, and had depth! I decided that there was no going back to vinyl. But, I did keep my table hooked up for years, and never used it. It was CDs and cassettes all the way. And I bought three-head decks that were audiophile quality. I bought thousands of CDs in the 80s and 90s! I still have most of them today.

The reason I got back into vinyl was when I finally got a computer in 1997. It finally became affordable for the average person to make CD-Rs at home, and that was the one thing I had dreamed about since the beginning of the CD era. So, after quickly tiring of copying other CDs, it was time to install a sound card and make CDs from records. The first ones I did were awful because the cleanup software in 1998 was crappy, and computer soundcards were all Soundblasters or...gee, I can't even remember the name, but it was bad!

I started buying used records to get all that music that wasn't on CD, and my vinyl collection grew like crazy. Now, I had been buying vinyl since 1970, as a kid, but now I was looking foe places to put all the boxes! people were giving me records. But, I still buy CDs too. Now, I download as well, so you can imagine my collection now. I have since ripped all of my CDs and vinyl to hard drives. Hard drives are much more stable than CD-R/DVD-R. And, I still spin records once in a while. But, mostly, I use my now-audiophile quality gear for needledrops to digital. In fact, i'm about ready to step up to an external USB soundcard so I can make recordings with my laptop on the go. I use a professional card today, and it's much better than the first card, and the Turtle Beach cards I used to use almost a decade ago. And, I use expensive, professional software.

[jtf1972]

Amazon now shows 5/31 release

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Going-An...3236589&sr=1-1

[jack020]

http://theseconddisc.com/2011/05/19/...w-1/#more-6842

“I Just Wanna Ask a Question”: Harry Weinger on the “What’s Going On” Box Set

[adrian]

I'll definitely be buying this. The only question is where? USA or UK. Amazon.com have it for US $45.99 - US $52.36 including shipping. That's £32.27 GBP. It's showing as unavailable on amazon.co.uk but HMV have it for £49.99 GBP with free delivery. That's US $81.14!
I know I may get hit with customs duties etc. but the price difference may just be worth it.

[adrian]

I use a professional card today, and it's much better than the first card, and the Turtle Beach cards I used to use almost a decade ago. And, I use expensive, professional software.

Hi, what equipment do you use, if you don't mind me asking?

[jack020]

http://theseconddisc.com/2011/05/23/...t-2/#more-6898

More info from Harry on the box-set, also some interesting news about a Trouble Man 40th issue next year, the problems with licences for Motown’s Complete Singles box sets, covering 1972 and Teena Marie re-issussues!

[chestersong]

can someone offer a simplified explanation of why 1972 creates more problems for licensing, please?

[jack020]

More on Marvin from Harry:


http://www.soulmusic.com/magawhgoon4a.html

[RossHolloway]

I have been listening and following and researching all things Motown for 30 years and after reading that article this is the first I've ever heard that Marvin appeared in two movies: Chrome and Hot Leather and The Ballard of Andy Crocker! Can anyone give any details to these movies? I'm off to do more research!