Celebrating 40 years of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On

**bradburger** · 05-20-2011, 12:06 PM

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13444339

Shame they got Tammi Terrell's surname wrong, and never heard of, or I wouldn't have thought that Lamont Dozier was present at the sessions!

Anyway, here's the link to the radio program: -

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00gnxvs

Cheers

Paul

**rovereab** · 05-20-2011, 01:57 PM

I find it interesting that in the UK the WGO album and its singles never made an impact on the charts [[Save The Children reached the lower part of the singles chart). However, most people I know are aware of the album and have positive things to say about it. Perhaps that is because the album is always on display at the major music stores like HMV and it has sold steadily over the years?

It would be interesting to see how well the album has sold since it was released in the UK.

One of my all time favourite albums.

Eamonn

**rovereab** · 05-21-2011, 11:16 AM

I have just listened to the radio programme mentioned above and I can recommend it.

I am impressed that the BBC has decided to support the 40th anniversary of the album.

Eamonn

**kenneth** · 05-21-2011, 11:43 AM

Originally Posted by rovereab

I find it interesting that in the UK the WGO album and its singles never made an impact on the charts [[Save The Children reached the lower part of the singles chart). However, most people I know are aware of the album and have positive things to say about it. Perhaps that is because the album is always on display at the major music stores like HMV and it has sold steadily over the years?

It would be interesting to see how well the album has sold since it was released in the UK.

One of my all time favourite albums.

Eamonn

I think the album's influence came from the uniquely American political climate at the time, especially because of the war in Vietnam. I'm not sure the protest movement was widespread in the UK. I don't know exactly when the album came out, but we had the students in Ohio who were shot by the National Guard, the anti-war movement and the counterculture going on here. I know how much these events resonated here, but in the UK? Not sure.

**theboyfromxtown** · 05-21-2011, 01:28 PM

Kenneth

Absolutely right. Us Brits were not aware of those events.

Eamonn mentiond a small hit with Save The Children....the reason why the record became a hit was because of its flipside "Little Darling" [[TMG 796B). The record is still listed on ebay by its flip side....as in

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MARVIN-GAYE-Li...item19c59775f0

**rovereab** · 05-21-2011, 01:55 PM

John - have you ever heard about the sales of the album in the UK?

Eamonn

**tamla617** · 05-21-2011, 02:15 PM

kenneth
we did have an anti vietnam and therfore anti american movement here in the 1960's,culminating in the "battle of grosveneor square" march 1968.the u.s. embassy is in grosvenor square,london.google it and see what it was like.absolute hatred for americans,police,law and order etc.etc.the students ramping it up with the help of the left wing press,student labour parties.some of the top people in the labour party today [[that are old enough!) were there.
a school mates dad was a policeman and had to contend with a pitch battle with little or no protection.
in those days a "copper" could probably get away with smashing them over the head with anything that came to hand.

**kenneth** · 05-21-2011, 03:18 PM

Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown

Kenneth

Absolutely right. Us Brits were not aware of those events.

Eamonn mentiond a small hit with Save The Children....the reason why the record became a hit was because of its flipside "Little Darling" [[TMG 796B). The record is still listed on ebay by its flip side....as in

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MARVIN-GAYE-Li...item19c59775f0

theboy,

That's amazing, especially considering that "Little Darling" was already a few years old by that time! I think it was from Gaye's '65-'66 time period, like around the "Moods of Marvin Gaye" album time frame.

tamla617,

Very interesting. I am going to read up about that.

**theboyfromxtown** · 05-21-2011, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by rovereab

John - have you ever heard about the sales of the album in the UK?

Eamonn

Eamonn - You mean when it was originally released? Even I didn't buy it until it was in the reduced bins!

**rovereab** · 05-21-2011, 09:00 PM

John - I was thinking the level of sales from when it was released until say end 2010. Have you noticed that it is always on display in HMV shops. I therefore assume it has been selling steadily over the years and when in the local HMV shop last week the standard CD album is not prices £10.00 whereas a while back it was something like £5.

Perhaps there is an expectation of increased sales given the 40th anniversary.

Eamonn

**midnightman** · 05-22-2011, 02:15 PM

I think "What's Going On" is actually his best-selling studio album in the UK.

**theboyfromxtown** · 05-22-2011, 02:29 PM

I suspect you're right Midnightman but it definitely wasn't selling in the UK in its first few years of release. I got my copy in the reduced bins. But like most things, the USA leads and us Brits follow. It just takes us a bit of time to catch up

Eamonn - HMV???? You mean the HMV that used to sell music?

Seriously though, it's a bit of shame - end of an era

**splanky** · 05-22-2011, 02:38 PM

A lot of American things can only be fully appreciated or understood by Americans.

No offense intended to those on the other side of the pond...

http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/20/ma...n-on-40-years/

**theboyfromxtown** · 05-22-2011, 02:40 PM

Splanky

I agree but we do try.

Ramone Verona · 05-22-2011, 02:52 PM

Originally Posted by splanky

A lot of American things can only be fully appreciated or understood by Americans.

No offense intended to those on the other side of the pond...

http://www.spinner.com/2011/05/20/ma...n-on-40-years/

I always thought that it was "you guys" whom were on "the other" side of the pond?

**midnightman** · 05-22-2011, 06:23 PM

Originally Posted by theboyfromxtown

I suspect you're right Midnightman but it definitely wasn't selling in the UK in its first few years of release. I got my copy in the reduced bins. But like most things, the USA leads and us Brits follow. It just takes us a bit of time to catch up

Eamonn - HMV???? You mean the HMV that used to sell music?

Seriously though, it's a bit of shame - end of an era

I understand. Strange thing is Marvin was extremely popular in the UK even with the slow response to his 1970s material there.

**theboyfromxtown** · 05-23-2011, 02:53 AM

Coming after the smash hits of "Grapevine" and "Too Busy Thinking 'Bout My Baby", the sound of "What's Going On" was far too different for us Brits to accept with the same enthusiasm as those earlier hits.

**soulster** · 05-24-2011, 02:22 AM

Anyone get this box yet? Audiophile question: how's the sound? Did they use compression or limiting?

**jack020** · 05-24-2011, 02:58 AM

Is it not time to combine this thread with the other one?

Set is released june 7, so we have to wait some more time....

**soulster** · 05-24-2011, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by jack020

Set is released june 7, so we have to wait some more time....

I was hoping someone got a pre-release box.

**marv2** · 05-24-2011, 02:35 PM

I personally enjoyed all the changes in style and delivery of Marvin's music over the scope of his career from the early days of say "Can I Get A Witness" in 62/63, then 7 years later with "What's Going On?, through "Got To Give It Up" in '77 on upt to "Sexual Healing" in the 80's. Each change was exciting, producing some really great music.

**midnightman** · 05-25-2011, 07:35 PM

Originally Posted by marv2

I personally enjoyed all the changes in style and delivery of Marvin's music over the scope of his career from the early days of say "Can I Get A Witness" in 62/63, then 7 years later with "What's Going On?, through "Got To Give It Up" in '77 on upt to "Sexual Healing" in the 80's. Each change was exciting, producing some really great music.

Word!!! Marvin's evolution was great to hear on tape/CD/whatever. I'm just amazed how he went from doo-wop in the beginning to electro-funk near the end of his life. Amazing evolution. RIP.