Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" still relevant and revealing, 50 years on

[midnightman]

I'm going to say NO. I don't think that year long wait for the single "What's Going On" to come out made any difference to it's success. After all we're still talking about the song [[and the album) nearly 50 years after it first came out [[and as it's been said repeatedly, the issues raised by WGO are still relevant today).

It wasn't even that long. That was part of the Motown myth lol

As it stated in that article [[which I need to bookmark), Marvin and his instrumentalists recorded the instrumental on June 10, Marvin recorded his lead and background vocals the following month, August, I believe, was when he recorded the background vocals and the party chatter, September, he and Dave Van DePitte added in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Marvin presented the song to Berry in October 1970 and he initially had a lot of issues with it [[besides Marvin's image as R&B's leading Lothario, he felt it was too sophisticated for a release and its subject matter was too controversial even compared War and Ball of Confusion - and I agree BOC is just as relevant today!).

Marvin actually kept on recording during the time he went on a release hiatus. I think the truth was, Marvin refused to RELEASE anything unless WGO came out. Plus when Quality Control heard it, they didn't know how to react cause it was different from all the songs they were recording then. Think he recorded Come Get to This, Distant Lover and Just to Keep You Satisfied around this time [[September, October, November, December 1970).

We know he recorded the original version of God is Love and Sad Tomorrows [[later Flyin' High in the Friendly Sky) around this period as well.

The song was sent to radio stations on January 17, 1971, with a full release three days later on January 20.

So that was, what, five months? Not exactly a full year. Marvin also managed to finish the entire WGO album in its original concept album format in just ten days and then remixed the album's contents in Hollywood after Berry asked him "where's the next hit?" And that mix paved the way for "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues" to be released.

[Sotosound]

It wasn't even that long. That was part of the Motown myth lol

As it stated in that article [[which I need to bookmark), Marvin and his instrumentalists recorded the instrumental on June 10, Marvin recorded his lead and background vocals the following month, August, I believe, was when he recorded the background vocals and the party chatter, September, he and Dave Van DePitte added in the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

Marvin presented the song to Berry in October 1970 and he initially had a lot of issues with it [[besides Marvin's image as R&B's leading Lothario, he felt it was too sophisticated for a release and its subject matter was too controversial even compared War and Ball of Confusion - and I agree BOC is just as relevant today!).

Marvin actually kept on recording during the time he went on a release hiatus. I think the truth was, Marvin refused to RELEASE anything unless WGO came out. Plus when Quality Control heard it, they didn't know how to react cause it was different from all the songs they were recording then. Think he recorded Come Get to This, Distant Lover and Just to Keep You Satisfied around this time [[September, October, November, December 1970).

We know he recorded the original version of God is Love and Sad Tomorrows [[later Flyin' High in the Friendly Sky) around this period as well.

The song was sent to radio stations on January 17, 1971, with a full release three days later on January 20.

So that was, what, five months? Not exactly a full year. Marvin also managed to finish the entire WGO album in its original concept album format in just ten days and then remixed the album's contents in Hollywood after Berry asked him "where's the next hit?" And that mix paved the way for "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Inner City Blues" to be released.

I’m pressing my imaginary “Like” button.