Name: What's Going On
Brand: Marvin Gaye

Bonus disc

Bonus disc: No

Catalogue number

5300221

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Colour

Black

Colour details

Discogs ID

Format multiplier

Download code

Download code: No

Rough Trade Exclusive

Rough Trade Exclusive: No

Extended format

Extended format: No

Format detail

Format Music US

Limited edition

Release date

2012-12-10

Signed copies

Signed copies: No

Supplier US

Unive­rsal

Tax rate US

Sales:8.875

UPC / Barcode

731453002210

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Total Cap

Black LP

5353423

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Import version.

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2020-05-27

Lasgo

600753534236

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1 / Extended format: No / LP / Rough Trade Exclusive: No / Signed copies: No

Artist

Marvin Gaye

Genre US

Funk / Soul

Label US

Motown

Culture Closeup: Celebrating Black Creators

Our curated collection of essential albums on vinyl, CD, and tape at Rough Trade.

Rough Trade Essential

Marvin Gaye was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range. He was born on April 2, 1939 in Washington, D.C., USA and tragically died on April 1, 1984 in Los Angeles, California, USA when he was shot by his father Marvin Gay Sr.
Gaye started his career as a member of The Moonglows in the late fifties. After the group disbanded in 1960, he embarked on a successful solo career and signed with the Tamla subsidiary of Motown Records.
Inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame in 1987 as a performer, Marvin Gaye is remembered for his incredible talent and contributions to music. He is also known as the brother of Frankie Gaye and the father of Nona Gaye.

Back In Stock

<a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/artist/sly-and-the-family-stone">Sly and the Family Stone</a> might have psychedelicized soul music, but <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/artist/marvin-gaye">Marvin Gaye</a> personalized it.

Although the powers-that-were Motown didn't even want to release the record, the unexpected success of What's Going On, issued in 1971, inspired <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/artist/stevie-wonder">Stevie Wonder</a>, <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/artist/curtis-mayfield">Curtis Mayfield</a>, and just about every other black artist on the planet to take greater responsibility for their music and its meaning. <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/artist/marvin-gaye">Gaye </a>co-wrote the songs and produced the album, flavouring it with layer upon layer of his own multi-tracked vocals, oceans of hand percussion, strings, flutes, and jazzy horn solos. spacey and loose as a spliff-fueled sunday afternoon jam in the park, the nine songs all played like a hit single. The title track - inspired by his brother's return from the Vietnam war - and the obvious social commentary of Inner City Blues (Make me Wanna Holler) and Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology) actually were hit singles. Two other tracks (Wholly Holy and Save the Children) would inspire hit covers by <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/artist/aretha-franklin">Aretha Franklin</a> and <a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/artist/diana-ross">Diana Ross</a>, respectively. Nevertheless, What's Going On sounds as fresh today as it did the week that it came out.

<a href="https://www.roughtrade.com/us/music/what-s-going-on">CD available here.</a>

What's Going On

Music US

Buy Marvin Gaye - What's Going On (Vinyl, CD) now from Rough Trade - independent purveyors of great music, since 1976.