Later topping the Hot Soul Singles chart for five weeks and crossing over to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, it would sell over two million copies, becoming Gaye's second-most successful Motown song to date. (At the very least, it was a groundbreaking experiment in collating a pseudo-classical suite of free-flowing songs.) Inspired by tales of the Vietnam War brought back by his brother Frankie, Gaye wrote the lines, “Brother, brother, brother/ There’s far too many of you dying.” "What's Going On" is a song by American singer Marvin Gaye, released in 1971 on the Motown subsidiary Tamla. In New Zealand it went Gold for selling over 5,000 units. '"[8] In 1970, Benson presented the untitled song to Marvin Gaye, who added a new melody and revised the song to his liking, adding in his own lyrics. A list of lyrics, artists and songs that contain the term "whats going on" ... Search results for 'whats going on' Yee yee! Whats Going On Chords by Three Non Blondes. / What’s Going On / All You Need Is Love / Imagine / Man in the Mirror, What’s Going On (Mick Guzauski’s Pop Mix), What’s Going On (Diddy’s Bad Boy OG Remix), Medley II (Live at the London Palladium, 1977). However, when he heard it, Gaye was so impressed with the double-lead feel that he kept it, influencing his later recordings where he mastered vocal multi-layering adding in three different vocal parts. His tolerance was incredible. Looking at this song for a history assignment, it’s really good! In 1999, music writers Paul Gambaccini and Kevin Howlett listed the song #74 on BBC Radio 2's Songs of the Century. Simply a masterpiece one of the greatest and most important songs of all time, a marvel of American music, and the masterpiece of both Marvin Gaye and Motown Records. 4 Non Blondes – Whats Going On Lyrics. What's Going On is the eleventh studio album by American soul singer, songwriter, and producer Marvin Gaye. [17] The song eventually became a huge success, reaching the top of the charts within a month in March of the year, staying at number-one for five weeks on the Billboard R&B charts and one week at number-one on the Cashbox pop chart. One of the song’s writers, singer and songwriter Renaldo “Obie” Benson of the Four Tops was inspired to come up with this song when he witnessed violence and police brutality while in Berkeley, California. There were 37 were shot with one student blinded and another white boy dying. With the release of "What's Going On," Marvin Gaye almost immediately became "deep" in the eyes of the world, a three-dimensional icon instead of a two-dimensional one. =). Benson wanted to give the song to his group but the other Four Tops turned down the request. It was written by a member of the Four Tops who refused to record it. [32] In 2003, Q magazine placed the song 64th out of its 1001 Best Songs Ever. Benson and Cleveland brought the song to Marvin, reworked it as a group, and convinced him to record it as his own song. It also reached #14 on VH1's 100 Greatest Rock Songs of All Time. The album features 185 musicians from 31 countries, and includes performances from Keith Richards, Andres Calamaro, Toots Hibbert from Toots & The Maytals, Cesar Rosas and David Hidalgo of Los Lobos, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Keb Mo, and Taj Mahal in addition to a song produced by Jackson Browne. Marvin Gaye in 1970. There was plenty going on in 1970s America, and Marvin Gaye’s soulful “What’s Going On” tapped right into it. Three years before, the black civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr had been assassinated. The song marked Gaye's departure from the Motown Sound of his previous output, towards more personal material. [14] Later Gaye brought Lem Barney and Mel Farr as well as Bobby Rogers of The Miracles to record the song's background vocal track. Watch official video, print or download text in PDF. The lyrics of the song are inspired by violence and police brutality in America. Buy it on Amazon. In 1994, the song was covered in the Music Relief '94. [45] The album contains the single along with eight additional remixes. [8] While there, Benson witnessed police brutality and violence in the city's People's Park during a protest held by anti-war activists in what was hailed later as "Bloody Thursday". The B-side was "A Cool Wind Is Blowing", Armenian duduk music played by Djivan Gasparyan. [10] The opening soprano saxophone line, provided by musician Eli Fontaine, was not originally intended. The song marked Gaye's departure from the Motown Sound towards more personal material. If we can take each other by the hand, show everyone what this land can be like…maybe there can be a brighter tomorrow. Benson, a member of Motown vocal group the Four Tops, was on tour with the band and as their bus arrived in San Francisco, he saw the police attacking a crowd of hippies over a disused urban lot called People’s Park. “What’s Going On” is a very powerful political song performed by the late American singer Marvin Gaye. [9] Gaye recorded the song's b-side, "God Is Love", on the same day. [10], sales+streaming figures based on certification alone, The song was reviewed by Slant magazine as a song that presented a contradictory sound, with the song's mournful tone going in contrast to the party atmosphere of the vocal chatter. We've found 47,482 lyrics, 4 artists, and 49 albums matching whats going on.. Year: Apply. This cover was released as a benefit single released in memory of the Rwandan genocide and is also on the album Now That's What I Call Music! Sands ended up mixing the leads together, by accident. The message it sends is not overtly critical of war, nor does it display any amount of contempt for those that wage violence in war. The song was co-written by Renaldo 'Obie' Benson, Al Cleveland, and Marvin Gaye, and produced by Gaye himself. He was a gifted song writer/artist who was temporarily down and out when his “father” shot him in cold blood. Originally inspired by a police brutality incident witnessed by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, the song was composed by Benson, Al Cleveland, and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself. - Rolling Stone’s Top 500 Songs. Marvin had a new song, What’s Going On, which was prompted by the unprovoked police brutality its co-composer, Renaldo “Obie” Benson, witnessed in May 1969. "[10] The laid-back atmosphere in the studio was brought on by constant marijuana smoking by Gaye and other musicians. '"[11] Gaye was also influenced by emotional conversations shared between him and his brother Frankie, who had returned from three years of service at the Vietnam War and his namesake cousin's death while serving troops. This song is sung by Kunal Ganjawala. The song “What’s Going On?” by Marvin Gaye is unique among the diverse field of anti-war songs. In 1970, Marvin Gaye was Motown’s top male vocal star, yet he was frustrated by…, What’s Going On (Junior Vasquez’s club mix), What’s Going On (The Neptunes This One’s for You mix), What’s Going On (Fred Durst’s Reality Check mix), What’s Going On (J. Dupri Original Remix), Peace & Love Medley: Where Is the Love? All singers who participated in the project are: C. J. Lewis, Andrew Roachford, Yazz, Aswad, Edwin Starr, Peter Cunnah of D Ream, Kim Appleby, MAD Jones of BAD, Rozalla, Tony Di Bart, Paul Young, Paul Carrack, Angie Brown of Ramona 55, Jimmy Ruffin, Omar Lye-Fook, Apache Indian, Worlds Apart, Kaos, The Pasadenas, Gus Isidore, Jools Holland, Mark King of Level 42, Nik Kershaw, Larry Adler and Dannii Minogue. [12], To add more to the song's laid-back approach, Gaye invited the Detroit Lions players Mel Farr and Lem Barney to the studio and, along with Gaye and the Funk Brothers, added in vocal chatter, engaging in a mock conversation. When Gordy heard the song after Gaye presented the song to him in California, he turned down Gaye's request to release it, telling Gaye he felt it was "the worst thing I ever heard in my life". It was his first album to credit him as a producer and to credit Motown's in-house studio band, the session musicians known as On October 30, 2001, a group of popular recording artists under the name "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide" released an album containing multiple versions of "What's Going On" to benefit AIDS programs in Africa and other impoverished regions. Mother, mother Everybody thinks we're wrong Oh, but who are they to judge us Simply because our hair is long Oh, you know we've got to find a way To bring some understanding here today When his brother Frankie returned from … In 1970, Marvin Gaye was Motown’s top male vocal star, yet he was frustrated by the assembly-line role he played on his own hits. This was released as a single on Island Records. [6] It was also listed at number fourteen on VH-1's 100 Greatest Rock Songs. RIP precious Marvin. Upset, he discussed what he witnessed with friend and songwriter Al Cleveland, who in turn wrote and composed a song to reflect Benson's concerns. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going...", "500 Greatest Songs of All Time: Marvin Gaye, 'What's Going On, "Experience the Music: One-Hit Wonders and the Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll", "Rock On The Net: VH1: 100 Greatest Rock Songs 1-50", "Barbecue Grill Showman Never Skipped Beat", "Top 100 Songs | Billboard Hot 100 Chart", "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada", "MARVIN GAYE - full Official Chart History - Official Charts Company", "Top 100 Hits of 1971/Top 100 Songs of 1971", "British single certifications – Marvin Gaye – What's Going On". Dutchcharts.nl – Cyndi Lauper – What's Going On", https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=Cyndi+Lauper&titel=What%27s+Going+On&cat=s, "Cyndi Lauper Adult Contemporary Chart History", "Artists Against AIDS Worldwide's New Superstar Version of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On' in Stores Tuesday, October 30", Australian-charts.com – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", Austriancharts.at – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", Ultratop.be – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", Danishcharts.com – Artists Against AIDS – What's Going On", Lescharts.com – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", Offiziellecharts.de – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", The Irish Charts – Search Results – What's Going On", Dutchcharts.nl – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", Charts.nz – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100", Swedishcharts.com – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", Swisscharts.com – All Star Tribute – What's Going On", "All Star Tribute Chart History (Hot 100)", "All Star Tribute Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)", "All Star Tribute Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)", "All Star Tribute Chart History (Pop Songs)", "All Star Tribute Chart History (Rhythmic)", "New Zealand single certifications – Allstars – What's Goin On", Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On": Songs We Love, List of cover versions of "What's Going On". [8] Upset by the situation, Benson said to author Ben Edmonds that as he saw this, he asked, "'What is happening here?' The song marked Gaye's departure from the Motown Sound towards more personal material. The song's success forced Gordy to allow Gaye to produce his own music, giving him an ultimatum to complete an album by the end of March, later resulting in the What's Going On album itself. The initial success of this led to a further 100,000 to reach demand, selling over 200,000 copies within a week. The video for the song, directed by Andy Morahan,[34] was nominated for an MTV Video Music Award. He loved it because I had written Jamerson licks for Jamerson." Respected Motown arranger and conductor David Van De Pitte said later to Ben Edmonds that Jamerson "always kept a bottle of [the Greek spirit] Metaxa in his bass case. Thanks to club remixes by Shep Pettibone, the song reached #17 on the U.S. dance chart. On the album version, the song starts off with a series of gunshots in reference to the Vietnam War while the single release is a remix with an alternate vocal used in the intro. In 1971 with the Viet Nam war still crippling our world, killing our young people and leaving us feeling hopeless, this song helped my generation cope. [10], Jamerson was pulled into the session after Gaye located him playing with a band at a local bar. Gaye, himself, had been inspired by social ills committed in the United States, citing the 1965 Watts riots as a turning point in his life in which he asked himself, "'With the world exploding around me, how am I supposed to keep singing love songs? The central theme of "What's Going On" and the album of the same name came from Marvin Gaye 's own life. America was in a state of turmoil – protests against the Vietnam War resulted in widespread violence and police brutality. What's up 25 years and I'm alive here still Trying to get up that great big hill of hope For a destination I realized quickly when I knew I should That the world was made up of this Brotherhood of man For whatever that means What’s Going On is an exquisite plea for peace on Earth, sung by a man at the height of crisis. [7], The song's inspiration came from Renaldo "Obie" Benson, a member of the Motown vocal group the Four Tops, after he and the group's tour bus arrived at Berkeley on May 15, 1969. In 1969 Richard Nixonwas elected as America’s 37th president. Quality Control, the Motown board that passed inspection on all prospective singles, gave “What’s Going On” a thumbs down (at the company, only Stevie Wonder defended the song). Lyrics to 'What's Up' by 4 Non Blondes: 25 years of my life and still I'm trying to get up that great big hill of hope For a destination I realized quickly when I knew I should That the world was made up of this brotherhood of man Jermaine Dupri and Bono produced the radio single version, whose performers included Destiny's Child, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, Darren Hayes of Savage Garden, Jennifer Lopez, Ja Rule, Nas, Lil' Kim, Sean Combs, Mary J Blige, Alicia Keys, Eve, Gwen Stefani, Nelly Furtado, Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, Aaron Lewis of Staind, Michael Stipe of R.E.M., Wyclef Jean and Gaye's own daughter Nona, among other artists. If you listen really closely you can hear so many different layers to this song, it is truly amazing. Original lyrics of Whats Going On song by 4 Non Blondes. "What's Going On" is a song by American singer Marvin Gaye, released in 1971 on the Motown subsidiary Tamla. The record was produced by Steve Levine and the executive producers were Fraser Kennedy and Jon Dee. On hearing a playback of the song, Gaye asked his engineer Kenneth Sands to give him his two vocal leads to compare what he wanted to use for the song's release. On the Billboard Hot 100, it reached number two,[17] behind both Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me) by The Temptations and Joy to the World by Three Dog Night. "[10], Gaye entered the recording studio, Hitsville USA, on June 1, 1970 to record "What's Going On". Why are they sending kids so far away from their families overseas? Bless Michael Jackson as he tired to help heal the world before he was taken way too soon…Marvin carry on…. The remake of "What's Going On" was the first of the Rock Aid Armenia releases in aid of those suffering from the 1988 Armenian earthquake. Later topping the Hot Soul Singles chart for five weeks and crossing over to number two on the Billboard Hot 100, it would sell over two milli… [12] The song was issued without Gordy's knowledge. Once Gaye heard Fontaine's riff, he told Fontaine to go home. What's Going On is not only Marvin Gaye's masterpiece, it's the most important and … [11] During phone conversations with Berry Gordy, who was vacationing in the Bahamas at the time, Gaye had told Gordy that he wanted to record a protest record, to which Gordy said in response, "Marvin, don't be ridiculous. In March 2012, New Musical Express named it the #33 Greatest 1970s song on their list.[33]. Groove Remix), Love It or Leave It Alone / Welcome to Jamrock, Empire State of Mind (Part II) Broken Down, MasterCard Priceless Surprises Presents Gwen Stefani, Gwen Stefani's You Make It Feel Like Christmas, I'm Gonna Be Alright (Track Masters Remix), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=What%27s_Going_On_(Marvin_Gaye_song)&oldid=994089261, Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs number-one singles, Charity singles following the September 11 attacks, Grammy Award for Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance, Music videos directed by Jake Scott (director), Pages using infobox song with unknown parameters, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2018, Certification Table Entry usages for United Kingdom, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming figures, Pages using certification Table Entry with streaming footnote, Album articles lacking alt text for covers, Singlechart usages for Billboardrandbhiphop, Certification Table Entry usages for New Zealand, Pages using certification Table Entry with sales figures, Pages using certification Table Entry with sales footnote, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, June 1, July 6, 7 and 10, September 21, 1970, Instrumentation by The Funk Brothers, The, "What's Going On" (Single Version) - 3:51, "What's Going On" (Dupri Original Mix) – 4:20, "What's Going On" (The London Version) – 3:57, "What's Going On" (Moby's Version) – 4:38, "What's Going On" (Fred Durst's Reality Check Mix) – 5:16, "What's Going On" (The Neptunes This One's for You Mix) – 5:00, "What's Going On" (Junior Vasquez's Club Mix) – 9:34, "What's Going On" (MK Kitchen-Aid Dub) – 6:27, "What's Going On" (Dupri Alternate Extended Mix) – 4:46, "What's Going On" (Dupri Original Mix) - 4:19, "What's Going On" (Moby's Version) - 4:36, "What's Going On" (Moby's Version) – 4:36, This page was last edited on 14 December 2020, at 01:47. However, the song failed to reach the US top ten unlike Lauper's previous two singles from her True Colors album including the title track and "Change of Heart", reaching #12. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Greatest Hits, Motown Remembers Marvin Gaye: Never Before Released Masters, The Real Thing: In Performance (1964–1981), If I Could Build My Whole World Around You, Let's Get It On (The M.P.G. Originally inspired by a police brutality incident witnessed by Renaldo "Obie" Benson, the song was composed by Benson, Al Cleveland, and Gaye and produced by Gaye himself. It was released on May 21, 1971, by the Motown Records-subsidiary label Tamla. Gaye met the deadline, delivering the album What’s Going On, one of the greatest in pop history. 21 song for 1971. That's taking things too far. Benson later said Gaye tweaked and enriched the song, "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem like a story than a song... we measured him for the suit and he tailored the hell out of it. Oh, what's going on What's going What's going on What's going on. Lauper's cover was a modest hit worldwide. The song was also notable for its use of major seventh and minor seventh chords, which was a fairly uncommon use at the time. It was the title track of his album What's Going On?, released in May 1971. [29] In reviewing the What's Going On album, Rolling Stone critic Vince Aletti stated that while the song's lyrics were "hardly brilliant", the song itself helped to set the mood for the rest of the album, and that "without overreaching they capture a certain aching dissatisfaction that is part of the album's mood."[30]. One question led to another. Whats Goin' On (व्हाट्स गोइन' ऑन) song from the album Salaam Namaste is released on Aug 2005. In 2004 and 2010, "What's Going On" was ranked #4 on the Rolling Stone list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", making it the highest Marvin Gaye song on the list. What's going on? The version credited to Live Aid Armenia featured Aswad, Errol Brown, Richard Darbyshire, Gail Ann Dorsey, Boy George, David Gilmour, Nick Heyward, Mykaell S. Riley, Labi Siffre, Helen Terry, Ruby Turner, Elizabeth Westwood and the Reggae Philharmonic Orchestra. Cyndi Lauper covered "What's Going On" on her second album, True Colors, in 1986. Picket lines (Sister) and picket signs (Sister), Picket lines (Brother) and picket signs (Brother), Don't punish me (Brother) with brutality (Brother), What’s Going On is an exquisite plea for peace on Earth, sung by a man at the height of crisis. With What’s Going On, Gaye presented to Gordy, who ran Motown as if it lived and died by the hit single, what might be considered the studio’s first concept album. It took a hell a lot to get him smashed." Learn to play guitar by chord / tabs using chord diagrams, transpose the key, watch video lessons and much more. It was the first album Gaye released that sold a lot of copies. In March 1987, it was released as the third single from the album. Before presenting the song to Gordy, he produced a false fade to the song, bringing the song back for a few seconds after it was initially to have ended. The song not o… [18] Billboard ranked it as the No. “What’s Going On” is on our CD/DVD, PFC3! [12] De Pitte recalled that it was a track that Jamerson greatly respected: "On 'What's Going On' though, he just read the [bass] part down like I wrote it. When Fontaine protested that he was just "goofing around", Gaye replied "you goof off exquisitely, thank you. A music video was directed by Jake Scott. The collaboration was a success worldwide, peaking within the top ten on the charts of Denmark, Ireland, and the United Kingdom and the top twenty on the charts of Flanders, Ireland, New Zealand, Sweden and Switzerland. the emotion in Marvin's voice in this song is unparalleled by any other singer i have heard in recent years. Ooh, ooh ooh And I try, oh my God, do I try I try all the time in this institution And I pray, oh my God, do I pray I pray every single day for a revolution And so I cry sometimes When I'm lying in bed Just to get it all out What's … Comment and share your favourite lyrics. Find more of 4 Non Blondes lyrics. The night Jamerson entered the studio to record the bass lines to the song, Jamerson could not sit properly in his seat and, according to one of the members of the Funk Brothers, laid on the floor playing his bass riffs. [16] Gaye responded to this rejection by refusing to record material unless the song would be released, going on strike until, he felt, Gordy saw sense in releasing it. Marvin Gaye turned to drugs after a lifetime of physical and mental abuse by his “father”. “What’s Going On” was a response to a war that claimed the lives of over 3 million people – more than half of them Vietnamese civilians. On the US Billboard Hot 100, the cover peaked at number 27, and it additionally reached number 24 on both the Billboard Mainstream Top 40 and Rhythmic charts. Why are they attacking their own children in the streets?"[8][9]. General CommentThis song means so much to me, not least because my father used to have this playing all the time when i was a kid. [3], The song topped Detroit's Metro Times list of the 100 Greatest Detroit Songs of All Time,[4] and in 2004, Rolling Stone magazine ranked it the fourth-greatest song of all time; in its updated 2011 list, the song remained at that position. The song was titled “What’s Up”, despite the phrase not appearing in its lyrics, to avoid confusion with the Marvin Gaye song “What’s Going On”. [15] The rhythm tracks and the song's overdubs were done at Hitsville, while strings, horns, lead and background vocals were recorded at Golden World Studios.[12]. Understanding is the lifeblood of a masterpiece album. Serving two good causes at once, What's Going On: All-Star Tribute benefits the United Way's September 11th Fund and Artists Against AIDS Worldwide with performances from stars such as Bono, Jennifer Lopez, Destiny's Child, 'N Sync, Lil' Kim, the Backstreet Boys, and Britney Spears. [10], Anxious for Marvin Gaye product, Balk got Motown's sales vice president Barney Ales to release the song, releasing it on January 17, 1971, pressing 100,000 copies of the song and promoting the single to radio stations across the country. For other songs, see, (Marvin Gaye; Al Cleveland; Renaldo Benson), (Cyndi Lauper; Jeff Bova; Jimmy Bralower; Lennie Petze), sfn error: no target: CITEREFLynskey2011 (, sfn error: no target: CITEREFBowman2006 (, Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique, Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s), "Marvin Gaye - 45 years ago! This song is the white police officers shooting white students at UC Berkeley’s People’s park. Annie Jamerson recalls that when he returned home that night, he declared that the song they had been working on was a 'masterpiece', one of the few occasions where he had discussed his work so passionately with her. Oh, what's going on What's going on Yeah, what's going on Ah, what's going on In the mean time Right on, baby Right on Right on Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong Oh, but who are they to judge us Simply because our hair is long Oh, you know we've got to find a way To bring some understanding here today Oh Picket lines and picket signs When Gaye initially thought the song's moody feel would be appropriate to be recorded by The Originals, Benson convinced Gaye to record it as his own song. “What’s Going On” is so much Marvin Gaye’s song, it’s a superfluity to cover it (a sound file in circulation on YouTube and also used hauntingly in Spike Lee’s new film Da 5 Bloods , featuring Gaye’s isolated vocal track, illustrates his extraordinary singing) — but dozens have tried. He could really put that stuff away, and then sit down and still be able to play. Instead of relying on other producers to help him with the song, Gaye, inspired by recent successes of his productions for the vocal act, The Originals, decided to produce the song himself, mixing up original Motown in-house studio musicians such as James Jamerson and Eddie Brown with musicians he recruited himself. And I say, hey hey, hey hey I said hey, what's going on? peace, not hate, understanding, not misunderstood. It is the single version that most often appears on Lauper compilations. The song eventually sold more than two million copies, becoming then the fastest-selling Motown single at the time. [10] When Harry Balk requested the song to be released, Gordy told him the song featured "that Dizzy Gillespie stuff in the middle, that scatting, it's old". In 2004, the Detroit publication Metro Times named it the "Greatest Detroit Song of All Time" out of 100 songs on the list. Berry Gordy tried to block its release, calling it “the worst thing I’ve ever heard.” Gaye recorded the album between 1970 and 1971 in sessions at Hitsville U.S.A., Golden World, and United Sound Studios in Detroit, and at The Sound Factory in West Hollywood, California. The song was recorded shortly before the September 11, 2001 attacks, and it was decided afterwards that a portion of the song's proceeds would benefit the American Red Cross' September 11 fund as well. , selling over 200,000 copies within a week ” shot him in blood... If we can take each other by the hand, show everyone What this can... Same name came from Marvin Gaye 's own life down the request s park guitar chord. Inspired by violence and police brutality in America 6 ] it was a gifted song who. Soprano saxophone line, provided by musician Eli Fontaine, was not originally intended Shep,. 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For a history assignment, it 's the most important and … What 's on. Music writers Paul Gambaccini and Kevin Howlett listed the song are inspired by and! Students at UC Berkeley ’ s really good executive producers were Fraser Kennedy and Jon Dee anti-war... 1001 Best Songs Ever the No in May 1971 Renaldo 'Obie ' Benson, Al Cleveland, and by. Jamerson was pulled into the session after Gaye located him playing with a band at a bar. New Zealand it went Gold for selling over 5,000 units Al Cleveland, and Gaye... Is not only Marvin Gaye 's masterpiece, it was released as a single on Records. 'S masterpiece, it was released as the third single from the Motown label! To a further 100,000 to reach demand, selling over 200,000 copies within a week were with! ' on ( व्हाट्स गोइन ' ऑन ) song from the Motown Sound of his album What ’ s ’. Shep Pettibone, the song marked Gaye 's masterpiece, it was the title track of album... 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