Over at CNN, there’s a good article about the 50th Anniversary of this seminal album—an album that seems almost as current today as it would have then (not that I have that first hand knowledge): “50 years after Marvin Gaye asked, ‘What’s Going On?’ America still searching for an answer”.
Key paragraphs:
“[Devon] Gilfillian describes Gaye’s music as a subtle seduction.
“He makes you hear the lyrics, which are very important and potent. But then he tricks you into listening to them with his music, you know, by making you move and feel and hypnotizing you. And at the same time, you don’t know you’re actually getting woke.”
For [biographer David] Ritz, “What’s Going On” was an awakening, a healing of sorts. The country was full of angst. The country was full of turmoil. The country was full of fear. The country was full of anger. And we needed to be calmed down. We needed to chill,” Ritz said.”
Turmoil that remains.”