In June 1970, Marvin Gaye went into the studio to record What’s Going On. The killings at Kent State University had only just taken place, America was still at war in Vietnam, the country was still recovering from the deaths of Martin Luther King and John F Kennedy and there were growing concerns about the environment. The finished record was not just one of the greatest ever made, in the light of global conflict, climate change and now the killing of George Floyd, almost 50 years on it is just as, if not more, relevant than it has ever been.
To his eternal credit, BBC 6 Music DJ Shaun Keaveny has today set aside the first hour of his show to playing the entire record, together with interviews with Marvin Gate. If you haven’t heard it before, then you must. Few people have ever got close to making music as good as this.
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today, eh eh
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today, oh oh oh
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me, so you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going on
Yeah, what’s going on
Ah, what’s going on
Right on, baby
Right on brother
Right on babe
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply ’cause our hair is long
Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh oh oh
Don’t punish me with brutality
C’mon talk to me
So you can see
What’s going on
Yeah, what’s going on
Tell me what’s going on
I’ll tell you what’s going on, ooh ooh ooh ooh
Right on baby
Right on baby
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