the year , particularly april 22nd, marked the inaugural earth day, a pivotal moment that thrust environmental concerns into the public consciousness. concurrently, the nation was deeply embroiled in the vietnam war, a conflict that fueled widespread anti-war sentiment and intense protests against military conscription.
the stark visual of body bags returning from southeast asia underscored the human cost of the war. against this backdrop of social and political upheaval, the black power movement gained momentum, influencing soul and gospel music produced by labels like stax in memphis.
numerous artists emerged, offering sharp critiques of american society and its policies.
this era also witnessed a shift within motown, the iconic record label, pushing for greater artistic control for its musicians. the culmination of these forces was the creation of a deeply moving and poignant protest album, a powerful statement from its opening notes to its final refrain.
the lyrics within this masterpiece delve into the devastating impact of the vietnam war on families and the young men dispatched to fight.
the narrative continues with a song depicting a young soldier's return to a nation grappling with a substantial unemployment rate, estimated at six percent.
the interplay of call and response within the music evokes a profound sense of shared concern, collective struggle, and the hope for communal redemption. this ethos was deeply rooted in the gospel traditions that profoundly shaped marvin gaye's musical approach.
gaye's lyrical explorations in this album touch upon critical societal issues, including systemic racism, the pervasive problem of drug abuse, widespread poverty, and the searing realities of the vietnam war.
the genesis of the album's most iconic track can be traced back to renard benson, a member of the motown group the four tops.
benson recounted an experience during a tour bus stop in berkeley on may 15, , where he witnessed firsthand the brutal police response to a protest in people's park, an event later infamously known as 'bloody thursday'. the protest was organized by anti-war activists.
deeply disturbed by this incident, benson shared his observations with author ben edmonds, expressing his confusion and concern: "what is happening here?" this initial question branched out, leading him to ponder further: "why are they attacking their own children in the streets?" he later engaged in a conversation about his experiences with his friend and fellow songwriter, al cleveland.
cleveland, moved by benson's account, soon began crafting a song intended to reflect these deeply felt anxieties.
benson's initial intention was to have his group, the four tops, record the song. however, the other members of the group declined the opportunity.
benson's motivation wasn't personal protest; rather, it was a quest for understanding: "i'm not protesting, i want to know what's going on." in , benson presented the then-untitled song to marvin gaye. Gaye, recognizing its potential, infused it with a new melody, reworked the song's structure, and penned his own introspective lyrics.
benson later reflected on Gaye's contribution, noting how Gaye "added some things that were more ghetto, more natural, which made it seem like a story than a song." Gaye himself titled the song "what's going on." initially, he considered offering the song to the vocal group the originals, but benson ultimately persuaded Gaye to record it himself.
gaye's creative vision was significantly influenced by the social injustices he observed within the united states, notably the devastating watts riots.
this unrest, which erupted on august 11, , began after marquette frye, an african-american man on parole for robbery, was stopped for allegedly reckless driving.
a seemingly minor altercation on the roadside escalated into a violent confrontation with police, ultimately leading to six days of widespread civil disorder. this period represented the city's most severe unrest until the Rodney King riots occurred in later years.
grappling with the turbulent world surrounding him, gaye posed a profound question to himself: "'with the world exploding around me, how am i supposed to keep singing love songs?'" his emotional landscape was further shaped by intimate conversations with his brother, frankie, who had recently returned from a three-year tour of duty in vietnam, and by the tragic death of his cousin, who was serving in the armed forces.
during extensive phone conversations with motown founder and executive berry gordy, who was vacationing in the bahamas at the time, Gaye expressed his desire to produce an album addressing contemporary social issues.
Gordy's initial reaction was discouraging, stating: "marvin, don't be ridiculous. that's taking things too far." despite this initial resistance, Gaye remained determined.
marvin gaye found inspiration in the recent successes of his productions for the vocal group the originals, which solidified his confidence in his own production abilities.
he assembled a core group of original motown studio musicians, including the legendary james jamerson and eddie brown, alongside other talented musicians he personally recruited. the distinctive opening saxophone riff, performed by musician eli fontaine, was not initially part of the song's intended arrangement.
upon hearing fontaine's improvisational flourish, Gaye instructed him to leave, believing the riff to be a spontaneous moment of creativity.
when fontaine protested, explaining he was merely "goofing around," Gaye responded with profound admiration: "you goof off exquisitely, thank you." the relaxed and creative atmosphere in the recording studio was further enhanced by Gaye and the musicians' regular use of marijuana.
jamerson, a cornerstone of the motown sound, was brought into the project after Gaye witnessed him performing with a band in a local establishment.
benson later recalled jamerson's incredible talent, noting: "he could really put that stuff away, and then sit down and still be able to play." however, on the night jamerson was scheduled to record the essential bass lines for the track, he was reportedly unable to sit upright and chose to lie on the floor while delivering his iconic bass performance.
his wife, annie jamerson, later shared that upon returning home that evening, he declared the song to be a "masterpiece."
marvin gaye also contributed his musical talents by playing the piano and keyboards, and he further added to the rhythmic foundation by playing a box drum, complementing the drumming contributions of chet forest.