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Marvin Gaye — What's Going On

Name: What's Going On
Description: Marvin Gaye wrote What's Going On after his friend Obie Benson described witnessing police beat protesters in Berkeley. Motown president Berry Gordy initially refused to release it — he thought it was uncommercial. Gaye told him: release it or I'll never record for you again. It became the best-selling Motown single of all time.

What's Going On · 1971

Label: Motown · Genre: Soul / Soul · Country: USA · From: Detroit, MI, North America

Marvin Gaye wrote What's Going On after his friend Obie Benson described witnessing police beat protesters in Berkeley. Motown president Berry Gordy initially refused to release it — he thought it was uncommercial. Gaye told him: release it or I'll never record for you again. It became the best-selling Motown single of all time.

Did you know: Marvin Gaye played every instrument on the demo he submitted to Gordy. The final album was recorded by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra but Gaye's home demo arrangement survived nearly unchanged.

Listen / buy: Juno · Spotify · YouTube

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