Listened to: CDI remember this album so well from my high school days, I can tell you who I borrowed it from and when (what I can’t tell you is whether I gave it back to him or not). Possibly the greatest soul album of all-time (though there should be a healthy debate between it and Songs In The Key Of Life, but we’ll get to that another day), What’s Going On is a technical, musical, and thematic achievement across the board. To go track by track on this album as I do with others is a disservice to the album, as it’s a concept album, whose overall arc, flow, and beauty is lost by dissecting it. I will say my favorite tracks are the title track and “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”. Marvin Gaye’s voice floats through all the song, even as he’s pained and pleading with you to “save the babies”.
This is undoubtedly Gaye’s best album. Pick it up and give it a listen. Each track is it’s own unique world, but connected together to form the magnificent universe all the emotions of this record contain. You cannot ignore this album, otherwise you’re doing a disservice to yourself.
-Mike
Next up, #238: Can’t Buy A Thrill by Steely Dan. See you then.
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