Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

When listening to this record it's useful if you're a Christian hippie. An interesting point to make with all music is: does the listener have to be in the same state of mind as the musician in order to properly understand the music? There's nothing new to be said about What's Going On that hasn't already been said by many millions of other people. That is because What's Going On was a revolutionary record addressing such issues as religion, racism, pollution, love, poverty and, of course, peace.

All the main vocals are Gaye's. Some may think that a lot of music of this time is naïve, in that it's so optimistic (love this, love that…) To this must be said that a lot of the hippie artists had very many personal problems (Marvin Gaye = Trouble Man). In a way, their music was a way to express idealistic dreams that are hard pressed to happen in real life.

Really, the sound of this record will stay with you for a long time, from the religious wondering in 'God is Love' to the realism in 'Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)'

It could also be said that Christianity is a myth. If that is so, it's a beautiful myth, one that has helped convey creativity.

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4/5