MIXIS MUSIC TODAY: MARVIN GAYE ~ WHATS GOING ON? In light of whats going on in Ferguson, Missouri and on a more unheralded fashion in urban areas worldwide, the police shooting of unarmed Michael Brown and the aftermath brought to mind this song. The spring of 1970 was a dark time for Marvin Gaye. His beloved duet partner Tammi Terrell had died after a three-year struggle with a brain tumor. His brother Frankie had returned from Vietnam with horror stories that moved Marvin to tears. And at Motown, Marvin was stymied in his quest to address social issues in his music. Marvin was so thrilled by “What’s Going On” that he tracked down Berry Gordy while the boss was on vacation. “I was in the Bahamas trying to relax,” Gordy recalled in a Motown documentary. “He called and said, ‘Look, I’ve got these songs.’ When he told me they were protest songs, I said, ‘Marvin, why do you want to ruin your career?’” It was an immediate sensation, catching on at radio in several major cities, and selling over a 100,000 copies in its first week. It went to #2 on the Billboard Pop Chart (and #1 on the R&B Chart) and paved the way for the landmark album. Beyond any chart position, the song has become a timeless spiritual anthem to speak out against social injustices from Police brutality to black on black crime and racial injustice. As Marvin once said of it, “To be truly righteous, you offer love with a pure heart, without regard for what you’ll get in return. I had myself in that frame of mind. People were confused and needed reassurance. God was offering that reassurance through his music. I was privileged to be the instrument.” https://youtube/watch?v=rD78i6eoGkM THE STORY OF MICHAEL BROWN: usatoday/story/news/nation/2014/08/14/michael-brown-ferguson-missouri-timeline/14051827/
Posted on: Mon, 18 Aug 2014 11:18:27 +0000
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