What’s Going On, Marvin Gaye’s magnum opus, was released May 21, 1971. A pop milestone, it led the musical charge towards greater social and political commentary on the part of Motown, within soul as a genre, and, to a great degree, within the entire music industry. With its thoughtful, introspective approach to drug abuse, poverty, and Vietnam, it marked a dramatic departure from Motown’s usual fare. In addition to busting their conservative standards, it was the first Motown album to include printed lyrics, to credit Motown’s house musicians, the Funk Brothers, by name, as well as credit production solely to an artist. What’s Going On has been categorized as a song cycle – each track ends on a reprise of the album’s opening theme. Told from the perspective of a disillusioned Vietnam War vet upon returning home, it was inspired by the experience of Gaye’s brother Frankie, a soldier who returned from a tour of duty in 1970. Gaye’s crippling grief over the death of longtime singing partner Tammi Terrell also greatly impacted his songwriting. Initially, Motown CEO Berry Gordy refused to release the title track as a single. He considered “What’s Going On” was far too outspoken and sonically experimental to be a commercial success. Gaye persuaded him to release the title single, but Gordy, still certain it would flop, was stunned as the track became the label’s fastest selling single to date, hitting #1 on the R&B charts, then peaking at #2 on the pop charts. After the single’s success, Gordy demanded Gaye finish the album. The end result remained on the album charts for over a year. A 1999 critics poll conducted by UK newspaper The Guardian/Observer declared it the “Greatest Album Of the 20th Century”.

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“Inner City Blues” (live, 1974)
“Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)”

Marvin Gaye on AllMusic.com
History of Rock.com entry on Marvin Gaye