MT: So as "What's Going On" is climbing the charts in early '71 (eventually reaching No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Soul Singles chart), you spent a month in the Pacific visiting American troops wounded in Vietnam. What effect did that have on you?
Barney: Well, it was Marvin's brother Frankie — his experience in 'Nam really inspired the album. At that time, the war was still going on. I did a month in the [Pacific] visiting troops in the hospitals. I went over with [NFL players] Bob Lilly, Tom Matte, Ernie Wright, and Tom Dempsey, the kicker from the New Orleans Saints.
I saw guys with quarter skulls, guys with no limbs, no arms, stomachs shot all out, eyes, faces blown off, fingers ... Seeing those guys giving up [their] lives — it gave me a lot of intestinal fortitude, man. I thought, "What I'm doing [in the NFL] ain't nothin' compared to what these guy are doin' here."
So we made a pact that we would never cry about another football injury at all, man. (In a bizarre twist, just months later, Barney would find himself holed up with a groin injury at Henry Ford Hospital, helplessly listening to the radio as his teammate Chuck Hughes lay dying on the turf at Tiger Stadium.)
MT: What does it mean to you when you sing "Brother brother? Sister sister?"
Barney: It's a message, man. It's a universal message if you really listen to it, what Marvin was expressing. And I felt it, man. You know, it speaks to all people — not just [that] blacks are brothers. I mean, men and women across the country. It's relating to the spiritual side of life. I don't care what nationality you are; we're all brothers in the Lord. We're on this planet and everybody's in heaven as brothers and sisters, so we should be acting the same way down here on planet Earth, man.
MT: So thanks to Marvin, you and Mel Farr got a taste of the record business. And at one point, he wanted a taste of the NFL?
Barney: Yeah, Marvin would come to every game. We'd give him tickets in the upper deck and afterwards we'd all go to Larco's over on Six Mile. When we played at Tiger Stadium — win, lose, or draw — we were going to Larco's afterward. The whole team, our wives and girlfriends. So Marvin started going with us, and that's when he started talking about gettin' a tryout. And then later he's on the Tonight Show, and Johnny Carson's talking to him, and he says, "Yeah, I'm trying out for the Detroit Lions!"
MT: What do you remember about that? I mean, he couldn't have been worse than George Plimpton!
Barney: Ha, no! The Paper Lion! Man, Plimp didn't have any athletic ability! ... So Marvin goes on Shirley Eaton and a couple other big shows, and he starts working out with us in the offseason. And one day Coach [Joe Schmidt] says to me, "Lem, what's this shit Marvin's talkin' about — trying out with the Lions?"
"Lem, what's this shit Marvin's talkin' about — trying out with the Lions?"
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I said, "Coach, I keep letting him know that he's gotta make some clearance." He said, "I'll tell you what, Lem — just bring him down to the office on Monday and we'll talk." So I call him up, and I say, "Gator, look, Coach Schmidt wants me to bring you down to the office, man." And he goes, "This it, Lem! This it!" I said, "I don't know if this is it or not." [Laughs]
Marvin said, "I'll tell you what, Lem. Don't you drive down. I'mma come get you. I'mma get a driver!" So, you know, we limo down, he's all three-pieced and everything, and we get to the Lions' office and Coach says, "Hey, Marvin. Good to see you again. Have a seat. So I hear you want a tryout with the Detroit Lions."
And he goes, "Coach, I tell you, I just know the first time I touch the football I'mma score a touchdown."
And Coach says, "I like your attitude ... you got any film from when you played in college?"
Marv says, "Coach, I never played in college."
"That's OK. You got any high school film?"
"Coach, I never played in high school."
So Coach says, "What the hell makes you think you can just walk out there and play?"
Marv says, "Coach, man, I've been working out with Mel and Lem, I'm in shape."
Coach says, "Well, we'll see. We're gonna have a tryout up in the Lansing area in a few weeks ..." and so he went up. He tried Marvin out at fullback, halfback, wide receiver, and tight end. He did pretty good, but Coach told him, "Marvin, I like what I see, but with you not having any experience, I just don't want to put you out there and jeopardize your health." Marvin appreciated that, you know. At least he got a tryout.
MT: So Marvin sticks to making music and the world gets the gift of What's Going On.
Barney: Best decision he ever made.
