BBC News Celebrates the 40th of Marvin Gaye's 'What's Going On'

By Brian Smith on Fri, May 20, 2011 at 12:00 pm

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... In which Gaye briefly talked about his early days with Motown, '62-'65, in a 1976 interview:

"I don't view them with a lot of happiness. Being young and not knowing the business a great deal and trying to figure it out."

And then he talked of the mind-altering, 1971 album:

"I was incensed so I wrote and produced. I wanted to write an album that could be translated into other languages and not particularly be an ethnic statement, that could translate into other conditions.It was a very divine project."

Of course Berry Gordy despised the record and refused to release it. The single became Motown's fastest seller to that point. Gordy later wanted a What's Going On follow-up album. Go to the BBC piece here.