{"product_id":"what-s-going-on-4","title":"What's Going On","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSly and the Family Stone\u003c\/strong\u003e might have psychedelicised soul music, but \u003cstrong\u003eMarvin Gaye\u003c\/strong\u003e personalised it. Although the powers-that-were Motown didn't even want to release the record, the unexpected success of \u003cem\u003eWhat's Going On\u003c\/em\u003e, issued in 1971, inspired \u003cstrong\u003eStevie Wonder\u003c\/strong\u003e, \u003cstrong\u003eCurtis Mayfield\u003c\/strong\u003e, and just about every other black artist on the planet to take greater responsibility for their music and its meaning.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGaye\u003c\/strong\u003e co-wrote the songs and produced the album, flavouring it with layer upon layer of his own multi-tracked vocals, oceans of hand percussion, strings, flutes, and jazzy horn solos. Spacey and loose as a spliff-fuelled Sunday afternoon jam in the park, the nine songs all played like a hit single. The title track - inspired by his brother's return from the Vietnam war - and the obvious social commentary of \"\u003cem\u003eInner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)\u003c\/em\u003e\" and \"\u003cem\u003eMercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)\u003c\/em\u003e\" actually were hit singles.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eTwo other tracks (\"\u003cem\u003eWholly Holy\u003c\/em\u003e\" and \"\u003cem\u003eSave The Children\u003c\/em\u003e\") would inspire hit covers by \u003cstrong\u003eAretha Franklin\u003c\/strong\u003e and \u003cstrong\u003eDiana Ross\u003c\/strong\u003e, respectively. Nevertheless, \u003cem\u003eWhat's Going On\u003c\/em\u003e sounds as fresh today as it did the week that it came out.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Motown","offers":[{"title":"LP - Black","offer_id":56473765019979,"sku":"298062","price":32.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true},{"title":"Green LP","offer_id":56474877165899,"sku":"2240027","price":34.99,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0867\/1120\/6219\/files\/1a4b02d0-fa69-4595-b9dc-567db6a8933a_thumbnail_4096.jpg?v=1728053141","url":"https:\/\/shop.roughtrade.com\/de\/products\/what-s-going-on-4","provider":"Rough Trade","version":"1.0","type":"link"}