The greatest album ever made, it is much more than just the restrained talent of Marvin Gaye exploding out at the chance for free expression. The longtime Motown session musicians (James Jamerson, Eli Fountain, Joe Messina and the rest of the Funk Brothers) as well as other lyricists (like Obie Benson of the Four Tops who wrote the song "What's Going On") felt this freedom along with Gaye and the album spills over with all of their restrained raw talent. This adds another dimension to the greatness of this album. Without it's release and success in 1971, fought for by Gaye who refused to make any more recordings before being given a chance to release the single "What's Going On," who knows if we would have ever had many of the other items that soon followed like Innervisions by Stevie Wonder.
"What's Going On" would act as a spark to the idea of creating a concept album about a soldier returning from war to come home to a changing world and with a changed perspective and vision of the world around him. This song alone is one of the greatest singles ever written and produced, and to use it as a starting point for an entire album would be very difficult. But the sound and voice that exists in this song lives throughout the album as it explores the environment, drug abuse, inner city poverty, etc. in a way that is timeless. In the end that is what makes this album so amazing. The lyrics are so tightly constructed and written in a manner that is so timeless they are still just as strong today as they were 35 years ago.
You can't talk about this album without pointing out that Gaye's voice and his performances of the songs are flawless. The music constructed around him is also flawless an odd mix of r&b/funk/jazz that was and is like nothing else. In a sense this was a very experimental album, but one that was put together by a group of extremely talented and mature artists who were extremely focused on making this the greatest album they had ever been a part of. With that kind of focus and talent the album was sure to be a success.
If you have never heard this album, it is a must. It is the greatest album ever made.
