Bigga said:malkie said:Originally released in 1971, WHAT'S GOING ON remains a landmark album, one that redefined music with powerful, anthemicsongs that remain pertinent to this day. Before WHAT'S GOING ON, R&B albums were collections of singles, with secondary"filler" material rounding out the LPs. Marvin Gaye changedall this by releasing a concept album that went beyond the usual boy-meets-girl scenario, weaving together an aural collage of societal ills. "Crime is increasing/Trigger-happy policing", from "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", is as potent a line today as it was over 20 years ago, and withthe country still divided over the Vietnam War, the title track became a rallying cry for peace.
Dark, mercurial, and jazzy, WHAT'S GOING ON was as radical musically as it was conceptually. Layered with lush orchestrations, heavenly background vocals, and loose, fiercely grooving arrangements, WHAT'S GOING ON so surpassed anything previously known as soul music that it virtually reinvented the genre. The criticaland commercial success of Gaye's opus also enabled other artists to break free from the creative shackles imposed by Motown and other companies, and to experience more autonomy inmusical and thematic expression, thereby changing the industry. In short, the musical and historical significance of WHAT'S GOING ON cannot be overestimated; it was Gaye's masterpiece, and still stands as one of the greatest soul albums of all time.
Nay, nay and THRICE nay, Malkie!!!
Nooo...
It's 'overrated' and 'dated', don't ye knoo...
Oh I'm a numpty now because I don't agree? Fair enough, I could not give a shit.malkie said:Bigga said:malkie said:Originally released in 1971, WHAT'S GOING ON remains a landmark album, one that redefined music with powerful, anthemicsongs that remain pertinent to this day. Before WHAT'S GOING ON, R&B albums were collections of singles, with secondary"filler" material rounding out the LPs. Marvin Gaye changedall this by releasing a concept album that went beyond the usual boy-meets-girl scenario, weaving together an aural collage of societal ills. "Crime is increasing/Trigger-happy policing", from "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)", is as potent a line today as it was over 20 years ago, and withthe country still divided over the Vietnam War, the title track became a rallying cry for peace.
Dark, mercurial, and jazzy, WHAT'S GOING ON was as radical musically as it was conceptually. Layered with lush orchestrations, heavenly background vocals, and loose, fiercely grooving arrangements, WHAT'S GOING ON so surpassed anything previously known as soul music that it virtually reinvented the genre. The criticaland commercial success of Gaye's opus also enabled other artists to break free from the creative shackles imposed by Motown and other companies, and to experience more autonomy inmusical and thematic expression, thereby changing the industry. In short, the musical and historical significance of WHAT'S GOING ON cannot be overestimated; it was Gaye's masterpiece, and still stands as one of the greatest soul albums of all time.
Nay, nay and THRICE nay, Malkie!!!
Nooo...
It's 'overrated' and 'dated', don't ye knoo...
The extract I have cut and pasted is from a professional music critic
who's opinion I value greatly and take notice of, not that of a numpty who knows absolutely nothing about music.
One cd, you've only got one cd.
Sssshh Bigga will have you for that!Knight1979 said:I would make the argument that Curtis Mayfield was the one who opened the door for social commentary in soul music. "What's Going On" perfected the type of social conscious soul music Curtis started.
Agreed and it all gets blamed on BT.Dave H said:Lol, i've never known a forum with so much anger.
Most topics just seem to slide into slagging matches.
Knight1979 said:I would make the argument that Curtis Mayfield was the one who opened the door for social commentary in soul music. "What's Going On" perfected the type of social conscious soul music Curtis started.
I'm pretty sure my record collection has more variety and beauty than yours little fella.Bigga said:Knight1979 said:I would make the argument that Curtis Mayfield was the one who opened the door for social commentary in soul music. "What's Going On" perfected the type of social conscious soul music Curtis started.
I'm not in disagreement, Knight. Mayfield may have "opened the door for social commentary in soul music", but to my knowledge, I don't think he produced a full album of such, before the time M. Gaye did. I'm happy to be proved wrong, mind!
Songs of hardship have been around for centuries, 'chaingang' and gospel are full of it. However, the point is actually having the daring to release material that didn't have an obvious commercial saving grace to it.
And "What's Going On?" was just that. BT doesn't ever know what he's talking about with music, so I'm very happy to ignore him, from now on, where this thread is concerned.
Knight1979 said:I think his self titled debut "Curtis" might have been before "What's going on". Not nearly as focused as "What's going on" but pretty much every tune on that album some how made mention of racial tension or social inequity. "Miss black America" might be the only exception. The lush production on "Curtis" I think also opened new avenues as to how rich soul albums could sound.