Marvin Gaye Going on

Motown's 1986 double-LP, What's Going On/Let's Get It On combined Marvin Gaye's two best-known albums in one set. Although the moods of the two albums aren't necessarily compatible the first is a reflective social protest piece, the second, well, the title is self-explanatory it was an excellent bargain to have the two classic albums together.

Graced with an extraordinary voice, complex personality, musical genius, and a backstory worthy of a Hollywood movie, Marvin Gaye wasn't your average soul singer. Born in Washington on the 2nd of April in 1939, the now legendary singer began his career singing at church at the age of four, accompanied by his father on piano. Marvin's mother was a supportive figure who encouraged her son to pursue music, and once he got to high school, he joined various doo-wop groups. By contrast, Marvin's father was a violent man who would regularly beat his son, and this pushed Marvin to join the U.S air force once he had completed his schooling.

In celebration of the Golden Anniversary of the iconic Marvin Gaye album “Let’s Get It On,” Motown/UMe is releasing digitally a revised and expanded “Let’s Get It On: Deluxe Edition” on August 25, the day before the album’s original release date in 1973 fifty years prior. Featuring a fascinating trove of 33 bonus tracks, 18 of them previously unreleased, the Prince of Soul’s creative explorations continued to unfold with the production of this pivotal release. Collectively, the bonus material leans into the story of Gaye’s multi-layered personal struggles during the album’s creation. To honor this milestone, a “Let’s Get It On” event will take place at the GRAMMY Museum on August 23 featuring Smokey Robinson, Jimmy Jam, and Marvin Gaye biographer David Ritz. Get tickets here.

New York, NY (November 17, 2022) – The music of Marvin Gaye transcends time in ways that can’t be described. From relatable songs about romance and heartbreak like “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to socially conscious meditations “What’s Going On” and “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)”, his music continues to resonate across generations. One of the most soulful, celebrated voices and songwriters in music history, Marvin Gaye cemented a legacy as a trailblazer in R&B and beyond. His lush arrangements, irresistible grooves, and silky smooth yet emotive vocal delivery earned him 12 Grammy nominations, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, and inductions into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Songwriters Hall of Fame. However, the true magic of Gaye’s music was his ability to weave emotion or deep socio-political commentary into melodies and harmonics that, sonically, left the listener feeling good, no matter what the sentiment behind the lyrics – a rare feat that is truly difficult to achieve.

Marvin Gaye’s "What's Going On" was a landmark recording and is considered one of the greatest albums ever made. Rolling Stone named it Album Of The Year when it came out and, in 2003, it was ranked number 6, the highest for a non-rock album, in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums Of All Time. Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab has obtained the master tapes of this landmark album and for the first time What’s Going On has been released on the Super Audio CD.

One of the most celebrated and commercially successful artists of Motown's catalogue, Marvin Gaye's prolific songwriting yielded a number of massive hits. 1971's "What's Going On" remains one of the most critically acclaimed albums of 20th Century popular music. Rolling Stone included Gaye both in its list of "The Greatest Singers of All Time" and "The 100 Greatest Artists of All Time".