Recently Rolling Stones named“What’s Going On” The Greatest Song of all Times, topping 500 greatest hits

LOS ANGELES, CA, UNITED STATES, May 22, 2021 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Commemorating the 50th. anniversary of Marvin Gaye’s timeless “What’s Going on”, Zeola Gaye tells ‘The Voice’, Lee Bailey of EURweb.com about the grim and exciting happenings surrounding the song's 1971 release.

The Happenings Behind The Greatest Song of All Times.
In the early 1970s, Marvin and Zeola Gaye’s brother Frankie Gaye was away -- in Vietnam during the war, the family was still in Washington DC, and Marvin was in Detroit where – just prior to the album’s release -- Marvin was in a slump feeling pain and guilt about Tammie Terrell’s death, according to Zeola and wasn’t feeling like doing anything, and so for a while, he didn’t. “When he would talk to mom [he talked to her every day], he would always tell her that he was afraid to come out of the house and he was afraid to fly,” Zeola said. “He had some sort of fear that something wasn’t right, and he shouldn’t leave the house,” Zeola told Lee Bailey – it was like him to do what he wants because though he was spiritual – he was sometimes rebellious. Of the fear to leave home and to travel – that was something strange...

Marvin’s Lyrics
It was also the horrifying stories that Frankie would tell the family about what happened to him in Vietnam. When Frankie came home, Marvin and Frankie would talk about the war during telephone calls. Fortunately, for the history of music, Alberta Gaye was able to coax her son out of his depression – telling him that she prays for him every day and nothing would happen to him. ‘God’s got you,’ Alberta told Marvin. “So, he said he was going to work on some music and my mom [told him] that was a good idea,” Zeola Said. The family didn’t know what he was working on until he sent home an advance copy of the album like he always did.

“[What’s Going On] was about all the soldiers and people who served in Vietnam at the time,” said Zeola. “But it was basically geared for Frankie who felt honored that Marvin would write a song about him.” The song’s album included family photos – and there is a back story about Zeola’s missing photo. She was 18 years old and there was beef with her sister-in-law; Marvin’s wife (Anna Gordy) which is why she said her image didn’t make it onto that particular album. “She left me out on purpose,” Zeola said. But once she got past that discretion… “I put [the album] on and I had a glass of wine and a joint, and I was listening to it, and I was reading along with the lyrics – he was singing, and it blew my mind,” Zeola said. “That’s when Marvin my brother, became Marvin Gaye to me. I knew [What’s Going On] was unbelievable. I was so proud to have him as my brother. I was so proud to be his sister.” According to the family, Marvin felt like he was a go-between, and “What’s Going On” was a message from God.

April 1, 1984, Marvin Gaye Was Shot and Killed by His Own Father in Los Angeles.
Still, to this day Gaye’s [“What’s Going On”] is one of the most important and influential LPs ever made," reads a Rolling Stone magazine review. “After [the album] Black musicians at Motown and elsewhere felt a new freedom to push the musical and political boundaries of their art."
The greatest album of all time featured nine songs. “What’s Going On,” “What’s Happening Brother,” “Flyin’ High (in the Friendly Sky),” “Save the Children,” “God is Love,” “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology),” “Right On,” “Wholy Holy,” and “Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler).”

Zeola told Lee Bailey, “it was really deep.” What’s even deeper was he wasn’t making any appearances – he didn’t come out of [hiding] until the album was complete.” But, according to Zeola, once he was ready to release the set of songs it took some cajoling. Since there were civic overtures – Berry Gordy told Marvin – this is too political – it’s not going to sell. However, Marvin stood his ground and threatened he wouldn’t be singing anymore if the songs weren’t released… the rest is Motown history. For many, “What’s Going On” is one of the greatest albums ever recorded, including for Rolling Stone magazine, which deemed it a No. 1 hit - “The Greatest Song of All Time” topping 500 songs by some of the most iconic artists ever.

Catch up with Zeola Gaye and her memoir, My Brother Marvin: www.zeolagaye.com.
Read Zeola Gaye's full interview in eurweb.com: Marvin Gaye’s Iconic Album What’s Going On Remembered by Sister Zeola 50 Years After its Release

Release Source:
Billie Jordan-Sunshine
BillieJordanSunshine@gmail.com

Lee Bailey
EURweb.com
+1 323-620-5664
editorial@eurweb.com
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