Smokey Robinson on the most profound musical statement he ever saw: “It never gets dated”
It seemed like a modern classic was coming out every other month in the late 1960s. The times had slowly started to shift towards the young generation, and while the Vietnam War raged on in the background, rock and roll started to turn their heads towards real issues, whether that was The Beatles questioning political agendas on ‘Revolution’ or The Rolling Stones advocating for the rights of those on the street on ‘Street Fighting Man’. For all of the straight-ahead rock music, it took true passion to touch the soul, and Smokey Robinson knew he was watching brilliance when listening to Marvin Gaye play What’s Going On.
Then again, Robinson already had a front-row seat to some of the greatest moments in Motown’s history, most of which he helped create himself. Outside of his countless hits with The Miracles, like ‘You Really Got a Hold on Me’, he also became many rock bands’ first exposure to modern R&B, with The Beatles covering some of his hits and becoming staples of the bar circuit with later acts like Bob Seger.
For all of the great soul music centred around love and happiness, that wasn’t what was happening on the street, and Gaye knew it. He had had his time in the spotlight performing songs like ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’, but what was the point in playing those tunes if it meant that people would ignore their responsibilities as moral human beings?
Someone had to say something, and Gaye felt divine intervention helped him birth What’s Going On. While the record still had some of the best production Motown could ask for, the lyrics were much more indicative of where America was at the time, from the unrest in the streets on ‘Inner City Blues’ to Gaye focusing on restoring faith in humanity on the title track.
Despite Motown executive Barry Gordy’s objections to its release because it was too political, Gaye was willing to risk his career just so it could be released. If he was going to make Motown music, he was going to do it on his own terms from now on, and it turned out that the world had the same questions on their minds as Gaye had.
Looking back on the impact of What’s Going On, Robinson thought that nothing else could compare to what Gaye was saying, telling Rolling Stone, “Marvin was much more than just a great singer. He was a great record maker, a gifted songwriter, a deep thinker — a real artist in the true sense. What’s Going On is the most profound musical statement in my lifetime. It never gets dated.”
And perhaps the fact that it doesn’t get dated is more of a reflection on ourselves more than the music. Gaye had reminded us all of the importance of sticking up for what you believe in and trying your best to show compassion in the world, and yet the fact that so much internal strife is still happening on a global scale, maybe leaders should take on the same creed that Gaye instilled in everyone.
Because, for being incredibly simple, the phrase ‘what’s going on’ is so much more than those three words. It’s about looking around at your surroundings, seeing everything shrouded in darkness, and then trying one’s best to work to make everything better.
