Yesterday, June 24, was the 45th anniversary of a classic Motown album: Marvin Gaye's What's Going On. In celebration, Motown released a What's Going On EP on 10" vinyl that includes three different versions of the renowned title track. There's the original mono single of "What's Going On," not included on the 1971 LP, and there are two newly recorded versions of the song, a "Coffeehouse Mix" and a posthumous duet with BJ the Chicago Kid, who recently signed to Motown himself. The new mix with BJ is crafted by legendary DJ and producer John Morales, responsible for many of the hottest club records in the '70s, '80s, and '90s.
Here's what BJ had to say to Pitchfork about being able to add his vocals to Gaye's timeless classic:
"Singing alongside Marvin Gaye is truly a dream come true for me. Uncle Marvin is, and will always be one of the greatest. This collaboration also solidifies why I’m here in a time when it is proving to be more difficult for artists to find outlets for music with live vocals and live instrumentation. Marvin Gaye wasn't only the standard for R&B, he also made a huge impact on pop music & pop culture. Long live R&B..."
Excellent stuff. The new anniversary EP also includes an original mono recording of "God Is Love." Check it out here.
Quotable Lyrics
Father, father
We don't need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate