It’s been nearly fifty years since the release of Marvin Gaye‘s What’s Going On, the landmark album on which he set aside love songs to sing about social issues, such as war, poverty, racism, police brutality, and environmental destruction. In this L.A. Times article, Spike Lee discusses several What’s Going On tracks he used in his most recent film, Da 5 Bloods, a Vietnam War story in which Marvin Gaye’s voice becomes, in Lee’s words, “another character.” This soundtrack promises to make excellent use of these classic songs. But if you’re not familiar with What’s Going On in its entirety, 2021 (or now!) would be a great time to get to know it.
-Maude
November 29, 2020