Released 7 years ago this October
What's Going On Live
Marvin Gaye · 2019
64 min · 12 tracks · funk
A vibrant live performance capturing the soulful essence and social consciousness of Marvin Gaye's timeless classics.
Top tracks — play these first
-
→
What's Going On — This track stands out as the emotional centerpiece of the concert, with Gaye's heartfelt delivery emphasizing its message of peace and unity.
-
→
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) — With its poignant lyrics about urban struggle, this performance captures the raw emotion and urgency of Gaye's message, resonating deeply with contemporary listeners.
-
→
Save the Children — Gaye’s passionate plea for compassion and hope comes alive in this performance, showcasing his ability to blend social commentary with soulful melodies.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album captures Gaye's live essence with strong performances, though it lacks some cohesion due to its medley format.
What we noticed
- The album features a medley of nine songs in the opening track, seamlessly transitioning between them without breaks.
- Several tracks include extended instrumental sections that allow for improvisation and audience interaction.
- The performance incorporates spoken dialogue between songs, providing context and enhancing the live experience.
- The final two tracks are reprises of earlier songs, creating a cyclical feel and reinforcing the album's central themes.
- Composition 25% of the score
-
7/10
- Craft 20% of the score
-
8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
-
8/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
-
7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
-
6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic live performance energy
- soulful celebration of resilience
- wave-like pacing with crescendos
- engaging sing-along moments
- reflective social commentary themes
Maybe skip if you
- prefer studio polish over live
- seek instant gratification tracks
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Late Career Highlight — Posthumous release that reinforces Gaye's legacy and relevance in contemporary issues.
- Career context
- Released in 2019, What's Going On Live is a posthumous album featuring a live concert recording from Marvin Gaye's landmark 1972 album. This release came nearly five decades after the original studio album, showcasing Gaye's enduring influence and relevance in contemporary music culture.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Al Green· Otis Redding· Curtis Mayfield
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Sixties Medley: That’s the Way Love Is / You / I Heard It Through the Grapevine / Little Darling (I Need You) / You’re All I Need to Get By / Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing / Your Precious Love / Pride and Joy / Stubborn Kind of Fellow 13:26
- 2 Right On 7:34
- 3 Wholy Holy 3:31
- 4 Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) 9:06
- 5 What’s Going On 5:41
- 6 What’s Happening Brother 2:54
- 7 Flyin’ High (in the Friendly Sky) 3:49
- 8 Save the Children 4:21
- 9 God Is Love 1:44
- 10 Stage Dialogue 2:33
- 11 Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (reprise) 5:10
- 12 What’s Going On (reprise) 4:11
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
Sync your library
Everything you track here works immediately — no account needed. Create one when you want to sync across devices.