Arguably the greatest soul album ever made, What's Going On established Motown star Marvin Gaye as a unique and maverick musical talent. His determination and vision resulted in inspirational and pioneering works that, in the era of Vietnam and the civil rights protests, asked America to take a long hard look at itself.

In 2001, music critic Ben Edmonds published an in-depth history of Gaye's classic, which is now being reissued by Third Man Books, an imprint of Third Man Records. Edmonds examines in detail the making of this legendary work—initially rejected by Motown's quality-control department—interviewing many of the artists and record company employees closest to the singer, to arrive at a deeper understanding of what the album means. It is, without question, one of the greatest stories ever told.

As Edmonds writes in the introduction, "This is not simply about a singer and a record album. It is the story of an idea, formed out of the mixed ethers of social anger and spiritual longing, that Marvin Gay articulated with a cast of brilliant accomplices, and fought to get recorded and released. From that idea, and with that help, and out of that struggle, something was fashioned that continues to touch souls more profoundly than even its creator could have imagined."

With a career that exemplified the maturation of romantic Black pop into a sophisticated form spanning social and sexual polities, Marvin Gaye was one of the most consistent and enigmatic of the Motown hit makers. Gaye's determination and vision resulted not only in inspirational, pioneering grooves but in an album that challenged America.

About the Author

Ben Edmonds, as an editor at Creem magazine (1971-1975), played a pivotal role in shaping the narrative of music culture. His insightful articles also graced the pages of Rolling Stone, and he served as a US correspondent for MOJO magazine. Edmonds authored the acclaimed Marvin Gaye: What’s Going On and the Last Days of the Motown Sound and his achievements include two ASCAP Foundation Deems Taylor writing awards and two Grammy nominations.

Tragically, pancreatic cancer claimed Edmonds’s life in 2016. MC5: An Oral Biography of Rock’s Most Revolutionary Band with co-authors Brad Tolinski and Jaan Uhelszki was published posthumously in 2024 by Hachette Books.