For this Passover / Holy Week edition, I thought we might share an album that came out 25 years ago [released 5/21/71], but [tragically] is as timely now as then: Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Goin’ On.”
1:
Mother, mother
There’s too many of you crying
Brother, brother, brother
There’s far too many of you dying
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today – Yah
Father, father
We don’t need to escalate
You see, war is not the answer
For only love can conquer hate
You know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some lovin’ here today
Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me
So you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going
Ya, what’s going on
Ah, what’s going on
(Background music and conversation)
In the mean time
Right on, baby
Right on
Right on
Mother, Mother, everybody thinks we’re wrong
Oh, but who are they to judge us
Simply because our hair is long
Oh, you know we’ve got to find a way
To bring some understanding here today
Oh
Picket lines and picket signs
Don’t punish me with brutality
Talk to me,
So you can see
Oh, what’s going on
What’s going on
I’ll tell you Ya, what’s going on – Uh
Ah, what’s going on
Right on baby
Right on baby
Hey baby, what’cha know good
I’m just gettin’ back, but you knew I would
War is hell, when will it end,
When will people start gettin’ together again
Are things really gettin’ better, like the newspaper said
What else is new my friend, besides what I read
Can’t find no work, can’t find no job my friend
Money is tighter than it’s ever been
Say man, I just don’t understand
What’s going on across this land
Ah what’s happening brother,
Oh ya, what’s happening my man
Are they still gettin’ down where we used to go and dance
Will our ball club win the pennant,
do you think they have a chance
And tell me friend, how in the world have you been.
Tell me what’s out and I want to know what’s in.
What’s the deal man, what’s happening
What’s happening brother
Ah what’s happening brother
What’s happening my man
Ah what’s happening brother
What’s been shaken up and down the line
I want to know cause I’m slightly behind the time.
Flying high in the friendly sky
Flying high without ever leavin’ the ground, no
Rest of the folks are tired and weary
Oh Lord, and have laid their bodies down.
I go the place where danger awaits me
and it’s bound to forsake me.
So stupid minded.
I can’t help it
oh ya, so stupid minded.
But I go crazy when I can’t find it,
In the morning, I’ll be alright, my friend.
But soon the night will bring the pains,
The pain, oh the pain
Flying high in the friendly sky
Without ever leaving the ground
And I ain’t seen nothing but trouble baby
Nobody really understands, no no
And I go to the place where the good feelin’ awaits me
Self-destruction in my hand
Oh Lord, so stupid minded
Oh and I go crazy when I can’t find it
Well I know I’m hooked my friend
To the boy who makes slaves out of men.
And oh believe me
Flying high in a friendly sky
Oh baby, flyin’ high
I just want to ask a question
Who really cares?
To save a world in despair
There’ll come a time, when the world won’t be singin’
Flowers won’t grow, bells won’t be ringin’
Who really cares?
Who’s willing to try to save a world
That’s destined to die
When I look at the world it fills me with sorrow
Little children today are really gonna suffer tomorrow
Oh what a shame, such a bad way to live
All who is to blame, we can’t stop livin’
Live, live for life
But let live everybody
Live life for the children
Oh, for the children
You see, let’s save the children
Let’s save all the children
Save the babies, save the babies
If you wanna love, you got to save the babies
All of the children
But who really cares
Who’s willing to try
Yes, to save a world
Yea, save our sweet world
Save a world that is destined to die
Oh, la, la, la, la, la, la, la
Oh, oh dig it everybody
Oh don’t go and talk about my father
God is my friend
Jesus is my friend
He made this world for us to live in, and gave us everything
And all he asks of us is we give each other love.
Oh ya
Don’t go and talk about my father
Cause God is my friend
Jesus is my friend
He loves us whether or not we know it
Just loves us, oh ya
And He’ll forgive all our sins
Forgive all our sins
And all He asks of us, is we give each other love.
Oh ya
Love your mother, she bore you
Love your father, he works for you
Love your sister, she’s good to you
Love your brother, your brother
Don’t go and talk about my father, He’s good to us,
God is my friend
Jesus is my friend
For when we call in Him for mercy, Mercy Father
He’ll be merciful, my friend
Oh, yes He will
All he asks of us, I know, is we give each other love,
Oh ya
2:
Woo ah, mercy mercy me
Ah things ain’t what they used to be, no no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east
Woo mercy, mercy me, mercy father
Ah things ain’t what they used to be, no no
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury
Ah oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain’t what they used to be, no no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain’t what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oh, na na…
My sweet Lord… No
My Lord… My sweet Lord
Hey baby
That’s alright people
I know that’s alright
Oh, when we love each other
I know that’s alright
Oh feel it, feel it
Oh everybody feel it
God know that’s alright, yes
Some of us were born
With money to spend
Some of us were born
For races to win
Some of us are aware
That it’s good for us to care
Some of us feel the icy wind
Of poverty blowing in the air
For those of us who simply like to socialize
For those of us who tend the sick
Ah, and heed the people’s cries
Let me say to you
Right on
Right on, feel it
Yea, oh, oh, Oh Lord, Lord, people
And I say, Right on
Honey right on
For those of us who live
Where peace is craved
For those of us who live, uh-huh
Where hatred is enslaved, alright
For those of us who live a life
Yea, surrounded by good fortune and wealth
Talk about it
Those of us who live a life
Hey, hey, hey enjoying ourselves
For those of us who got drowned
In the sea of happiness
For the soul that takes pride in his God
And himself and everything else
Love
That’s all it is
We need love
That’s all it is
Oh, oh
Love, love
Love’s the thing
Love, love, love, love
Sweet love, love
Wonderful love
Ah, true love, love
Love for your brother
Love, for God
Pure love
Love can conquer hate every time
Give out some love and you’ll find
Peace sublime
And my darling, one more thing
If you let me, I will take you
To live where love is King
Ah, ah baby, baby
Ah, ah, ah, baby
People, people
People who love and care
That’s alright
Alright
Ah….
Ah, wholly holy
Come together
Wholly holy
People got to come together
And I know with the strength, power and all the feeling
Wholly holy
Wholly holy
Oh Lord, come on get together, one another
Oh Lord
Wholly holy
Wholly holy
Wholly holy we believe in one another
Wholly holy we believe in Jesus
Jesus left a long time ago, said he would return
He left us a book to believe in
In it we’ve got an awful lot to learn
Oh, wholly holy
Oh Lord
We can conquer hate forever, yes we can
Ah, wholly holy, Oh Lord
We can rock the world’s foundation
Yes we can
Better believe it
Wholly holy together and wholly
Holler love across the nation
Oh, oh
Wholly holy
We proclaim love, our salvation
Oooh, ooh…
Dah, dah, dah, dah
dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
‘Fore we see it you take it
Oh, make you wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
This ain’t livin’, This ain’t livin’
No, no baby, this ain’t livin’
No, no, no
Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Oh, make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
I can’t pay my taxes
Oh, make me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Yea, it makes me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God knows where we’re heading
Oh, make me wanna holler
They don’t understand
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we’re wrong
Who are they to judge us
Simply cause we wear our hair long
