Staff Pick - Marvin Gaye's "Number Ones"

Marvin Gaye helped to shape the sound of Motown Records in the 1960s with a string of hits, including "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

In 1970, Gaye recorded his new composition "What's Going On" after he witnessed an act of police brutality at an anti-war rally in Berkeley.  Upon hearing the song, Motown’s Berry Gordy refused its release thinking the song "too political" for radio.   Finally released in 1971, it reached number one on the R&B charts within a month, staying there for five weeks, selling over two million copies. 

-Wikipedia

"What's Going On" is the song I think of when the TV news reports on the continuing problems in our society today. The CD “Number Ones” is a good way to introduce yourself to this man’s music, and if you already know him, a good way to revisit the hits that made him famous.

If you'd like to check out Marvin Gaye's "Number Ones," you can find it in our catalog by clicking here.

-Nancy J.