Marvin Gaye's "Whats Going On" was inspired by police brutality against (white) hippies

It began with the Hippies

"Hippies" come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but the word often conjures up images of white males in the 1960s with long hair, wearing bell bottoms, and getting high. This story is related explicitly to Caucasian hippies who were abused by the police in the early 1970s. Their situation led to the hit R&B song What's Going On, being released in 1971.

All the way to number one

This article focuses on the events that led to Marvin Gaye recording his most widely-known song. "What's Going On" was number one for five weeks on the Billboard R&B charts and spent one week at number one on the Cashbox pop chart. This recording is considered by some to be a masterpiece that is very relevant today, five decades after its release. This song is known as an anthem against the Vietnam War, and while that is true there is a deeper meaning behind it.

The Four Tops were involved

In 1969, the R&B group The Four Tops was on their tour bus, just arriving in San Franciso for a concert. According to one of the group members, Renaldo "Obie" Benson, the police were attacking a group of hippies who were not breaking the law. In the 2001 book, "What's Going On: Marvin Gaye and the Last Days of The Motown Sound," Benson expounds upon the incident. Here is a quote that he gave to music writer Ben Edmonds.

"The police was beatin’ on them, but they weren’t bothering anybody. I saw this, and started wondering what the f**k was going on. What is happening here? One question leads to another. Why are they sending kids so far away from their families overseas? Why are they attacking their own children in the streets here?"

White on White crime

The last line is very telling as it indicates that Benson was referring to white-on-white crime. He could not understand why white police officers were beating young white people who had done nothing more than gather in a vacant urban lot known as The People's Park. One might argue that perhaps Benson saw black-on-black crime, but keep in mind he said, "Why are they attacking their children." Also, during this period, hippies were overwhelmingly white, and there probably was not a significant African American presence on the police force.

Obie Benson was troubled by what he saw

Benson was so troubled by the incident that he began composing a song, but the other members of The Four Tops were not interested in a protest song. He next went to Marvin Gaye, who was more than willing because of horror stories his brother had told him about the Vietnam War.

Together with AL Cleveland, they came up with the recording we know and love today. When presented to Motown founder Berry Gordy, however, his initial response was that "What's Going On" was the worst song he had ever heard. Gordy needed new music from Gaye, so the recording was released at Hitsville USA, the home of Motown in Detroit, before moving to California.

What is going on?

Many people have utilized "What's Going On" over the years for various causes. Although it was written because of police brutality and the Vietnam War, its meaning holds today for what is going on in our nation. These three words come from the pain of mothers crying because their sons are dying, which is happening today just as when Marvin Gaye sang the song five decades ago.

What's Going On still resounds today

Marvin Gaye, Obie Benson, and Al Cleveland created a masterpiece that we still sing. Benson and Gaye have passed on, and Cleveland is a minister. Their collaboration will probably be the song of choice for as long as there are injustices in the land.