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This week our host Jim Adams for Song Lyric Sunday has given us the prompt of “Motown Songs”. The goal is to take the prompt and profile a song that covers that challenge.

Please consider carving out time to read the posts of other bloggers who responded to this music challenge. You will hopefully discover new songs, revisit an old favorite and it is quite possibly learning something interesting.

Suggestions for Song Lyric Sunday

Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it contains the prompt words or not.  If it does not meet the criteria, then please explain why you chose this song.
• Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.  Your post can be as long or as short as you want it to be.
• Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
• Link to the YouTube video or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
• Ping back to this post or place your link in the comments section below.
• Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
• Feel free to suggest future prompts.
• Have fun and enjoy the music.

What’s Going On

My choice for the Motown prompt is “What’s Going On” was written by three golfing buddies who also happened to be Motown hitmakers: songwriter Al Cleveland, Four Tops member Renaldo “Obie” Benson and singer Marvin Gaye, who added lyrics and worked on the arrangement. Gaye wanted the Originals to record the song, but Benson and Cleveland prevailed upon Gaye to do it himself. Until this song, Gaye rarely participated in the songwriting process. For this album, he took control of the production so he could make a statement as an artist. 

The song was released in 1971 as a single.

This was one of the first Motown songs to make a powerful political statement. Stevie Wonder and the Temptations were also recording more serious and challenging material, which was a radical departure from the Motown hits of the ’60s. The song had a tremendous impact because listeners weren’t used to hearing social commentary from Gaye.

Lyrics

Video

Prompts in upcoming weeks can be found below:

December 4, 2022 – Indie Rock or Indie Pop songs
December 11, 2022 – Power Pop songs