Marvin Gaye's iconic What's Going On turns 50 this year and to celebrate there's a new Deluxe 50th Anniversary Edition that's out digitally today. It combines tracks from previously released special editions, and includes the original album, plus 12 bonus tracks featuring each of the LP’s original mono single versions and their B-sides. Two of those b-sides – “God Is Love” and “Sad Tomorrows” -- are different takes, and there's also an earlier version of “Flying High (in the Friendly Sky)” as well as the original single version of “What’s Going On” with no “party” intro and a false fade.
There's also a few other mixes of the title track, including an early mix which Motown used as a reference and contains no orchestration, a “Coffeehouse Mix” by that emphasizes the acoustic guitars, an instrumental mix, and more.
They've also released "The Detroit Mix" of the whole album, which was the original mix -- more stripped back and percussive -- which Gaye scrapped and redid in Los Angeles. "The Detroit Mix" was unreleased till the 30th Anniversary edition of the album in 2001.
Also out digitally is Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals, which features 14 tracks Gaye recorded in late summer and fall of 1971 instead of touring for What’s Going On?. Most of the tracks went unreleased till the 40th anniversary edition of What's Going On? in 2011 and this marks the first time they've gotten their own digital release.
You can listen to all three of these releases, and check out the tracklists, below.
"Inner City Blues" from What's Going On made our list of 30 Essential Psychedelic Soul Songs.
What's Going On: Deluxe Edition/50th Anniversary Set 1: Original Album 1. What's Going On - 03:51 2. What's Happening Brother - 02:57 3. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) - 03:40 4. Save The Children - 03:04 5. God Is Love - 02:31 6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - 03:05 7. Right On - 07:20 8. Wholy Holy - 03:20 9. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - 05:16
Set 2: Bonus Tracks 1. What's Going On (Mono Single Version) - 0:03:54 2. God Is Love (Single Version) - 0:02:51 3. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) (Mono Single Version) - 0:02:30 4. Sad Tomorrows (Mono Single Version) - 0:02:23 5. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) (Mono Single Version) - 0:02:58 6. Wholy Holy (Mono Single Version) - 0:03:09 7. What's Going On (mix 1/no horns or strings) - 0:03:46 8. What's Going On (rhythm & strings mix) - 0:03:50 9. What's Going On (Coffeehouse Mix by Russ Elevado) - 0:03:56 10. What's Going On (duet with B.J. the Chicago Kid) - 0:05:06 11. Symphony (Demo Version) - 0:02:49 12. I Love the Ground You Walk On (instrumental) - 0:02:27
What’s Going On: The Detroit Mix 1. What's Going On - 04:07 2. What's Happening Brother - 02:43 3. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) - 03:48 4. Save The Children - 04:01 5. God Is Love - 01:46 6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - 03:07 7. Right On - 07:31 8. Wholy Holy - 03:07 9. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) - 05:45
Funky Nation: The Detroit Instrumentals 1. Checking Out (Double Clutch) - 04:51 2. Chained - 02:54 3. Country Stud - 01:56 4. Help the People - 02:16 5. Running from Love (Version 1) - 03:07 6. Daybreak - 02:05 7. Doing My Thing - 02:04 8. “T” Stands For Time - 02:38 9. Jesus Is Our Love Song - 03:07 10. Funky Nation - 03:02 11. Infinity - 02:39 12. Mandota - 03:25 13. Struttin’ the Blues - 03:47 14. Running from Love (Version 2 with Strings) - 05:05
