"War Is Not The Answer...For Only Love Can Conquer Hate"

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 loving here today

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 loving 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 on

What's going on

Ah, what's going on

Father, 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

What's going on

Yeah, what's going on

Tell me what's going on

I'll tell you what's going on

During the 1960s, most songs were surrounded with themes of war and protest. Some songs influenced rallys and were the rebel yells for crowds of people against the Vietnam War. After secluding himself for almost two years, Marvin Gaye released his war-themed album What's Going On. Above are the lyrics to one of his hit songs from the record, also titled "What's Going On". In the song, told from the perspective of Gaye's brother, who was a returned soldier from combat, Marvin takes on a different perspective of protest and war. He says "Only love can conquer hate" and offers alternatives to protesting war. Instead of acting violently, he uses care and love as the alternative.

The song opens with the line "Mother mother, there's too many of you crying". Right away, the song gives an emotion of remorse and sadness at the occuring events. The verse continues with the line "Brother...there are far too many of you dying". By using the words "Mother", "Brother", "Father", it shows that the conflicts are close to home, relateable, and effective every aspect of family. But following these lines, Gaye says "You know we've got to find a way to bring some loving here today". He does not suggest violence and protests but wants peace to conquer the terrible war.

The line "picket lines and picket signs, don't punish me with brutality/talk to me so you can see what's going on" is a prime example of the alternatives the song offers. Instead of yelling and fighting, Marvin Gaye says to "talk" and learn about "what's going on". The lyrics are still anti-war: "war is not the answer/for only love can conquer hate", however, it's main power message is cooperation between those affected by the war.

A Life of Blues

April 2nd, 1939 - Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, D.C.

1958 - The Moonglows establish themselves and begin recording

1961 - Marvin Gaye is signed by a Midtown label. In the same year, he marries Anna Gordy.

1964 - Gaye scores his first chart topping Album Together, which was a series of duets with Mary Wells.

1967 - Duets with Tammi Terrel made Marvin Gaye a household name.

1968 - "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" : one of the many chart topping hits by Marvin Gaye.

March 16th, 1970 - Terrel dies of a brain tumor. Marvin Gaye disappears off the Motown scene.

1971 - Gaye releases What's Going On

1973 - Gaye releases Let's Get It On, which took Gaye's lyrics in a new direction. He moved from political to sexual

1975 - Marvin and Anna divorce; the event pushed back his album I Want You.

1978 - Here, My Dear is released but many of its singles fail to be chart topping hits. Gaye's drug problem increased and his second marriage to Janis Hunter began crumbling.

1981 - Because of pressures of the IRS, Gaye flees to Europe.

1982 - Signs with Columbia Records. Stories of erratic behavior and his addiction to cocaine began to spread. Yet, Gaye managed to release Midnight Love, which contained his Top Three hit "Sexual Healing".

1983 - At the NBA All Star Game, he did a rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" (linked in a previous post), which is still considered a legendary performance. It was also his final public appearance.

April 1st, 1984 - Gaye is shot and killed by his own father, one day before his 45th birthday.

2001 - A mass of successful recording artists, including Bono, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Gwen Stefani, Christina Aguilera, Nona Gaye, Alicia Keys, and Mary J. Blige, rerecorded his song "What's Going On". Proceeds went to Artists Against AIDS Worldwide.

10 Intriguing Facts

Did you know....

1. Marvin Gaye started his career as a member of in the doo-wop group, The Moonglows.

2. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

3. The first two Grammies he won were in 1983 with his song "Sexual Healing".

4. When his recording partner, Tammi Terrel collapsed in his arms on stage during a performance, Gaye was in shock. After she died of a brain tumor, he went into seclusion for nearly two years. When he finally reemerged, he came out with the album, What's Going On.

5. The album What's Going On was a concept album based on the Vietnam War.

6. The main song of the album, also titled "What's Going On", was written from the point of view of his brother, who, at the time, was a returned soldier from combat.

7. He married twice and wrote "Anna's Song" for his first wife. When he began seeing Janis Hunter, who was 17 years younger, Anna filed for divorce.

8. He quit high school and went into the air force but was discharged.

9. After moving back in with his parents, Gaye threatened to commit suicide on multiple occasions.

10. A day before his birthday, Marvin was shot by his father, who had been a minister. Ironically, the gun he was killed with was the gun he had given his father a couple weeks before.

Marvin Links

Here are a bunch of links if you want to learn more about Mr. Gaye.

Official Webpage - here is where I learned most of my information regarding Marvin Gaye and his music.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame - an official article regarding Marvin's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Pretty sweet.

Free Listening! - Listen to more of his music here for free!

The National Athem - Marvin Gaye doing his rendition of the National Anthem at a NBA All Star Game

Lyrics - Take some time and read in between the lines of Marvin's music