"What's going on", no seriously What's going on?

Fred Durst's bit is the best thing in it. On the other hand I don't like the song anyway, though clearly the original is better than this thing.

Tom, stop kidding around, damn it. You're scaring me.

No, David, I'm entirely serious. I'm going to write it up for NYLPM I think.

Just goes to show that American "Lad" rock is worse than even the worst UK "Dad" Rock. Fred Durst is a talentless troglodyte and the sooner Marilyn Manson sacrifices him to His Dark Lord, the happier I'll be.

i have not heard this yet. (although i suppose i have to for the focus group eventually.) but tom telling me last night that he thought fred durst was the best thing about it makes me so very, very afeared.

I am not using the phrase "best thing" in a strictly musical sense.

Heard this cover the other day. Never heard song before. Didn't get a high opinion of the song from the cover.

I don't believe you, pinefox.

Oh, I believe him.

But how? Is pinefox really Brendan Fraser in Blast From The Past?

i believe him. and it's still scary.

Come on, Puff Daddy/P Diddy and Durst-boy on the same record? How good is that? And the video, when Freddie does his you/me/together thing...you can't write stuff that funny.

I only heard part of the new version once, but it's clearly an improvement on the original. Marvin Gaye's "What's Goin' On" is one of the worst singles in the history of pop.

Ok firstly let me say, great cause.

Hardly reason enough for existing.

Otis, you goof.

Having read Tom's explanation, I now see where you're coming from, Mr. E. However, from what I heard, the song was all but finished before 9/11 - it was originally created for some sort of AIDS charity / awareness thing (which, obviously, has made ME very aware, yeah). Fred's verse was added on to acknowledge the attacks. Bono & Co. piggybacking two causes (as noted in Fred's original NYLPM write- up, if I'm not mistaken).

I feel much better now, though, knowning WHY you like it, Tom. I can stop medicating myself. (Damn, that sounds snarky, don't it? I'll go make fun of MJ again - lord knows he's making his presence felt tonight, damn it all. On BOTH music channels. Crap.)

OW = OTM. WGO = ALS of soul.

DAR = WTF????

That means I need explanations re: the right sides of those two Sinker equations.

And Ned's vitriol and vinegar (actually, ALL our V&V) should be saved for that patriotic pox Christians call LEE GREENWOOD.

Tom, the next time I see you, remind me to grasp you by the shoulders and shake you willy-nilly for the above comment. Fred Durst's verse is so bad it isn't even funny. (Although, the part of the video where they show him WRITING IT OUT, implying that premeditation went into it and it wasn't just some unfortunate freestyle was pretty funny.)

otm = on the money
als = a love supreme

"What's Goin' On" is an excellent song.

The best part about the cover, on the other hand, is the rhythm track (?uestlove!).

I thought your NYLPM piece was great (sic). I haven't heard the new one yet but I'm sold. Good work.

But Tom, I have to know: Do you like Marvin Gaye at all? I find that "What's Going On" in any form has been killed for me by over use, but the rest of that album (and era of Gaye) is full of good stuff.

The best/saddest thing (apologies if this point has been made a million times before) is that it omits lines like "War is not the answer / for only love can conquer hate". Regardless of whether or not you believe in this sentiment, dropping it just seems so cheap, and yet in this climate inevitable. "Oh, that was the 70s, this is now." "We wouldn't want to say anthing controversial - this is all about coming together". It robs the song of its moral core and turns it into a head-emerging-blinking-from-the-sand 'ooh - why is the world so bad?' piece of nonsense.

But then I've only heard it once so I may be wrong.

Is the song very well-known? I've seen the LP referred to a lot in polls over the years, but never heard it. Perhaps it's an American thing.

No pinefox, it isn't an American thing. It's really very very well known.

luckily i bought the What's Going On LP before it started appearing again in all those top 100 albums lists. it would be one of my favourite albums, but something i never play. it's nice to have a little piece of musical perfection tucked away on the shelf. Sinker is wrong! buy it - it's 'proper' songwriting, orchestration etc - a concept album that works

also there are many, many brilliant soul, jazz, funk and easy covers of tracks from the album, and i'm a sucker for a good cover version. i imagine this latest cover doesn't fit into that category

Um, Nick? They didn't take the "War is not the answer" line out. Whoever is singing right before Christina Aguilera sings it.

I still want Fred Durst's head on a stick for his verse. I'd rather have Michael Stipe sing the whole thing.

I had a feeling I was going to wrong about this! Thanks, Dan. Like I said, I only heard it once, and was listening out for that line. I'm glad they keep it in, then. Brave, given the degree of pro-bombing consensus among the public. I take it all back.

I still want Fred Durst's head on a stick for his verse. I'd rather have Michael Stipe sing the whole thing.

I'm afraid I can never forgive you for that comment, Dan. Nothing is worse than Michael Stipe.

Oh yes there is; Fred Durst. The man isn't even SATAN, because at least being SATAN would strike fear into the hearts of mortal man. Fred Durst inspires half-hearted snickering. The man has become so pathetic that even laughing at him has become tiresome and tedious.

Michael Stipe singing one of his own songs varies from pretty great to the end of the world. Michael Stipe doing an uninflected version of someone else's good song has to be better than Freddy-Poo's turbo- whine.

Oh, and in case it wasn't clear; Michael Stipe singing "What's Going On" is about as close as you can get to the end of the world without including Fred Durst or Jessica Simpson.

Imagine if Jessica Simpson, Michael Stipe and Fred Durst all teamed up to do Let's Get It On.

No.

Cyndi Lauper versh is obviously best, HELLO

Yeah, if you're a crackhead.

Ally, I would agree with you, but the image you've put in my head is so awful and soul-crushing that I'm too busy curled up in the corner weeping.

Fuck shit piss cock, I forgot all about "Let's Get It On". That's even fucking worse than "What's Goin' On".

Wheeler just took crack.

And Ned's vitriol and vinegar (actually, ALL our V&V) should be saved for that patriotic pox Christians call LEE GREENWOOD.

Isn't that like missing the forest for the trees?

Just to back up Pinefox, I haven't knowingly heard the original or the cover. Out of curiosity, why is it so shocking that someone hasn't heard it? Where is it played all the time that I'd have heard it? Is it sort of like the way I assume everyone's heard "Sunshine of Your Love" or "Highway Star?"

Wheeler. You listen to me, you drunk ass fucker. You are wrong. What's Going On is clearly way, way worse, in that it's about SOCIAL PROBLEMS and not DOING IT. It's way more like serious and shit, so therefore it is ass.

So you calm down.

PS Ramon agrees. He is reading over my shoulder. And watching the game. He says the Yankees are the greatest team in the history of baseball, take that Raposa.

Nyeah. I'd be a flat-out dolt to ignore the Yankees' excessive run of success, in the past & present. But, hell, when you're playing a team whose manager doesn't know his ass from a divot on the pitcher's mound, it's easy to look good. Not to take anything away from those lucky, opportunistic bastards.

I will take time out to note that I do feel a little flattered that Ms. Ally took time away from her busy schedule to nyeah-nyeah little old me. So set me up w/ a hotel room already, you nut. (PS - Hi, Ramon. Pleasure to make your acquaintance & stuff.)

PPS - This song (Nelly's verse notwithstanding) still sucks.

And, Ned, please explain yo delf. Forest, trees, MP, YP - all I know is that the magic on those tapes is OURS, man.

Sundar, it's "shocking" because it's one of the classics, man. Comparable with never having heard, say 'Blowin in the Wind'. Personally I think 'What's Going On' is sentimental bollocks. ('Highway Star' rocks though ;)

Who's Highway Star by? Seriously.

Clue: they are named for a Nat King Cole song, and brit-composer Malcolm Arnold made approving noises abt their "Concerto for Rock Group and Orchestra" (MA = on the pipe w.Otis in this regard)

Oh, The Purp! I have only a surface knowledge of their work. Great TV prog on them in the Pete Frame family trees series a couple of years back. Some quotes :

Jon Lord " Will Gillan ever re-join Deep Purple? (Pause) Lap of the Gods stuff that, isn't it"

Ian Gillan " So I banged my fist on the table and said 'Is this a ROCK BAND OR WHAT'"

Of course the *real* fans call them "the 'ple"

Taking Sides: Gaye vs Gillan

Never heard of 'Highway Star' either.

And in other news, Dog bites man

Nyeah. I'd be a flat-out dolt to ignore the Yankees' excessive run of success, in the past & present. But, hell, when you're playing a team whose manager doesn't know his ass from a divot on the pitcher's mound, it's easy to look good. Not to take anything away from those lucky, opportunistic bastards.

Oh yeah, that's what it is, luck and opportunity. Obviously, every year the best team from the other league is a bunch of bumblefucks with bad management that somehow managed to get to the World Series anyhow, probably cos the rest of the NL is filled with even worse bumblefucks.

Boston fans are poor, poor losers when it comes to the Yankees, that's all there is to it. Boston = Ass, Arizona = Ass, Seattle = Ass, and just for good measure because they've been ignored due to being ass, Atlanta = Super Ass. It's always something besides the fact that the Yankees are good; it's that they are lucky, it's that they spend a lot of money, it's that for some inexplicable reason the other team that was good all year and sometimes has a better record than the Yanks has completely gone to shit for no apparent reason all of a sudden. WHich is so much more likely than the idea that the Yankees are just a really excellent pressure team.

Ahem. Sorry to hijack the thread and all.

What it is is that the Yanks are the best team in the history of baseball by such a wide margin that saying how good they are is not an option.

"Let's Get It On" is worse than "What's Goin' On" because it's clearly the better song. Contrarian impulses take precedence over germane aesthetic judgements; if they didn't, I'd be rooting for the Yankees.

Hmmm. I admit to being intrigued by this theory. That really explains pretty much everything you've ever liked, Wheeler.

Gillan's 'No Laughing In Heaven' EP is his masterpiece to date.

I was a pretty heavy NME reader round abt the time they declared that 'What's Going On' was the best alb of all time. Dunno if Mark S were there at the time - might explain his antipathy? Blood on the editorial carpet when the soul boy faction wrestled w/the office rockers? And does WTG still feature in those kind of lists? (WTB, btw, might be a sappy-minded slush-fest but it still pisses over the NME's early 80s 'soul' picks - Bobby Womack's 'The Poet' and Anita Baker's 'Rapture' etc. etc. )

Marvin's 'Trouble Man' S/T is gd funk and the 'Here My Dear' dbl alb is as personal, single-minded, fucked up, frightening and intimate as anything by Sly Stone, Brian Wilson, Dennis WIlson, Leonard Cohen, Nick Cave and all the other 'mad genius' types. I'm sure MG wld love the fact that one of his songs is being used in this way - don't all pop stars like to be 'flattered' by their juniors?

Oops. "Mark S were there" - not a sudden onset of FatNickitus but genuine Friday night wooziness. WAS there...

Just say you were using the subjunctive and every will nod blankly...

And, Ned, please explain yo delf.

Not if you talk to me like that I won't! ;-)

So, where as all the other vocalists are bland and forgettable, Durst is grating and stupid. Doesn't really warrant praise in my book.

Steinbrenner bought another series. Rah rah rah. If it weren't for the fact New Yorkers need something to cheer about, it'd bother me a bit more.

This song is good for when you sit with your friends and play a game of who can recognize the most pop stars. You can only play it once though.

I hate it when people say "Such and such sports team bought their victory" - oh, yes, having fans that support you and make you able to afford the best is such a horrible thing. Do all you people support communistic governments too, since you support communistic sports teams? Good heavens.

WHY IS THERE A POOL IN BANK ONE BALLPARK?

Sorry for the thread hijacking but quite frankly there's only so much one can say about What's Going On.