timothyjamarbrown:

Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) — Marvin Gaye, 1971

“In 1969 or 1970, I began to re-evaluate my whole concept of what I wanted my music to say…I was very much affected by letters my brother was sending me from Vietnam, as well as the social situation here at home. I realized that I had to put my own fantasies behind me if I wanted to write songs that would reach the souls of people. I wanted them to take a look at what was happening in the world.”
— Marvin Gaye

I cannot believe that Motown head Berry Gordy didn’t want to release this album.

I mean, this song alone is a gem. The piano riff, the lyrics, and that coda - recalling the main theme from “What’s Going On”. Masterful……and we almost missed out on it because it wasn’t the “Motown sound”.

(via black-culture)