53 Years Ago Today, One of the ‘Greatest Albums of All Time’ Released

In 1971, Motown artist Marvin Gaye shocked the world with his powerful, political concept album What’s Going On. Following the story of a Vietnam War veteran returning home to a land filled with hatred, the album was an instant hit, and is still considered an all-time soul classic; in fact, Rolling Stone named it the greatest album of all time. It seemed an impossible act to follow, but Gaye did just that by releasing Let’s Get It On, another classic that appears on many lists of the best albums ever recorded.

Let’s Get It On was released on August 28, 1973, and was his studio follow-up to What’s Going On after recording the soundtrack for the blaxploitation movie Trouble Man. Instead of re-treading what made What’s Going On great enough to catapult him into stardom, Gaye turned to new influences and styles, leaning into funk and doo-wop, while lyrically exploring sex and romance to heights that hadn’t been reached before. The result was something that was not just unique to his career, but unique to the entire scene of music at the time.

Let’s Get It On Changed Motown—And Music—Forever

Motown Records, a music label from Detroit that pioneered the popularity of soul and pop, had such a distinct sound that “Motown” became its own genre. By the early 1970s, when Gaye was recording Let’s Get It On, that signature sound’s shine was fading. Gaye experimented with that style, adding complex arrangements, funk influences, and multiple vocal tracks. The lyrics were much more steamy and explicit than the public was used to: it was later called “one of the most erotic recordings known to mankind“.

The albums featured on Rolling Stone‘s Top 500 Albums of All Time, Elvis Costello’s 500 Must-Have Albums, NME‘s All Times Top 100 Albums, The Times’ Top 100 Albums of All Time, and is featured in the Grammy Hall of Fame. With hits like the title track, “You Sure Love To Ball”, “Just To Keep You Satisfied”, and “Come Get to This” all popular after 53 years, people are still getting it on to Let’s Get It On.

source https://www.mensjournal.com/entertainment/53-years-ago-today-one-of-the-greatest-albums-of-all-time-released