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Writing Unchained's avatar

a fine piece, Bret!

Jan Freijser's avatar

Ahhh it's been so long since I last listened to this brilliant piece! The vocals and the walking and talking bass only is just fantastic. The words here and there get veiled by the power of the music. This may be a personal thing, as I tend to ignore words in music as intrinsically alien elements. But the message of the words comes through anyway, in that beautiful voice, and thoughtful bass sounds. A bit like those Jasper Johns American flag paintings, that necessarily draw your gaze, until you realize they were painted on newspapers bearing reports of the Korean war. The text shimmering through the stars a stripes, revealing what's really going on...

Corinne M's avatar

The version of isolating Gaye’s vocals and Jamerson’s bass is gorgeous!! Thank you for posting the essay and the tracks

Melba's avatar

So well written Bret. So much truth that resonates from push-pull land. And just listening to Marvin and Jamerson...sublime.

Rudy Bluster's avatar

Great article! I don't know why What's Going On song or album has never been a go-to for me, but it sure is soulful and Funky for sure.

Manuela Thiess Garcia's avatar

Did not know that Marvin Gaye was such an advocate of social causes!

Justin E. Schutz's avatar

For me (hometown Motown) I read this piece like you writing about Trane. Nobody breaks it down like you do. Like A Love Supreme, I’m sure I have passed hundreds of listens some time ago. It is a goto like ‘Supreme. Certain moments for both of them, gotta have it.

As always, thank you for your outstanding work!

Tu escribe para música es premero, todo, solamente! 😎☯️

Richard Dubin's avatar

Evocative and potent music. I used it to button the only hour long episode of FRANK'S PLACE, the one entitled "Cool and The Gang." It's about children in the drug trade on the streets of Nawlins.