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I admit, I found it unsettling to hear former Mouseketeer Britney Spears crooning "Barricades can't block our way," and the Backstreet Boys' sugary rendition of "You see war is not the answer" was just as jarring. Truly, things ain't what they used to be. But activist Leigh Blake, who initiated the project, said that all the artists involved, no matter what their backgrounds, understood the significance of the lyrics.
"'N Sync -- who thought they'd know anything?" she told Jesse Kornbluth, who covered the recording session for Salon.com. "But Justin really got it. So did Britney, so did Alicia Keys. People did their parts and cried."
The ability to move people on a deep emotional level was Gaye's gift. Happily, he passed it on to his daughter Nona Gaye, whose achingly familiar voice can also be heard on the CD: Oh my father, father, we don't need to escalate.
We can memorialize the day of Gaye's death on April 1, or we can celebrate the day of his birth on April 2. His duality continues to unfold and his hopeful manifesto continues to communicate to new generations. What's Going On was the first album out of Motown to include the printed lyrics of the songs in the album liner. Marvin Gaye had something to say and he wanted to make sure people got the message. Thirty-one years later, we're still getting it. *