My Greatest 100 (or so) Albums...

What's Going On (Motown, 1971) Marvin Gaye. This is where Marvin broke free from Motown's traditional production technique, and raised the bar for everyone. What's Going On is not only one of the best albums ever made, but it's one of the most important albums, too. Marvin showed Stevie Wonder and Curtis Mayfield, among others, just what was possible for the modern Soul Man. I generally despised overtly messagey stuff, but Marvin served it up right and kept it wonderfully tuneful. Here are the tracks:

"What's Going On" (Al Cleveland, Marvin Gaye, Renaldo Benson) – 3:52
"What's Happening Brother" (James Nyx, M. Gaye) – 2:44
"Flyin' High (In the Friendly Sky)" (M. Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover) – 3:49
"Save the Children" (Cleveland, M. Gaye, Benson) – 4:03
"God is Love" (M. Gaye, A. Gaye, Stover, Nyx) – 1:49
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (M. Gaye) – 3:49
"Right On" (Earl DeRouen, M. Gaye) – 7:31
"Wholly Holy" (Cleveland, M. Gaye, Benson) – 3:08
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" (M. Gaye, Nyx) – 5:26

What's Going On, Mercy Mercy Me, Save the Children and Inner City Blues, are my favorites, but every song here is tremendous and if you don't have this one, get it.