Artist	Song
Marvin Gaye	What's Going On
from Gold: Marvin Gaye (2005)
The Five Stairsteps	O-O-H Child
from The First Family of Soul: The Best of the Five Stairsteps (Remastered) (2001)
The Temptations	Ball of Confusion (That's What the World Is Today)
from My Girl: The Very Best of the Temptations (2002)
The O'Jays	Love Train
from The Essential O'Jays (2004)
Edwin Starr	War
from 20th Century Masters - The Millennium Collection: Motown 1970s, Vol. 2 (2001)
The Staple Singers	Respect Yourself
from The Best of the Staple Singers (2006)
Curtis Mayfield	Freddie's Dead (Theme from 'Superfly') [Single Mix]
from Superfly (2004)
Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes	Wake Up Everybody
from If You Don't Know Me By Now - The Best of Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes (1995)
Stevie Wonder	Living for the City
from Stevie Wonder: The Definitive Collection (2002)
Charles Wright & The Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band	Express Yourself
from Express Yourself - The Best of Charles Wright and the Watts 103rd Street Rhythm Band (1993)
The Undisputed Truth	Smiling Faces Sometimes
from The Best of Undisputed Truth - Smiling Faces (2003)
Marvin Gaye	Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
from Gold: Marvin Gaye (2005)
The Isley Brothers	Harvest for the World
from The Essential Isley Brothers (2004)
Bobby Womack	Across 110th Street
from The Best of Bobby Womack - The Soul Years (2008)
Isaac Hayes	Soulsville
from Shaft (2006)
James Brown	Get Up, Get Into It and Get Involved, Pt. 1
from James Brown: The 50th Anniversary Collection (2003)
The O'Jays	For the Love of Money
from The Essential O'Jays (2004)
The Commodores	This Is Your Life
from The Commodores: Anthology (2001)
Curtis Mayfield	Move On Up
from Future Shock (2007)
The Isley Brothers	Fight the Power, Pts. 1 & 2
from The Essential Isley Brothers (2004)
Billy Paul	Am I Black Enough for You?
from 360 Degrees of Billy Paul (2002)
Lee Dorsey	Yes We Can, Pt. 1
from Freedom for the Funk (2006)
The Chi-Lites	(For God's Sake) Give More Power to the People
from The Chi-Lites: 20 Greatest Hits (2001)
The O'Jays	Give the People What They Want
from Survival (2000)
James Brown	I Don't Want Nobody to Give Me Nothing (Open Up the Door I'll Get It Myself) [Single]
from JB40 (40th Anniversary Collection) (1996)
Earth, Wind & Fire	Mighty Mighty
from Open Our Eyes (1991)
Lee Dorsey	Freedom for the Stallion
from Freedom for the Funk (2006)
The Commodores	Sweet Love
from The Ultimate Collection: The Commodores (1997)

Comment:

Going back to slave-era spirituals, black music shrouded its message in code. By the ’70s the voice of black pride erupted like lava, burning its way through the thin veneer of concealed rage. In “War,” when Edwin Starr demanded, "What is it good for?" over those mighty horns and funky keys, he didn't wait for some politician to gush platitudes; he just ripped the truth straight from his gut: "absolutely [i]nothin'![/i]." In the deceptively up-tempo "Freddie's Dead (Theme from ‘Superfly’),” Curtis Mayfield's honey-sweet tenor seethes against the dope dealers' bloody carnage: "No one's serious, and it makes me furious!" But amid all this aggravation, in perhaps the most eloquent and understated plea for love and understanding ever set to music, Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On" reached out to show that not every hand was clenched into a fist. Don't stop exploring here; artists from Gil Scott-Heron to the Isley Brothers spread the gospel of newfound consciousness.

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