What's Happening Brother

Who it's for

Marvin Gaye sings as a veteran back from Vietnam, trying to make sense of a world where work is scarce and everything has shifted.

Feelings it meets

• War
• Feeling Stuck
• Major Life Transition
• Uncertainty

What it is

"What's Happening Brother," written by Marvin Gaye and James Nyx Jr., is the second track on the 1971 album What's Going On and segues directly from the title track. Part of the album's story told by a Vietnam veteran coming home, it addresses veterans' disillusionment and disconnection from civilian life. Gaye dedicated it to his brother Frankie, who served in Vietnam.

Where to find it

All major streaming services.

Before you start

Heads up: References to war.

Age: All ages

What passing-bells for these who die as cattle?Wilfred Owen, Poems, “Anthem for Doomed Youth”