berry gordy was a songwriter. he said, we're gonna make music for the world.at changed in the 70s. george: marvin wanted to compete on a high level. "why can't i make a record like the beatles? i'm selling records like they sell. why can't i have that artistic expression?" ♪ picket signs ♪ ♪ don't punish me ♪ ♪ with brutality ♪ ♪ talk to me, honey, so you can see ♪ ♪ oh, what's goin' on ♪ ♪ what's goin' on ♪ ♪ hey, what's goin' on ♪ ♪ tell me what's goin' on ♪ ♪ ooh ♪ graham: marvin gaye was very much affected by the vietnam war. his brother was in vietnam, so he's hearing all these stories about what's going on over there. he's seeing the protest here, and it's changing him. he holds up a mirror to america. "look at yourselves, america." graham: he's talking about the war, he's talking about poverty, changing him as an artist in a way that berry gordy is not super happy about. ♪ mother, mother ♪ ♪ everybody thinks we're wrong ♪ ♪ they do ♪ initially berry gordy did not want marvin to do "what's goin' on." questlove: motown was supposed to be non-threatening.