Collins' Oldies Site: Marvin Gaye | Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Marvin Gaye |
b. Marvin Pentz Gay Jnr., 2 April 1939, Washington, DC, USA, d. 1 April 1984, Los Angeles, USA. Gaye was named after his father, a minister in the Apostolic Church. The spiritual influence of his early years played a formative role in his musical career, particularly from the 70s onwards, when his songwriting shifted back and forth between secular and religious topics. He abandoned a place in his father's church choir to team up with Don Covay and Billy Stewart in the R&B vocal group the Rainbows. In 1957, he joined the Marquees, who recorded for Chess under the guidance of Bo Diddley. The following year the group was taken under the wing of producer and singerHarvey Fuqua, who used them to re-form his doo-wop outfit the Moonglows. When Fuqua moved to Detroit in 1960, Gay went with him: Fuqua soon joined forces with Berry Gordy at Motown, and Gay became a session drummer and vocalist for the label. In 1961, he married Gordy's sister, Anna, and was offered a solo recording contract. Renamed Marvin Gaye, he began his career as a jazz balladeer, but in 1962 he was persuaded to record R&B, and notched up his first hit single with the confident 'Stubborn Kind Of Fellow', a Top 10 R&B hit. This record set the style for the next three years, as Gaye enjoyed hits with a series of joyous, dance-flavoured songs that cast him as a smooth, macho, Don Juan figure. He also continued to work behind the scenes at Motown, co-writing Martha And The Vandellas' hit 'Dancing In The Street', and playing drums on several early recordings by Little Stevie Wonder. In 1965, Gaye dropped the call-and-response vocal arrangements of his earlier hits and began to record in a more sophisticated style. 'How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)' epitomized his new direction, and it was followed by two successive R&B number 1 hits, 'I'll Be Doggone' and 'Ain't That Peculiar'. His status as Motown's best-selling male vocalist left him free to pursue more esoteric avenues on his albums, which in 1965 included a tribute to the late Nat 'King' Cole and a collection of Broadway standards.
To capitalize on his image as a ladies' man, Motown teamed Gaye with their leading female vocalist, Mary Wells, for some romantic duets. When Wells left Motown in 1964, Gaye recorded with Kim Weston until 1967, when she was succeeded by Tammi Terrell. The Gaye/Terrell partnership represented the apogee of the soul duet, as their voices blended sensuously on a string of hits written specifically for the duo by Ashford And Simpson. Terrell developed a brain tumour in 1968, and collapsed onstage in Gaye's arms. Records continued to be issued under the duo's name, although Simpson allegedly took Terrell's place on some recordings. Through the mid-60s, Gaye allowed his duet recordings to take precedence over his solo work, but in 1968 he issued the epochal 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine' (written by Whitfield/Strong), a song originally released on Motown by Gladys Knight And The Pips, although Gaye's version had actually been recorded first. With its tense, ominous rhythm arrangement, and Gaye's typically fluent and emotional vocal, the record represented a landmark in Motown's history - not least because it became the label's biggest-selling record to date. Gaye followed up with another number 1 R&B hit, 'Too Busy Thinking 'Bout My Baby', but his career was derailed by the insidious illness and eventual death of Terrell in March 1970.
Devastated by the loss of his close friend and partner, Gaye spent most of 1970 in seclusion. The following year, he emerged with a set of recordings that Motown at first refused to release, but which eventually formed his most successful solo album. On 'What's Going On', a number 1 hit in 1971, and its two chart-topping follow-ups, 'Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)' and 'Inner City Blues', Gaye combined his spiritual beliefs with his increasing concern about poverty, discrimination and political corruption in American society. To match the shift in subject matter, Gaye evolved a new musical style that influenced a generation of black performers. Built on a heavily percussive base, Gaye's arrangements mingled jazz and classical influences into his soul roots, creating a fluid instrumental backdrop for his sensual, almost despairing vocals. The three singles were all contained on What's Going On, a conceptual masterpiece on which every track contributed to the spiritual yearning suggested by its title. After making a sly comment on the 1972 US presidential election campaign with the single 'You're The Man', Gaye composed the soundtrack to the 'blaxploitation' thrillerTrouble Man. His primarily instrumental score highlighted his interest in jazz, while the title song provided him with another hit single. Gaye's next project saw him shifting his attention from the spiritual to the sexual with Let's Get It On, which included a quote from T.S. Eliot on the sleeve and devoted itself to the art of talking a woman into bed. Its explicit sexuality marked a sea-change in Gaye's career; as he began to use cocaine more and more regularly, he became obsessed with his personal life, and rarely let the outside world figure in his work. Paradoxically, he continued to let Motown market him in a traditional fashion by agreeing to collaborate with Diana Ross on a sensuous album of duets in 1973 - although the two singers allegedly did not actually meet during the recording of the project. The break-up of his marriage to Anna Gordy in 1975 delayed work on his next album. I Want You was merely a pleasant reworking of the Let's Get It On set, albeit cast in slightly more contemporary mode. The title track was another number 1 hit on the soul charts, however, as was his 1977 disco extravaganza, 'Got To Give It Up'. Drug problems and tax demands interrupted his career, and in 1978 he fled the US mainland to Hawaii in a vain attempt to salvage his second marriage. Gaye devoted the next year to the Here My Dear double album, a bitter commentary on his relationship with his first wife. Its title was ironic: he had been ordered to give all royalties from the project to Anna as part of their divorce settlement.
With this catharsis behind him, Gaye began work on an album to be called Lover Man, but he cancelled its release after the lukewarm sales of its initial single, the sharply self-mocking 'Ego Tripping Out', which he had presented as a duet between the warring sides of his nature. In 1980, under increasing pressure from the Internal Revenue Service, Gaye moved to Europe where he began work on an ambitious concept album, In My Lifetime. When it emerged in 1981, Gaye accused Motown of remixing and editing the album without his consent, of removing a vital question-mark from the title, and of parodying his original cover artwork. The relationship between artist and record company had been shattered, and Gaye left Motown for Columbia in 1982. Persistent reports of his erratic personal conduct and reliance on cocaine fuelled pessimism about his future career, but instead he re-emerged in 1982 with a startling single, 'Sexual Healing', which combined his passionate soul vocals with a contemporary electro-disco backing. The subsequent album, Midnight Love, offered no equal surprises, but the success of the single seemed to herald a new era in Gaye's music. He returned to the USA, where he took up residence at his parents' home. The intensity of his cocaine addiction made it impossible for him to work on another album, and he fell into a prolonged bout of depression. He repeatedly announced his wish to commit suicide in the early weeks of 1984, and his abrupt shifts of mood brought him into heated conflict with his father, rekindling animosity that had festered since Gaye's adolescence. On 1 April 1984, another violent disagreement provoked Marvin Gay Snr. to shoot his son dead, a tawdry end to the life of one of soul music's premier performers.
Motown and Columbia collaborated to produce two albums based on Gaye's unfinished recordings. Dream Of A Lifetime mixed spiritual ballads from the early 70s with sexually explicit funk songs from a decade later, while Romantically Yours offered a travesty of Gaye's original intentions in 1979 to record an album of big band ballads. Although Gaye's weighty canon is often reduced to a quartet of 'I Heard It Through The Grapevine', 'Sexual Healing', What's Going On and Let's Get It On, his entire recorded output signifies the development of black music from raw rhythm and blues, through sophisticated soul to the political awareness of the early 70s, and the increased concentration on personal and sexual politics thereafter. Gaye's remarkable vocal range and fluency remains a touchstone for all subsequent soul vocalists, and his 'lover man' stance has been frequently copied as well as parodied.
Encyclopedia of Popular Music Copyright Muze UK Ltd. 1989 - 1998
Why Did I Choose You She Needs Me Funny, Not Much This Will Make You Laugh The Shadow Of Your Smile |
I Wish I Didn't Love You So I Won't Cry Anymore Why Did I Choose You (Alternate Vocal Performance) I Wish I Didn't Love You So (Alternate Vocal Performance) I Won't Cry Anymore (Alternate Vocal Performance) |
Disc 1 Intro/The Marvin Gaye Orchestra Third World Girl I Heard It Throught The Grapevine Come Get To This Let's Get It On God Is My Friend What's Going On Inner City Blues Rockin' After Midnight |
Disc 2 Medley: Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing/ Heaven Must Have Sent You/Lets Be Friends Joy (Dedication To My Father) Distant lover Interlude/ African Dance Sexual Healing Pride And Joy Stubborn Kind Of Fellow Highlights/ Interviews |
Disc 3 What's Going On Save The Children Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) I'm Going Home Piece Of Clay You're The Man - Pts. l And ll Checking Out (Double Clutch) Trouble Man Let's Get It On Come Get To This Just To Keep You Satisfied Pledging My Love My Mistake (Was To Love You) Distant Lover (Live) I Want You After The Dance |
Disc 4 Got To Give It Up - Pt. l Here, My Dear When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop... Anger Anna's Song A Funky Space Reincarnation When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop.. She Needs Me Why Did I Choose You Life Is For Learning Funk Me Love Me Now Or Love Me Later Ego Tripping Out The Star Spangled Banner I Heard It Through The Grapevine Rockin' After Midnight Sexual Healing The Lord's Prayer |
Disc 1 Stubborn Kind Of Fellow Pride And Joy Hitch Hike Wherever I Lay My Hat (That's My Home) What Do You Want With Him Once Upon A Time What's The Matter With You Baby Can I Get A Witness Couldn't Ask For More You're Wonderful I Wonder You're A Wonderful One It's Got To Be Love Try It Baby Leavin' My Love For You How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) Baby Don't You Do It Just Like A Man Pretty Little Baby Talk About A Good Feeling I'll Be Doggone Little Darling (I Need You) One More Heartache Ain't That Peculiar You're The One For Me Take This Heart Of Mine Your Unchanging Love |
Disc 2 It Takes Two I Couldn't Help Falling For You Lonely Lover Without Your Sweet Lovin' Ain't No Mountain High Enough If I Could Build My Whole World Around You Your Precious Love If This World Were Mine Without You (My World Is Lonely) Together We Stand (Divided We Fall) You Chained I Heard It Through The Grapevine You're What's Happening (In The World Today) This Love Starved Heart Of Mine (It's Killing Me) Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing Keep On Lovin' Me Honey You're All I Need To Get By Too Busy Thinking About My Baby More Than A Heart Can Stand How Can I Forget That's The Way Love Is Yesterday The End Of Our Road Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By What You Gave Me |
I'll Be Doggone Stubborn Kind Of Fellow Change What You Can Groovin' Feel All My Love Inside - (bonus track) After The Dance |
Far Cry You Sure Love To Ball I Wish It Would Rain Just To Keep You Satisfied - (bonus track) Life Is For Learning - (bonus track) |
Wherever I Lay My Hat Get My Hands On Some Lovin' No Good Without You You've Been A Long Time Coming When I Had Your Love You're What's Happening (In The World Today) Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever It's A Bitter Pill To Swallow Seek And You Shall Find |
Gonna Keep On Tryin' Till I Win Your Love Gonna Give Her All The Love I've Got I Wish It Would Rain - (bonus track) Abraham, Martin And John - (bonus track) Save The Children You Sure Love To Ball Ego Tripping Out Praise - (bonus track) Heavy Love Affair |
Introduction Third World Girl I Heard It Through The Grapevine Come Get To This God Is My Friend What's Going On Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing Your Precious Love Love Twins |
If This World Were Mine Joy Intermission/Percusssion Interlude Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Let's Get It On Distant Lover Rockin' After Midnight Sexual Healing The Final Chapter |
More Why Did I Choose You? Maria The Shadow Of Your Smile Fly Me To The Moon (In Other Words) I Won't Cry Anymore |
Just Like Walkin' In The Rain I Live For You Stranger In My Life Happy Go Lucky |
Sanctified Lady Savage In The Sack Masochistic Beauty It's Madness |
Ain't It Funny (How Things Turn Around) Symphony Life's Opera Dream Of A Lifetime |
How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) Your Precious Love If I Could Build My Whole World Around You That's The Way Love Is You're All I Need To Get By I Heard It Through The Grapevine Too Busy Thinking About My Baby What's Going On |
Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Trouble Man Let's Get It On Distant Lover Got To Give It Up (Part 1) |
What's Going On I Want You (Vocal) Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) My Mistake (Was To Love You) | I Heard It Through The Grape Vine Too Busy Talking About My Baby Ain't That Peculiar Let's Get It On Got To Give Up |
Midnight Lady Sexual Healing Rockin' After Midnight Til Tomorrow |
Turn On Some Music Third World Girl Joy My Love Is Waiting |
Here, My Dear I Met A Little Girl When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You Anger Is That Enough Everybody Needs Love Time To Get It Together | Sparrow Anna's Song When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Instrumental) A Funky Space Reincarnation You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You Falling In Love Again When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Reprise) |
Intro Theme All The Way 'Round Since I Had You Come Get To This Let's Get It On Trouble Man |
Medley I: Ain't That Peculiar/You're A Wonderful One/Stubborn Kind Of Fellow/ (more) Medley II: Inner City Blues/God Is Love/ What's Going On/ Save The Children Medley III: You're All I Need To Get By/Nothing Like The Real Thing/Your Precious Love Distant Lover Closing Theme Got To Give It Up |
I Want You - (vocal) Come Live With Me Angel After The Dance - (instrumental) Feel All My Love Inside I Wanna Be Where You Are I Want You - (intro jam) |
All The Way Around Since I Had You Soon I'll Be Loving You Again I Want You - (intro jam) After The Dance - (vocal) |
Let's Get It On I Want You How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) I Heard It Through The Grapevine Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) | What's Going On After The Dance Can I Get A Witness Trouble Man Distant Lover - (live) |
Introduction And Overture Trouble Man Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Distant Lover Jan Keep Gettin' It On I'll Be Doggone | Try It Baby
Can I Get A Witness You're A Wonderful One Stubborn Kind Of Fellow How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You Thanks To Orchestra Let's Get It On What's Going On? |
Disc 1 Stubborn Kind Of Fellow Hitch Hike Pride & Joy Can I Get A Witness Try It Baby What's The Matter With You Baby Baby Don't You Do It How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) I'll Be Doggone Ain't That Peculiar One More Heartache Take This Heart Of Mine Little Darling (I Need You) Sweeter As The Days Go By It Takes Two Ain't No Mountain High Enough Your Unchanging Love Sweet Thing Your Precious Love If I Could Build My Whole World Around You You Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing You're All I Need To Get By Chained I Heard It Through The Grapevine Too Busy Thinking About My Baby That's The Way Love Is | Disc 2 What's Going On God Is Love Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) Sad Tomorrows You're The Man-Pts. I & II The World Is Rated X Trouble Man Let's Get It On Come Get To This Just To Keep You Satisfied My Mistake (Was To Love You) Distant Lover (Live) I Want You After The Dance Got To Give It Up-Pt. I When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You Ego Tripping Out Praise Heavy Love Affair |
Let's Get It On Please Stay (Once You Go Away) If I Should Die Tonight Keep Gettin' In On |
Come Get To This Distant Lover You Sure Love To Ball Just To Keep You Staisfied |
What's Going On What's Happening Brother Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky) Save The Children God Is Love |
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) Right On Wholy Holy Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) |
I Heard It Through The Grapevine Pride And Joy The End Of Our Road Ain't That Peculiar Stubborn Kind Of Fellow Can I Get A Witness How Sweer It Is (To Be Loved By You) That's The Way Love Is |
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby Chained You're A Wonderful One Try It Baby I'll Be Doggone Hitch Hike You Baby Don't You Do It |
Gonna Give Her all the Love I've Got Yesterday Groovin' I Wish It Would Rain Thats The Way Love Is How Can I Forget You |
Abraham, Martin and John Gonna Keep on Tryin Till I Win Your Love No Time for Tears Cloud Nine Don't You Miss Me a Little Bit Baby So Long |
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby This Magic Moment That's The Way Love Is The End of Our Road Seek and You Shall Find Memories |
Only a Lonely Man Would Know It's a Bitter Pill to Swallow More Than a Heart Can Stand Try My True Love I Got to Get to California It Don't Take Much to Keep Me |
Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By California Soul Love Woke Me Up This Morning This Poor Heart of Mine I'm Your Puppet The Onion Song |
What You Gave Me Baby I Need Your Loving I Can't Believe You Love Me How You Gonna Keep It (After You Get It) More, More, More Satisfied Feelin |
Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing Keep On Lovin Me Honey You're All I Need to Get By Baby Don'tcha Worry You Ain't Livin Till You're Lovin Give In, You Just Can't Win | When Love Comes Knocking at My Heart Come On and See Me I Can't Help But Love You That's How It Is (Since You've Been Gone) I'll Never Stop Loving You Baby Memory Chest |
You Tear It Down Chained I Heard It through the Grapevine At Last (I Found a Love) Some Kind of Wonderful | Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever Change What You Can It's Love I Need Every Now and Then Your What's Happening (in the World Today) There Goes My Baby |
Ain't No Mountain High Enough You Got What It Takes If I Could Build My World Around You Somethin' Stupid Your Precious Love Hold Me Oh My Darling | Two Can Hav a Party Little Ole Boy/ Little ole Girl If This World Were Mine Sad Wedding Give a Little Love Oh How I'd Miss You |
It Takes Two I Love You, Yes I Do Baby I Need Your Loving It's Got To be a Miracle (This Thing Called Love) Baby Say Yes What Good Am I Without You Til There Was You Love Fell on Me Secret Love I Want You Round Heaven Sent You I Know When We're Together |
I'll be Doggone Little Darling (I Need You) Take This Heart of Mine Hey Diddle Diddle One More Heartache Ain't That Peculier | Night Life You've Been a Long Time Coming Your Unchanging Love You're the One for Me I Worry Bout You One for My Baby |
Hello Broardway People The Party's Over On the Street Where You Live What Kind of Fool Am I | Days of Wine and Roses This Is My Life My Way Hello Dolly Walk on the Wild Side |
Nature Boy Ramblin' Rose Too Young Pretend Straighten Up and Fly Right Mona Lisa | Unforgettable To the Ends of the Earth Sweet Lorraine It's Only a Paper Moon Send For Me Calypso Blues |
You've Changed I Was Telling Her About You I Wonder I'll 'Be Around Because of You |
I Don't Know Why I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face When Your Lover Has Gone When I'm Alone I Cry If My Heart Could Sing |
Once Upon a Time Deed I Do Until I Met You Together (I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons |
The Late Late Show After the Lights Go Down Low Squeeze Me What's the Matter With You Baby You Came a Long Way from St Louis |
You're a Wonderful One How Sweet It Is Try It Baby Baby, Don't You Do It Need Your Lovin One Of These Days |
No Good Without You Steping Closer to your Heart Need Somebody Me and My Lonely Room Now That You've Won Me Forever |
Stubborn Kind of Fellow Pride and Joy Hitch Hike Get My Hands on Some Loving Wherever I Lay My Hat | Soildier's Please It Hurt Me Too Taking My Time Hello There, Angel I'm Yours, You're Mine |
(I'm Afraid)The Masquerade is over My Funny Valentine Witchcraft Easy Living How Deep Is the Ocean |
Love for Sale Always How High the Moon Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide Never Let You Go (Sha-Lu-Bop) You Don't Know What Love Is |