Marvin Gaye

Welcome, music aficionados, to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Jumpin' John, and in this podcast episode I will discuss the career of the talented songwriter, singer, and producer:  Marvin Gaye! 

All podcasts on the Rock and Roll Flashback Podcast are produced by brothers-in-law Bill Price and "Jumpin' John" McDermott. The Podcast Theme Song, "You Essay", was written by John. It was initially recorded by Bill and John on April 1, 2004 with several revisions since then.
Multiple promo videos and photos for Rock and Roll Flashback Podcasts are available on the following social media sites:

https://www.youtube.com/@RockandRollFlashback

https://www.facebook.com/rockandrollflashbackpodcast

https://www.instagram.com/jumpinjohnmcdermott/

Bill and John welcome your feedback and comments, and they can be emailed to rockandrollflashback@outlook.com.
Thank you for listening to Rock and Roll Flashback Podcasts!
Until next time...
Rock On!

Transcript

Thank you for that introduction and welcome, music aficionados, to Rock and Roll Flashback!  I'm Jumpin' John, and in this podcast episode I will discuss the career of the talented songwriter, singer, and producer:  Marvin Gaye!

Marvin Pentz Gaye, Jr. was born in Washington, D.C., on April 2nd, 1939.  He was raised under the strict control of his father, the Reverend Marvin Gay Sr.  Their last name was spelled G-A-Y, but (as I will mention later) Marvin Jr. added the "e" on the end of his name in 1961.  Living in a neighborhood prone to widespread violence, throughout his childhood Marvin Gaye often found peace in music.  At a young age he sang solos in his father's church and also learned how to play piano and drums.  

Young Marvin would soon develop a love for R&B and doo-wop that would set the foundation for his career.  At Cardozo High School, Gaye joined several doo-wop vocal groups, including the Dippers and the D.C. Tones.  In 1956, 17-year-old Marvin dropped out of high school and enlisted in the US Air Force.  Once his service concluded, he returned to Washington, D.C. and the city's doo wop scene.  With his friend Reese Palmer he became part of the vocal quartet called the Rainbows.   The Rainbows soon became the Marquees, and with Bo Diddley, the Marquees recorded "Hey Little School Girl" backed with "Wyatt Earp".  That 45 did not chart.  

The co-founder of the Moonglows, Harvey Fuqua, was intrigued by Gaye's range of vocal styles, and in 1959 he hired The Marquees as employees.  Under Fuqua's direction, the group changed their name to Harvey and the New Moonglows and moved to Chicago.  The group recorded several sides for Chess Records in 1959.  One of the songs was "Mama Loocie", which was Marvin Gaye's first lead vocal recording.  The group also worked as session singers for established acts such as Chuck Berry, singing on the songs "Back in the U.S.A." and "Almost Grown".  The New Moonglows split up in 1960, and Gaye followed Fuqua to Detroit, Michigan.  Marvin signed with Tri-Phi Records as a session musician, playing drums on several Tri-Phi releases.  Motown president Berry Gordy was impressed, and Fuqua agreed to sell Gordy part of his interest in his contract with Gaye.  So, in 1961 Marvin Gaye signed on to the Motown subsidiary Tamla, and that's when Marvin started spelling his surname with the added "e", in the same way as did Sam Cooke. 

Initially, Gaye planned to specialize in singing standards and jazz, but Gordy wanted him to aim toward a younger audience.  His May 1961 debut single was "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide", followed the next month by his first album The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye.  Neither the single nor the album had any commercial success.  As he was slowly establishing his singing career, Gaye earned side money by playing sessions as a drummer.  He would play drums with such artists as Little Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Marvelettes, Martha and the Vandellas, The Miracles, and Jimmy Reed.  He also began writing songs, and scored his first hit as a songwriter in the summer of 1962.  That's when the Marvelettes took a song he co-wrote "Beechwood 4-5789", to #17 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #7 in the R&B chart.  Then, starting in October 1962, Gaye performed as part of the Motortown Revue, a series of concert tours headlined on the north and southeastern coasts of the United States at venues that welcomed predominantly black musicians.  

Gaye's first solo singing success, "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", was released in September 1962.  It reached #8 on the R&B chart and #46 on the Billboard Hot 100.  That was followed by the dance song, "Hitch Hike", which peaked at #30 on the Hot 100.  In the summer of 1963 Marvin cracked the top 10 in the pop charts when his song "Pride and Joy" reached #10.  Those three singles were included on Gaye's second album, That Stubborn Kinda Fellow, released on Tamla in January 1963.  A filmed performance of Gaye at the Apollo Theater took place in June 1963. Later that October, Tamla issued the live album, Marvin Gaye Recorded Live on Stage.  In September 1963 "Can I Get a Witness" was released as a single, and by the end of the year it had peaked at #3 in the R&B chart and #22 on the Hot 100. 

1964 would prove to be a productive year for Marvin Gaye, when he placed four hits in the top 20 of the pop charts.  "You're a Wonderful One" reached #3 in the R&B and #15 in the Hot 100 charts.  "Try It Baby" reached #6 in the R&B and #15 in the Hot 100 charts.  Also, a 2-sided single of duets he recorded with Mary Wells saw both songs reaching the Top 20 of the Hot 100.  "What's the Matter with You Baby" hit #17 in the Hot 100 and "Once Upon a Time" reached #19.  Both songs appeared on the duet album he recorded with Wells entitled Together.  That album reached #42 on the pop album chart.  Additionally that year, a song that he co-wrote, "Dancing in the Street", recorded by Martha & the Vandellas, reached #2 in the Hot 100.  Marvin appeared in the concert film The T.A.M.I. Show, which was released on December 29th of that year.

In November 1964 Tamla released Gaye's recording of "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)".  By January 1965 the song had reached #6 on the Hot 100,  #3 on the R&B chart, and #49 in the UK.  He also had two other singles hit #1 on the R&B charts in 1965: "I'll Be Doggone" and "Ain't That Peculiar".  Both songs hit #8 in the Hot 100 and became million-sellers.  Gaye started getting television exposure around this time, on shows such as American Bandstand.  

Marvin's 1966 his version of "One More Heartache" reached #4 on the R&B chart.  It was his only pop Top 40 hit that year, reaching #29 on the Hot 100.  January 1967 saw Marvin's duet with Kim Weston, called "It Takes Two," peak at #14 on the Hot 100 chart and #4 on the R&B chart.  Then Gaye began working with Tammi Terrell on a successful series of chart smashing duets.  Their first song, "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" became a classic.  The song spent three weeks at #3 on the R&B chart and reached #19 on the Hot 100.  In 1999 the duo's version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.  The Gaye and Terrell duet was included in the soundtrack for the 1998 film Stepmom, the 2000 film Remember the Titans, and the 2014 film Guardians of the Galaxy.  Marvin and Tammi continued their successful collaboration with four more hits:  1967's "Your Precious Love" went to #2 on the R&B chart and #5 on the Hot 100.  "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" reached #2 on the R&B chart and #10 on the Hot 100 in early 1968.  Also in 1968 "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" hit #1 on the R&B chart and #8 on the Hot 100.  1968's "You're All I Need to Get By"  peaked at #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Soul Singles chart for five weeks.  "You're All I Need to Get By" became one of the longest-running #1 R&B hits of 1968 and the most successful duet recording of Marvin Gaye's career.  It also reached #19 on the British singles charts in late 1968, staying there for 19 weeks.

During an October 14th, 1967 concert in Virginia, Tammi Terrell collapsed in Marvin Gaye's arms on stage.  Doctors discovered that she had a malignant tumor in her brain, and the diagnosis ended Terrell's career as a live performer.  Gaye was reportedly devastated by Terrell's sickness.  Nevertheless, Gaye's successful solo career continued.  

In late 1968, Gaye's recording of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" became his first single to reach #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.  Released on October 30th, the single spent seven weeks at the top of the pop charts in early 1969, matching that streak on the R&B charts.  "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"  also reached #1 in the UK, and ultimately sold over four million copies.  In 1998, the Marvin Gaye version of the song was inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame for "historical, artistic and significant" value.  In June 2008, on the commemorative fiftieth anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 issue of Billboard magazine, the Marvin Gaye version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" was ranked as the 65th biggest song on the chart.

His follow up single, 1969's "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby", peaked at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and remained at the #1 position on the R&B chart for 6 consecutive weeks.  With sales close to two million records, the single reached #5 in the UK and was the top-selling R&B single of the year in the US.  It also reached #14 on Billboard’s year-end charts. 

1969's "That's the Way Love Is" became Marvin's third consecutive million-selling solo hit.  The song peaked at #7 on the Billboard pop singles chart and held the #2 spot for five weeks on the soul singles chart in October 1969.  Also that year his album M.P.G. became his first #1 album on the R&B album charts.  During this period, Gaye produced and co-wrote two songs for The Originals:  "Baby I'm For Real" and "The Bells".

Sadly, Tammi Terrell died from brain cancer on March 16th, 1970.  Gaye took Terrell's death hard.  He retreated from the spotlight in early 1970, the result of personal problems and professional disillusionment.  Then on June 1st, 1970, Gaye returned to Hitsville U.S.A., where he recorded his new composition "What's Going On".  The song was inspired by an idea from "Obie" Benson of the Four Tops after he witnessed an act of police brutality at an anti-war rally in Berkeley, California.  Gaye's progressive politics and expansive music were quite evident in his new style.  Motown head Berry Gordy wasn't eager to embrace this change and refused to release "What's Going On".  However, after Gaye refused to record any other new material, Gordy relented and released the single in January 1971.  "What's Going On" quickly reached #1 on the R&B charts within a month, staying there for five weeks.  It also reached #1 on Cashbox's pop chart for a week and reached #2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and on the Record World charts, selling over two million copies.

After giving an ultimatum to record a full album to win creative control from Motown, Gaye recorded the What's Going On album that March.  The album peaked at #6 and stayed on the Billboard Top LPs for over a year.  What's Going On became Gaye's second #1 album on Billboard's Soul LPs chart, where it stayed for nine weeks.  The album then held the #2 Top Soul LP spot for another 12 weeks.  With the What's Going On album, Marvin Gaye departed from the tried and true Motown formula.  Gaye's introspective lyrics in the album's songs explored themes of drug abuse, poverty, the Vietnam War, and also promoted awareness of ecological issues.  Another two of those album songs also had success as singles.  "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" would reach #1 on the R&B chart and #4 on the Hot 100 chart.  The "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" single peaked at #9, giving Gaye three Top 10 songs on Billboard's Pop Singles chart.  He was also one of the first performers to have three consecutive #1 hits on Billboard's R&B Singles chart.  All three single releases from the What's Going On album gained Gold status by each selling over 1 million copies in the United States.  For the album, Gaye received two Grammy Award nominations at the 1972 ceremony and several NAACP Image Awards.  Billboard magazine named Gaye the "Trendsetter of the Year" following the album's success.  The LP also topped Rolling Stone's year-end list as its "Album of the Year".  In 2003 What's Going On was chosen for inclusion by the Library of Congress to its National Recording Registry.

In 1971, Gaye signed a new deal with Motown worth $1 million dollars, making it the most lucrative deal by a black recording artist at the time.  His first production after receiving the new contract was the soundtrack and subsequent score, Trouble Man, released in late 1972.  Before the release of Trouble Man, Marvin released a single called "You're the Man".  The single reached #7 on the R&B chart, but only hit #50 on the Hot 100 chart.  Consequently, Marvin abandoned the You're the Man album, which eventually would be released posthumously in 2019. 

In 1972, Gaye moved to Los Angeles and soon met Janis Hunter, who would later become his second wife.  Inspired in part by his newfound independence, Gaye recorded one of the most revered love anthems of all time, "Let's Get It On."  "Let's Get It On" reached #1 on the 

Billboard Pop Singles chart in September 1973.  The single remained at #1 for two weeks, while also remaining at the top of the Billboard Soul Singles chart for eight weeks.  The single stayed inside the Billboard Hot 100 top 10 for 13 weeks, 10 of those weeks inside the top five. 

Billboard ranked it as the #4 song for 1973.  At the time, the single was Motown's largest-selling recording ever, selling over four-million copies in 1973 and 1974.  The single was certified Platinum in sales by the RIAA.

The Let's Get It On album was released in August 1973, and it would become Gaye's best-selling record of his tenure with Motown.  The album peaked at #2 on the US Billboard Top LPs chart.  It also managed to reach #1 in Cash Box for a week, as well as two weeks at the top of Record World's music charts.  Let's Get It On charted for 61 weeks on the Billboard LP charts, and remained at the top of the Billboard Soul Albums for 11 weeks, becoming the best-selling soul album of 1973.

Shortly afterwards, Motown pushed Gaye into touring to capitalize on his most recent success.  Reluctantly the singer-songwriter returned to the stage.  Through most of the mid-1970s, Gaye was touring, collaborating, or producing.  Marvin's final duet project, 1973's Diana & Marvin, with Diana Ross, received international success despite their contrasting artistic styles.  

In 1975, Gaye's wife Anna, who was also Berry Gordy's sister, filed for divorce.  In 1977 Gaye married Janis Hunter.  His marriage to Hunter was short lived and tumultuous, ending in divorce in 1981.  In the meantime, Gaye's next studio album, I Want You, was released in March 1976.  The title track single, "I Want You", reached #1 on the R&B charts and #15 on the Billboard Hot 100.  The I Want You album would go on to sell over one million copies.  Marvin continued touring after the release of I Want You.  In 1977 he had a #1 hit on three of Billboard's charts: the Hot 100, R&B, and disco, with the dance single "Got to Give It Up".  Then in 1978 Gaye released his last album for Motown Records called Here, My Dear.  In 1979 Here, My Dear peaked at #4 in the R&B chart and #26 in the Billboard Pops Album chart.

All the while Gaye's cocaine addiction had intensified, and he was dealing with several financial issues with the IRS.  These issues led him to move first to Maui, then to London, and later to Belgium.  On January 15th, 1981 Motown released an album, entitled In Our Lifetime, without Gaye's advance knowledge.  When he learned of its release, Marvin accused Motown of editing and remixing the album without his consent, resulting in the release of an unfinished production.

Consequently, after two decades at Motown, a disgruntled Gaye signed with CBS's Columbia Records in 1982.  There he began to work on his last album, Midnight Love.  The lead single from that album, "Sexual Healing", was released on October 9th, 1982.  It became a huge comeback hit.  "Sexual Healing" spent ten weeks at the top of Billboard's R&B charts.  On the Hot 100 chart it spent three weeks at #3 and is listed at #198 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.  "Sexual Healing" won Gaye his first two Grammy Awards including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, in February 1983.  It also won Gaye an American Music Award in the R&B-soul category for Favorite Soul Single.  The Midnight Love LP was released to stores less than a month after the single's release.  By that December, the album had already hit #1 on the Top Black Albums chart and #7 on the Pop albums chart.  It was Gaye's eighth #1 album on the Top Black Albums chart, eventually selling three million copies alone in the U.S.  In early 1984 Midnight Love was nominated for a Grammy in the Best Male R&B Vocal Performance category, his 12th and final nomination.  Midnight Love was ranked #37 on the Rolling Stone list of the best albums of the 1980's decade.

Despite his successful comeback in 1982, Gaye still was struggling with substance abuse and bouts of depression.  After his last tour, he moved into his parents' house in Los Angeles.  There he and his father fought and quarreled.  Tragically, on April 1st, 1984, the day before his 45th birthday, Marvin Gaye was shot and killed by his father, Marvin Gay Sr., after an argument.  Gay Sr. later pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, and received a six-year suspended sentence and five years of probation.  

Here are just a few of the numerous posthumous awards bestowed on Marvin Gaye:

•In 1987 he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

•In 1988 he was inducted into the NAACP Hall of Fame.

•In 1990 he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

•In 1996 he received the Grammy Lifetime Award. 

•In 2005 he was voted into the Michigan Rock and Roll Legends Hall of Fame.  

•In 2014 he was inducted into the Rhythm and Blues Music Hall of Fame.

•In 2016 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame listed three Gaye recordings, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "What's Going On", and "Sexual Healing", among its list of the 500 Songs That Shaped Rock and Roll.

Rolling Stone magazine has given Marvin Gaye numerous honors.  The magazine ranked Gaye #18 on their list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time".  The magazine also ranked Gaye #82 on their list of the "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time", and in 2023 they ranked Gaye #20 among "The 200 Greatest Singers of All Time".  Three of Gaye's albums – What's Going On, Let's Get It On, and Here, My Dear – were ranked by Rolling Stone on their list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.  In fact, in the 2020 revised Rolling Stone list of the 500 greatest albums of all time, What's Going On was listed as the greatest album of all time.  In addition, four of his songs – "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "What's Going On", "Let's Get It On", and "Sexual Healing" – made it on the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Few figures in 20th Century American music compare to Marvin Gaye.  Gaye helped shape the signature sound of Motown in the 1960's, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo artist with a string of successes.  For his efforts, he was often referred to as the "Prince of Motown" and the "Prince of Soul".  As a producer during the 1970's, Gaye went out on his own artistically, paving the way for other Motown artists like Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson to branch out in later years.  He became one of the first Motown artists to break away from the reins of a production company, recording the landmark albums What's Going On and Let's Get It On.  As a singer, he was unmatched, with his smooth voice and wide vocal range.  As a songwriter, he was equally skilled at writing with an eye for the charts, mining the depths of his heart, and leading the way with political awareness.  Not only did he help create the exuberant uptown sound of Motown in the early 1960's, but he adapted and changed his musical direction with the turbulent times of the 1970's.  Marvin Gaye left behind an extensive catalog that is as moving and beloved today as it was during his lifetime.

Thank you for listening to another podcast on Rock and Roll Flashback!  In this podcast I briefly reviewed the prolific career of the great singer-songwriter and musician:  Marvin Gaye!  I'm Jumpin' John McDermott, and until next time...Rock On!