this singer-songwriters sound evolved from Motown to soul funk disco and R&B
from Motown to soul funk disco and R&B
from Motown to soul funk disco and R&B welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re
welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re taking a look at the life and career of
taking a look at the life and career of
taking a look at the life and career of Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pence Gaye jr. was born on April
Marvin Pence Gaye jr. was born on April 2nd 1939 in Washington DC growing up in
2nd 1939 in Washington DC growing up in
2nd 1939 in Washington DC growing up in a religious household he started singing
a religious household he started singing
a religious household he started singing in church congregations he discovered
in church congregations he discovered
in church congregations he discovered secular music in high school and joined
secular music in high school and joined
secular music in high school and joined several rhythm and blues and doo-wop
several rhythm and blues and doo-wop
several rhythm and blues and doo-wop groups his singing and piano playing
groups his singing and piano playing
groups his singing and piano playing eventually got him signed to Motown
eventually got him signed to Motown
eventually got him signed to Motown Records in the early 1960s he started as
Records in the early 1960s he started as
Records in the early 1960s he started as a session drummer for other artists
a session drummer for other artists
a session drummer for other artists however his first single released under
however his first single released under
however his first single released under the name Marvin Gaye was let your
the name Marvin Gaye was let your
the name Marvin Gaye was let your conscience be your guide this was
conscience be your guide this was
conscience be your guide this was followed by his debut called the soulful
followed by his debut called the soulful
followed by his debut called the soulful moods of Marvin Gaye the album mixed his
moods of Marvin Gaye the album mixed his
moods of Marvin Gaye the album mixed his jazz interests with the labels desire
jazz interests with the labels desire
jazz interests with the labels desire for R&B recordings in 1962 Gaye had a
for R&B recordings in 1962 Gaye had a
for R&B recordings in 1962 Gaye had a minor hit with stubborn kind of fellow
minor hit with stubborn kind of fellow
minor hit with stubborn kind of fellow following that was the album that
following that was the album that
following that was the album that stubborn kind of fellow which spawned
stubborn kind of fellow which spawned
stubborn kind of fellow which spawned the singles hitchhike and pride and joy
you
you enjoy
the next few years provided more
the next few years provided more evidence of gays hit-making abilities
evidence of gays hit-making abilities
evidence of gays hit-making abilities with the success of songs like baby
with the success of songs like baby
with the success of songs like baby don’t you do it and how sweet it is to
don’t you do it and how sweet it is to
don’t you do it and how sweet it is to be loved by you his popularity was
be loved by you his popularity was
be loved by you his popularity was further cemented by his first charting
further cemented by his first charting
further cemented by his first charting album together which featured duets with
album together which featured duets with
album together which featured duets with Mary Wells the 1966 record moods of
Mary Wells the 1966 record moods of
Mary Wells the 1966 record moods of Marvin Gaye gave him his first
Marvin Gaye gave him his first
Marvin Gaye gave him his first number-one R&B single I’ll be doggone
gay then released several jazz inspired
gay then released several jazz inspired recordings however they sold poorly in
recordings however they sold poorly in
recordings however they sold poorly in comparison to his later successes such
comparison to his later successes such
comparison to his later successes such as it takes to with Kim Weston his duets
as it takes to with Kim Weston his duets
as it takes to with Kim Weston his duets with Tammi Terrell were also huge hits
with Tammi Terrell were also huge hits
with Tammi Terrell were also huge hits and included 8 no mountain high enough
and included 8 no mountain high enough
and included 8 no mountain high enough and you’re all I need to get by
and you’re all I need to get by
and you’re all I need to get by unfortunately the duo success was cut
unfortunately the duo success was cut
unfortunately the duo success was cut short when a brain tumor forced Terrell
short when a brain tumor forced Terrell
short when a brain tumor forced Terrell to stop performing though her illness
to stop performing though her illness
to stop performing though her illness and eventual death affected Gaye
and eventual death affected Gaye
and eventual death affected Gaye immensely his biggest hit came during
immensely his biggest hit came during
immensely his biggest hit came during this time in 1968 with I heard it
this time in 1968 with I heard it
this time in 1968 with I heard it through the grapevine
the tune became one of gay signature
the tune became one of gay signature songs and a Motown landmark it was
songs and a Motown landmark it was
songs and a Motown landmark it was followed by hits like too busy thinking
followed by hits like too busy thinking
followed by hits like too busy thinking about my baby and that’s the way love is
about my baby and that’s the way love is
about my baby and that’s the way love is in 1971 gay convinced Motown to release
in 1971 gay convinced Motown to release
in 1971 gay convinced Motown to release an effort that was drastically different
an effort that was drastically different
an effort that was drastically different from his previous work incorporating
from his previous work incorporating
from his previous work incorporating jazz and funk what’s going on explored
jazz and funk what’s going on explored
jazz and funk what’s going on explored social and political issues that became
social and political issues that became
social and political issues that became a trend for later soul music the concept
a trend for later soul music the concept
a trend for later soul music the concept album generated three top-ten singles
album generated three top-ten singles
album generated three top-ten singles the most notable of these was the title
the most notable of these was the title
the most notable of these was the title cut which became a pop and R&B crossover
cut which became a pop and R&B crossover
cut which became a pop and R&B crossover sensation many have you cried the record
sensation many have you cried the record
sensation many have you cried the record success allowed gay to gain more
success allowed gay to gain more
success allowed gay to gain more creative control over his music and this
creative control over his music and this
creative control over his music and this resulted in albums like the soundtrack
resulted in albums like the soundtrack
resulted in albums like the soundtrack for the film Trouble Man
for the film Trouble Man
for the film Trouble Man another change in direction came about
another change in direction came about
another change in direction came about with 1973 s let’s get it on this
with 1973 s let’s get it on this
with 1973 s let’s get it on this sexually charged album was a massive
sexually charged album was a massive
sexually charged album was a massive commercial hit thanks in part to the
commercial hit thanks in part to the
commercial hit thanks in part to the title tracks number one success
up next was a duets album with Diana
up next was a duets album with Diana Ross entitled Diana and Marvin as well
Ross entitled Diana and Marvin as well
Ross entitled Diana and Marvin as well as the record Marvin Gaye live which
as the record Marvin Gaye live which
as the record Marvin Gaye live which showcased Ches talent is a live
showcased Ches talent is a live
showcased Ches talent is a live performer his next solo effort was
performer his next solo effort was
performer his next solo effort was 1976’s disco influenced I want you and
1976’s disco influenced I want you and
1976’s disco influenced I want you and that album found crossover success with
that album found crossover success with
that album found crossover success with the title cut in 1977 he had his third
the title cut in 1977 he had his third
the title cut in 1977 he had his third number-one pot hit from the album live
number-one pot hit from the album live
number-one pot hit from the album live at the London Palladium the commercially
at the London Palladium the commercially
at the London Palladium the commercially disappointing double album here my dear
disappointing double album here my dear
disappointing double album here my dear was then released in 1978 by 1979 Gaye
was then released in 1978 by 1979 Gaye
was then released in 1978 by 1979 Gaye was plagued with financial troubles drug
was plagued with financial troubles drug
was plagued with financial troubles drug addiction and marital issues his last
addiction and marital issues his last
addiction and marital issues his last record with Motown was thus 1981’s in
record with Motown was thus 1981’s in
record with Motown was thus 1981’s in our lifetime
1982 gays Columbia Records comeback
1982 gays Columbia Records comeback album was called midnight love the
album was called midnight love the
album was called midnight love the internationally successful effort
internationally successful effort
internationally successful effort produced the worldwide hit sexual
produced the worldwide hit sexual
produced the worldwide hit sexual healing and that song one gay his first
healing and that song one gay his first
healing and that song one gay his first two Grammy Awards he was a star once
two Grammy Awards he was a star once
two Grammy Awards he was a star once again nevertheless gays struggled with
again nevertheless gays struggled with
again nevertheless gays struggled with his health and depression was getting
his health and depression was getting
his health and depression was getting the best of him
the best of him
the best of him he moved back into his parents home
he moved back into his parents home
he moved back into his parents home however the atmosphere there was fraught
however the atmosphere there was fraught
however the atmosphere there was fraught with quarreling on April 1st 1984 one of
with quarreling on April 1st 1984 one of
with quarreling on April 1st 1984 one of these arguments ultimately led to gays
these arguments ultimately led to gays
these arguments ultimately led to gays deaths after he was shot by his father
deaths after he was shot by his father
deaths after he was shot by his father several posthumous collections have been
several posthumous collections have been
several posthumous collections have been released including 1985’s dream of a
released including 1985’s dream of a
released including 1985’s dream of a lifetime and romantically yours as well
lifetime and romantically yours as well
lifetime and romantically yours as well as 1997’s
as 1997’s
as 1997’s vulnerable over his career Marvin Gaye
vulnerable over his career Marvin Gaye
vulnerable over his career Marvin Gaye covered almost the entire history of
covered almost the entire history of
covered almost the entire history of rhythm and blues it is no wonder that he
rhythm and blues it is no wonder that he
rhythm and blues it is no wonder that he has been and continues to be one of
has been and continues to be one of
has been and continues to be one of music’s most influential artists turn
turn the lights down low turn the lights
turn the lights down low turn the lights down
down
down don’t go away
”
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