Marvin Gaye

 

Marvin Gaye was born in Washington, DC, to a Pentecostal pastor and a maid in 1939. He began singing in church at the age of four, accompanied by his father on the piano. The Pentecostal church adhered to strict conduct, following both the Old and New Testament. Marvin Gaye loved to sing as a youngster, but he was whipped brutally by his father, whom he described as peculiar, cruel, and all-powerful. His mother was kind to him, consoling the boy and encouraging him to pursue singing. Gaye had a brief stint in the air force but was soon discharged because he refused to obey orders.

Early in his career, Marvin Gaye was a backup singer for Chuck Berry in the hit “Back in the USA.” In 1960, Gaye moved to Detroit, where he was a backup singer and drummer. In 1962, he wrote “Beachwood 4-5789,” sung by the Marvelettes, and “Together,” which he sung with Mary Wells. He also wrote his solo hit “How Sweet It Is” that year.

In the middle 1960s, Marvin Gaye recorded a series of duets with Tammi Terrell, including “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” and “Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing.” Terrell collapsed during a performance with Gaye, and it was discovered that she had a malignant brain tumor. The latter’s poor treatment by the record company disillusioned Gaye about the record business. In the late 1960s, Marvin Gaye recorded “I Heard It Through the Grapevine,” which reached number one on the charts. There were several more hits in the late 1960s, but upon the death of Tammi Terrell, Gaye experienced bouts of depression.

In the summer of 1970, Marvin Gaye wrote and recorded his greatest song, “What’s Going On.” The song was motivated by acts of police brutality against blacks that Gaye had personally witnessed. Initially, the record company refused to release the record, but strong protests from Gaye resulted in its release. The haunting record was a smash hit, reaching the top of the charts and selling over two million copies. This was followed by two more top hits: “Mercy Mercy Me” and “Inner City Blues.” These records had a profound message that resonated throughout the country and enhanced Marvin Gaye’s reputation beyond the world of pop music. As a result, Gaye received the Grammy Award, plus recognition from the NAACP.

In the late 1970s, Marvin Gaye developed a serious addiction to cocaine. He moved to Europe to cope with his addiction and to escape his financial woes, including alimony payments and owed back taxes to the IRS. His career went into decline, hampered by drug dependency problems. Tragically, in 1984, Gaye was visiting his parents in California, when an argument ensued with his father. Becoming enraged for reasons unclear, Gaye’s father shot him at point-blank range. Marvin Gaye died in a California hospital at the relatively young age of forty-five.

Marvin Gaye had a wide vocal range. He actually had three distinct voices: a smooth tenor, a growling rasp, and an unreal falsetto. Critics said it was one of the sweetest voices ever heard. In addition to his versatile voice, Gaye was a maverick in the new genre of social and racial commentary. During the 1960s, Motown artists were told not to delve into political or social criticism of America. But the racial injustices of that era moved Marvin Gaye to express these themes in his songs, especially in “What’s Going On,” which has endured beyond the 1960s and 1970s.