ABOUT
Marvin Gaye (April 2, 1939 - April 1, 1984) was a highly acclaimed R&B/smooth soul singer and songwriter who became famous beginning in the early 1960s. As one of Motown's top acts, he helped define that label's sound throughout the 1960s, first as on in-house session player and later as a hugely successful solo artist. His many signature songs include such classics as "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" (1968), "Let's Get It On" (1973), "Got To Give It Up (Pt. I)" (1977), "Sexual Healing" (1982), and the more somber and socially conscious "What's Going On" (1971). He is also famous for his many duets with Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell, and Mary Wells.
Born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. in Washington, D.C., he began singing in church at age four and performed with his junior high school's glee club and a number of doo-wop groups during his teens. After Gaye left the Air Force, he began writing songs and formed a group known as The Marquees, whose members later all joined Harvey Fuqua's group, The Moonglows (later The New Moonglows). After the group disbanded in 1960, Gaye relocated to Detroit, Michigan where he signed with Tri-Phi Records as a session musician before moving to Motown subsidiary, Tamla. Gaye debuted in 1962 with "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow" on both the R&B and Pop/Rock charts and thereafter had a very long string of hits through 1990, with many topping the charts.
Dubbed "The Prince of Motown" and "The Prince of Soul," his numerous honors and accolades, mostly posthumous, include a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award (1996), a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame (1990), and being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (1987), the Rhythm & Blues Music Hall of Fame (2014), and the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2016). Marvin Gaye's life and career were tragically cut short in 1984 when he intervened during a fight between his parents at their home in Los Angeles and his father, Marvin Gay Sr., shot and killed him.
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SONGS
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Marvin Gaye And Kim Weston
- It Takes Two 1967
Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell
- Ain't No Mountain High Enough 1967
(This song topped the charts for Diana Ross (1970).) - Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing 1968
(This song also became a hit for Aretha Franklin (1974), Donny & Marie Osmond (1977), and Chris Christian (1982, as a medley).) - Good Lovin' Ain't Easy To Come By 1969
- If I Could Build My Whole World Around You 1967
- Keep On Lovin' Me Honey 1968
- Your Precious Love 1967
- You're All I Need To Get By 1968
(This song later also became a hit for Aretha Franklin (1971), Dawn (1975), Johnny Mathis & Deniece Williams (1978), Chris Christian (1982, as a medley), and Method Man (1995, as a medley).)
Marvin Gaye
- Ain't That Peculiar 1965
(This song also became a hit for Fanny (1972) and Diamond Reo (1975).) - Baby Don't You Do It 1964
(This song later also became a hit for the Band (1972).) - Can I Get A Witness 1963
(This song later also became a hit for Lee Michaels (1971).) - Chained 1968
- Come Get To This 1973
- Distant Lover 1974
- The End Of Our Road 1970
(This song was previously a hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips (1968).) - Hitch Hike 1963
- How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You 1964
(This song later also became a hit for Jr. Walker & the All Stars (1966) and James Taylor (1975).) - I Heard It Through The Grapevine 1968
(This Motown classic topped both the R&B and Pop/Rock charts. "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" was previously a hit for Gladys Knight and the Pips (1967), and it later also became a hit for King Curtis (1968), Creedence Clearwater Revival (1976), Roger (1981), and the California Raisins (1988). This song is included in the Rolling Stone list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time and also inducted to the Grammy Hall of Fame.) - I'll Be Doggone 1965
- Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler) 1971
- Let's Get It On 1973
(This song topped both the R&B and Pop/Rock charts.) - Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) 1971
(This song later also became a hit for Robert Palmer (1991, as a medley).) - One More Heartache 1966
- Pretty Little Baby 1965
- Pride And Joy 1963
- That's The Way Love Is 1969
- Too Busy Thinking About My Baby 1969
- Trouble Man 1972
- Try It Baby 1964
- What's Going On 1971
(This anguished and socially-conscious song is ranked at #4 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is also included in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll list, and VH-1's 100 Greatest Rock Songs. "What's Going On" later also became a hit for Cyndi Lauper (1987).) - You 1968
- Your Unchanging Love 1967
- You're A Wonderful One 1964
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