There are few more revered and iconic vocalists in music than Marvin Gaye.
Starting out as an in-house session player at Motown Records, he soon became a solo artist, bagging a string of hits and maturing as an artist and singer, most notably with his legendary What's Going On record, which tackled themes of political, environmental and social disorder and is widely considered one of the greatest albums ever made.
To celebrate his legacy, Universal and Motown have embarked upon a series of reissues, chief amongst them a newly-released mighty seven-album 180g vinyl box set, Marvin Gaye 1961-1965, which contains the first seven records of his remarkable career. Click here to buy yours.
In the meantime, click the gallery link below to discover 30 pieces of wisdom taken from the lyrics to Marvin's timeless songs. Let's get it on shall we?
(Images: Rex)
Life is for Learning
1981 - Marvin Gaye
"Some songs will show which way to go,
If only you would listen"
Let's Get It On
1973 - Marvin Gaye and Ed Townsend
"Nothing wrong with love,
If you want to love me just let yourself go"
It Takes Two
1966 - Mickey Stevenson and Sylvia Moy
"Two can make that wish come true"
Just to Keep You Satisfied
1973 - Marvin Gaye, Elgie Stover and Anna Gordy Gaye
"The many happy times we had,
Can really never outweigh the bad"
The Onion Song
1969 - Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson
"The world is just a great big onion"
Ain't No Mountain High Enough
1966 - Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson
"If you're ever in trouble;
I'll be there on the double"
I Want You
1976 - Leon Ware and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross
"To share is precious, pure and fair"
How Sweet It Is To Be Love By You
1964 - Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
"You were better to me than I've been to myself,
For me, there's you and there ain't nobody else,
I want to stop and thank you baby
I just want to stop and thank you baby"
Distant Lover
1973 - Marvin Gaye, Gwen Gordy Fuqua, Sandra Greene
"That every moment when I spent with you,
I treasure it like it was a precious jewel"
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
1966 - Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong
"People say believe half of what you see"
Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
1971 - Marvin Gaye
"What about this overcrowded land,
How much more abuse from man can she stand?"
Abraham, Martin and John
1968 - Dick Holler
"It seems the good die young"
After the Dance
1976 - Marvin Gaye and Leon Ware
"Why did the morning come so soon,
Love don't need time (Girl) to make up its mind"
Can I get a witness
1963 - Brian Holland, Lamont Dozier and Eddie Holland
"I believe a woman's a man's best friend,
So I'm gonna stick by her till the very end"
Trouble Man
1972 - Marvin Gaye
"I didn't make it sugar, playin' by the rules"
What's Going On
1971 - Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson and Marvin Gaye
"There's far too many of you dying,
You know we've got to find a way,
To bring some lovin' here today"
Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
1968 - Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson
"Oh, I got some memories to look back on,
Though they help me when you're gone,
I'm well aware nothing can take the place of your being there"
you're all i need to get by
1968 - Nickolas Ashford and Valerie Simpson
"Don't know what's in store but together we can open any door"
Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
1969 - Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Janie Bradford
"I ain't got time to think about money,
Or what it can buy,
And I ain't got time to sit down and wonder,
What makes a birdie fly"
Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
1971 - Marvin Gaye and James Nyx Jr
"Bills pile up sky high,
Send that boy off to die"
Got to Give It Up
1977 - Marvin Gaye
"There's always a chance,
Somebody watches,
Might wanna make romance"
Here, my dear
1977 - Marvin Gaye
"May love ever protect you,
may peace come into your life.
Always think of me the way I was."
Love Me Now or Love Me Later
1980 - Marvin Gaye
"Black and white, hot and cold, wrong and right, life and death,
Polarity, without the opposite we could never be"
Sunny
1966 - Bobby Hebb
"Oh my life was torn like wind blown sand,
Then a rock was formed when you held my hand."
sexual healing
1982 - Marvin Gaye and Odell Brown
"Sexual healing is something that's good for me"
Ain't That Peculiar
1965 - Pete Moore, Smokey Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Marv Tarplin
"Every chance you get you seem to hurt me more and more,
But each hurt makes my love stronger than before"
Turn on some music
1982 - Marvin Gaye
"Music's been my therapy,
Taking the pain from all my anatomy"
I'll Be Doggone
1965 - Smokey Robinson, Warren Moore, Marvin Tarplin
"I'd be doggone if love ain't a man's best friend"
It's Madness
1985 - Marvin Gaye (Recorded in the 1970s)
"Everything I see is a crazy kind of mystery to me.
I'm flirting with the mother of insanity."
Wholy Holy
1971 - Al Cleveland, Renaldo Benson and Marvin Gaye
"People we all gotta come together"
