April 2, 2013

Happy Birthday: Marvin Gaye (1939 - 1984)

How many villagers remember the magic of Marvin Gaye? It becomes a duet between Marvin and me whenever Sexual Healing break out on my car radio. I remember the slow grind that I would do as a high-schooler with my girl in those basement parties that we used to have whenever Let's Get It On would play on the turntable.

Marvin Gaye was a unique talent. He was born on April 2, 1939. He died on April 1, 1984. I imagine that all deaths are untimely, however, our nation was robbed of a musical genius in a particularly lousy manner when Marvin was shot by his father.

How many villagers remember when Marvin Gaye sang the National Anthem at the 1983 NBA All-Star game back in the day? That remains the best-ever rendition of the national anthem at any sporting event in my view.




I have two Marvin Gaye CDs in my car right now. I'll listen to them throughout the day in tribute to the man and his music.

Here is a nine-minute excerpt from the long out-of-circulation 1973 film, "Save The Children." The background music to this video is What's Going On and What's Happening Brother.

Today, we celebrate the life of an American legend. I encourage all villagers to leave a comment here on your memories of Marvin Gaye.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I agree with you, Marvin Gaye was a unique talent!!!
I love his music

all the best

JD said...

Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder remind my favorite R and B artists. Talent beyound description. I remember the all star game, Gotta to give it up, Sexual Healing, what's going on, are my favorites, favorite lyric, oh baby please turn yourself around

Anonymous said...

Inner City Blues,What's Going on, and Gots to Give it Up. Some of the songs that are on my playlists. Its been 23 years, it doesn't seem that long. He is an All-Time Great and his songs will stand the test of time.

Anonymous said...

One of my favourite feel good songs from Marvin Gaye is Give A Little Love. It's a great pick me upper....

Unknown said...

Gidibao, James, Latimer & Sharon -- I think that our best tribute to the brother is to ensure that we go out of our way to listen to some of his music today. I enjoyed listening to the CD on my drive into the office this morning ... and I'm gonna show him some more love on the drive home. The news and scores and highlights can wait!. Hmmm, James reminds me of Stevie Wonder. I may have to pull him out of the archives as well!

peace, Village

Paris David said...

Aw man, I love Marvin Gaye so much.

Just let me tell it:

Trouble man...probably my favorite song by him.

Can I Get a Witness?...reveals his spiritual roots, and at the same time is still sexy and reeling and everything "us girls" believe in.

I saw how he was in love with Tammy Terrell but married to someone else, and then Tammy died in his arms after they sang together one day.

What an amazing man.

You're making me wanna go get my CD...

Better yet, I'm gonna make sure I've got some of his songs on my MP3 player!

Anonymous said...

Wow, we're on the same wavelength! I just heard Marvin's "You Sure Love to Ball" a few days ago and had a cool flash-back down Memory Lane, too!

Very cool blog!!

Unknown said...

Paula - I hope that you made that MP3 move!

Kweenkong - Merci beaucoup for the kind words. Care to share the genesis of your moniker, Kweenkong?

peace, Villager

Anonymous said...

Marvin Gaye... Whoa... What a talent. He is in my iPod on heavy rotation.

Marvalus said...

Marvin stays in my mp3 player!

"Just To Keep You Satisfied" is my tune...so haunting and beautiful...

Unknown said...

Urban Thought and Ms. Marvalus - Of course, since I'm a bit of a dawg at heart ... my favorite is Sexual Healing and Distant Lover...

All-Mi-T [Thought Crime] Rawdawgbuffalo said...

i remeber the day his pops killed him for attacking his mother. i was at morehouse and we thought it was an april fools joke

Monica Roberts said...

Marvin's music is a relevant now as it was when he wrote it.

And I still tear up when I hear his rendition of the national anthem at the NBA all star game in LA

Unknown said...

RawDawg - I was born and raised in Los Angeles. The story of his death hit us all very hard.

Monica - Marvin did hit a homerun with that rendition of the national anthem.