Re-visiting the Stevie Wonder thread made me think about doing one for another one of Motown's greats in Marvin Gaye. Like Stevie, Marvin decided in the early '70s to do his own thing and not succumb to the cookie-cutter formula that Motown was doing (even though he had many great songs from the '60s). Too many to choose from, but I really like "Too Busy Thinking About my Baby" although "Mercy Mercy Me" and "Let's Get It On" are right behind it.
"Come live with me angel" is my favorite Marvin Gaye song. It was also sampled by 50 cent/G- unit on "Wanna Get to Know Ya"
This thread is so effin' GAYE. ... Darn it, it's difficult... I checked out Michael McDonald's Motown hits, and he sings all the ones in the poll... I always thought he was the "original" one... what a loser... I guess "Mercy Mercy Me", please, with a small side of "Let's Get It On." The first time I heard "Marvin Gaye" was in NWA's 8-Ball: Good thing that wasn't KAM.
I've never really been a Gaye guy. (rimshot) Of the songs posted, I either don't like the song or I don't know it.
"Chained" is my favorite. It has much more of a funk vibe to it and a driving beat - a nice change from his duets. I really like Marvin Gaye, he and Otis Redding are always in my playlist.
voted for mercy mercy me. not sure if it was something popular back then, but the whole racquetball sound in the background was copied in len's "steal my sunshine" (guilty pleasure. ) <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/H-XpUacV-TE&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/H-XpUacV-TE&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMl2QtZmLEQ&hl=en"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/UMl2QtZmLEQ&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> douchebags galore in that vid.
one of my favorite tupac lines "I remember marvin gaye used to sing to me he had me feeling like black was the thang to be and suddenly the ghetto didn't since so rough although we didn't have much we always we always had enough"
I like How Sweet It Is the most by Gaye. Sad how the first time I heard the song was in the first American Pie...
"I Heard it Through the Grapevine" hands down. The funkiest standard 8th-note rock beat ever played. CCR's version is a favorite, too. Hell, the song is so good it made the California Raisins stars. There were a lot of good songs on this tape. It was a marketing gimmick, but it helped introduce me as a kid to some classics, none better than Marvin Gaye.
"lets get it on" these days...so that is my vote. But when I was a wild and crazy wanna be guitarist in a rock & roll band, it was, without doubt, "heard it through the grapevine". And yeah, CCR version was just as hip.
I voted other, and the song I voted other for is "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" w/Tammi Terrell
