Although Marvin Gaye wouldn't live to see his 45th birthday (he was killed by his father in 1984), the Motown legend managed to create an enduring legacy of songs that long-surpassed his brief life. His smooth, soulful voice is the one behind solo hits like "
Let's Get It On," "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," "
I Heard It Through The Grapevine," "Sexual Healing" and his landmark protest song, "
What's Going On." He famously accompanied Tammi Terrell for duets like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "You're All I Need to Get By" and "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing."
In 1990, comedian Eddie Murphy joined the cause to honor Marvin with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He wrote: "Marvin is one of the few who neither grows smaller nor larger in death, but maintains a constant, almost life-like presence." In other words, Marvin is here to stay.
Unlike many celebrities who suffered tragic ends, Marvin's death hasn't overshadowed his life's work; he's mostly remembered for his music – and a few scandals. Can you separate the fact from the fiction?
Comments: 3
I originally did not like his version of "Grapevine". Gladys Knight and the Pips recorded it first in a more upbeat R&B tempo. Overtime, I came to appreciate his version (Jazz, Blues, Funk) even more so. In reference to a line in What's Going On: If war is not the answer; what was the question. Long live Marvin Gaye.
-Martin White from Los Angeles
Cross-Dresser - really?
-Ruth from Independence, KY
Marvin was the greatest....
-Kendrick from Charlotte NC