Marvin Gaye – musical innovator, truth teller, soul singer, Trouble Man. Today marks 26 years since Marvin passed away. Tomorrow would have been his 71st birthday.
I paid homage to Marvin in this Lost Ones post — I gave up writing that series because it ached to work on it. That post in particular got under my skin, and the feelings I voiced then still hold true now.
“…the circumstances of Marvin Gaye’s death make me almost angry. It makes me feel robbed. That such a great talent was snuffed out… over what? When I contemplate the overall picture of his life, such a feeling of loss washes over me. If only he’d kicked his habit and found true love, after singing so many songs about it. If only he didn’t go back to his parents’ house. If only the weight of his foreshadowing didn’t turn out to be so crushingly true. If only.”
That video clip is the ending sequence to the stage play “My Brother Marvin,” and it just breaks my heart every time I watch. So I’m not going to end on such a sad note. Instead, when I listen to Marvin Gaye now I try to just enjoy his soaring three-octave voice, his poignant and still pertinent lyrics, and his gift for unforgettable melodies.
If that isn’t the eternal spring-into-summertime outdoor picnic jam, I don’t know WHAT is.
We miss you, Marvin. Your musical legacy will never die!
What’s your favorite Marvin Gaye song?
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