I’m going to go out on a limb here and cause some controversy. I am saying that Marvin Gaye’s 1973 song Let’s Get It On is one of the greatest songs, across all genres, to EVER come out of Detroit.
Why? It takes the single greatest subject that’s ever been used in recorded music, and emotionally communicates that better than anything that’s ever been done. Marvin tugs at the very basics of human longing - and he doesn’t beat around the bush. He isn’t explicit though - he talks about love being sweet and wonderful - and he begs, pleads, and the band wails behind him. That bass line sways so familiarly - the arrangement is flawless - the wah-wah guitar adds extra tension before the climax - and Marvin’s voice is displayed to it’s fullest potential at the height of his career. It’s a masterpiece.
The actual history behind Marvin Gaye and that song is kind of strange. He fell in love with a 16 year old girl named Janice Hunter who walked into the studio (he was 33 at the time) when he was recording Let’s Get It On. They soon got together and holed up in a mountain top cabin in California and soon after Janice was pregnant. According to various sources, Marvin encouraged young Janice to have affairs, and she did, with singers Frankie Beverly, Rick James, and Teddy Pendergrass.
Although Marvin Gaye had his problems, he got it right with this song. A classic among classics, it may just be THE best song Detroit has ever produced.
listen to a clip:
No comments
Comments feed for this article