trouble (wo)man

trouble man marvin angst

 

Oh mercy mercy mercy … things ain’t the way they used to be.” – Marvin Gaye

 

So.

Anna Gordy Gaye, the sister of Barry Gordy < the founder of Motown Records> and ex-wife of musical great Marvin Gaye, with whom she wrote a number of hit songs, died of natural causes last week. She was 92.

 

Having read one of his biographies <Trouble Man> which was horribly written but still with glimpses of interesting things about Marvin … she seems to have been a good influence on a … well … troubled man.

 

A troubled man with and amazing soulful voice.

 

A troubled man with a voice of gold … uhm … actually … velvet.

 

Ah.

That voice.

 

I would imagine we have all played those silly games among friends where we demand each other to list their “if you had to choose … <insert topic> … who would you choose?

 

With Marvin this game was “if you could have only one person sing a song … who would it be?”

<kind of a version of ‘who do you believe had the best singing voice>

 

Female-wise I always choose Whitney Houston.

 

Male?

Marvin Gaye.

I think he could have sang the worst song ever written <think maybe ”Afternoon Delight”?> and it would still sound amazingly good.

 

Interestingly … both my #1 choices also pass the ultimate singing test … the United States’ national anthem.

Both nailed it <one of the all time most difficult songs to sing well>.

 

Anyway.

Marvin Gaye died in 1984 at 44 after his father, Marvin Gaye Sr., shot him during an argument.

 

But … even though he has been gone for 30 years.trouble man MARVIN.GAYE.ebony COVER

Marvin Gaye … the trouble man … still embodies iconic cool.

 

Even though he has been gone fr 30 years his songs still remain iconically cool … and many of the lyrics still ring true. First … my favorite Marvin song … Inner City Blues:

 

 

Marvin Gaye – Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57Ykv1D0qEE

 

And then the truly iconic and timeless song … Mercy Mercy Me:

 

Marvin Gaye – Mercy Mercy me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WxgeYXCjM8

 

 

And just to show how Marvin can be modernized … Erick Sermon sampled Marvin on Music.

 

 

“I wish music could adopt me…” – from Music

 

Erick Sermon’s music video for his single “Music” which was featured on the What’s The Worst That Could Happen soundtrack. Samples “I’ve Got My Music” by Marvin Gaye. Erick Sermon feat. Marvin Gaye:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fle-zebSXNc

trouble man marvin piano

 

To close my remembering Marvin post … I will end with Trouble Man.

 

3 minutes and 53 seconds of pure soul.

 

Trouble Man: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbHeNkqRWtI

 

 

RIP Anna Gordy and thanks for reminding us of Marvin.

Written by Bruce