Sunday marks what would have been the 84th birthday of Motown legend Marvin Gaye, as well as coming a day after the 39th anniversary of his tragic death.

The R&B and soul pioneer released some of the world’s most recognisable songs, as well as the album dubbed the greatest ever made by both Rolling Stone and NME in the shape of What’s Going On.

From his early life in the projects, Gaye gained recognition for his voice while singing in a Pentecostal church.

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He would become arguably Motown’s biggest star before his life was tragically cut short the day before his 45th birthday when he was shot dead by his own father after a tempestuous row in the family home.

On what would have been his birthday, we take a look at the legendary singer’s life through his own work.

Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide (The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye, 1961)

The first single released by a young Gaye came out before Motown was Motown. Tamla 54041, which would later become the iconic label, pushed for an R&B style while Gaye wanted a Frank Sinatra style pop album. ‘Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide’ isn’t his best work, but everyone has to start somewhere.

Hitch Hike (That Stubborn Kinda Fellow, 1962)

It wouldn’t be until 1962 that Gaye would have his first real hit, a funky dance number called Hitch Hike. As well as co-writing the song and providing the vocals, Gaye played drum and piano on the track which would give him his first top 40 hit.

How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)

If ‘Hitch Hike’ was a hit, ‘How Sweet It Is’ was stratospheric. Inspired by a Jackie Gleason catchphrase and written by Motown’s legendary Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team, it searched number six in America and sold over 900,000 copies.

Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (United, 1967)

Arguably Gaye’s most famous song – though his version may not be - ‘Ain’t No Mountain…’ was almost recorded by British soul singer Dusty Springfield but writers Nicholas Ashford and Valerie Simpson held it back as their ‘golden egg’ that would get them access to Motown. Diana Ross would later have the biggest hit of her career with a cover of Gaye’s version.

I Heard It Through The Grapevine (In The Groove, 1968)

Flipping that particular script, Gaye took a previously released song and took it to new levels. ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine# was originally a hit for Gladys Knight & the Pips but it really took off when included on Gaye’s 1968 album In The Groove. At the time it was Motown’s biggest ever single, and provided the singer’s first UK number one.

What’s Going On (What’s Going On, 1971)

Gaye’s most enduring legacy is surely What’s Going On, the 1971 album which is frequently cited as the greatest ever made. Told from the perspective of a veteran returning from Vietnam, its title track sets the scene: “brother, brother brother/there’s far too many of you dying”.

Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler) (What’s Going On, 1971)

The closing track of What’s Going On may be its standout moment. ‘Inner City Blues’ takes in crime, policing, poverty, lack of opportunity and, in the wake of the moon landing, the priorities of the US government: “rockets, moon-shots/spend it on the have-nots”.

Let’s Get It On (Let’s Get It On, 1973)

A song so sensual its very opening chords are enough to covey the idea of two people getting along famously, as its use in everything from The Sopranos to Scrubs proves. The single sold more than two million copies inside two weeks and launched Gaye as a sex symbol.

Sexual Healing (Midnight Love, 1982)

Following a bitter divorce from Motown, Gaye released his 17th and final studio album in 1982. ‘Sexual Healing’, described in a Rolling Stone review of Midnight Love as “a sort of a polemic for the power of rampant humping” won him two Grammys.

You’re the Man (You’re the Man, 2019)

The single was recorded and released in 1972, but the album of the same name, intended as a follow-up to What’s Going On was shelved after a lukewarm reception. It was finally given a full release in 2019 to coincide with what would have been Gaye’s 80th birthday

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Bonus:

Got To Give It Up (Live at the London Palladium, 1977)

The only studio recording on Live at the London Palladium, ‘Got To Give It Up’ was cut from the 12 minute album version to four for the single. It was a direct inspiration for Michael Jackson on ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ and was interpolated into Robin Thicke and Pharell Williams’ 2013 hit ‘Blurred Lines’, leading to a lawsuit from the Gaye estate.

Once Upon A Time – Robert Bradley’s Blackwater Surprise (Blackwater Surprise, 1996)

A testament to the legacy of Gaye, this modern soul song pays tribute to the man himself, Otis Redding, Sam Cooke and Elvis Presley. It was later covered by The Gaslight Anthem and Eric Burdon of Animals fame.

Ain’t That Peculiar (Moods of Marvin Gaye, 1965)

Gaye’s second million-seller, ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’ tells the story of a failed relationship, and became one of the Motown legend’s signature songs.

Nightshift – The Commodores (Nightshift, 1985)

Recorded as a tribute to Gaye and Jackie Wilson a year after their respective deaths, it proved to be The Commodores’ only top 10 hit following the departure of Lionel Richie. “Marvin/Sang of the joy and pain/He opened up our mind”.

Mercy, Mercy Me (The Ecology)

The second single from What’s Going On saw Gaye lament the destruction being wrought on the environment: “Where did all the blue skies go?/Poison is the wind that blows/From the north and south and east”.