Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye.

Surely one of the greatest soul singers of them all. Marvin Gaye, the son of a minister, grew up immersed in Church harmonies, and in the early 1960s became one of the staples of the Motown stable - usually teamed up with females to do catchy duets such as It takes Two. The sound was pure Jackie Wilson: which was the coolest sound on radio.

But by the late 1960s Marvin found a deeper groove defined by the seminal version of Heard It Through The Grapevine - a remake (within a few months no less) of the massive Number One hit scored by stablemates Glady Knight & The Pips. Gaye took the song to a new level - aided and abetted by adventurous production from the great Norman Whitfield. It was one of the greatest singles of all time.

Soon after, Gaye joined Stevie Wonder in shaking the Motown formula: demanding as had Wonder, the right to develop his own sound without the production line feel of the label.

The results were astounding: breathtaking really. While Diana Ross was donning fake eyelashes and going Broadway, Marvin Gaye’s music walked into the rough neighbourhoods of modern America. His Album "What’s Going On?" was a plaintive, plangent take on a society that by the 70s had lost its way with drugs, violence and pollution. This album, and Curtis Mayfield’s Superfly were among the best releases of the decade.

he followed up with the equally stunning "Let’s Get It On" which took listeners out of a world of boy/girl romantic jingles and into the bedroom of adults. Marvin’s voice was playful, seductive - pure cooing sex.

By the early 80s he had scored a string of strong hits but also a series of increasingly patchy albums - perhaps highlighted by the bitter "Here My Dear" whose royalties were allegedly part of a bitter divorce settlement.

Then in the early 80s Marvin Gaye’s light shone brightest with the release of of the superb funk infused Sexual Healing. His vocals had never sounded better, and legions of fans were glad to see him back.

Tragedy followed with Gaye’s death at the gunpoint of his father following a bitter family dispute. Marvin Gaye has been mourned and namechecked in music ever since. Will there ever be a voice as liquid, as gorgeous as his? He was a soul genius.

Check out:

• The Master 1961-1984 (boxed set) and The Very Best of Marvin Gaye
• Sam Cooke
• Jackie Wilson and The Ultimate Jackie Wilson
• The Best of Chubby Checker: Cameo Parkway 1959-1963 - like Jackie and Sam, played a giant role in getting black singers onto centre stage.
• Stevie Wonder
• What’s Going On: All-Star Tribute
• The Very Best of Sam & Dave 
• AL GREEN
• Curtis Mayfield
• Aretha Franklin - 30 Greatest Hits