Marvin Gaye / YMMV

Covered Up: "I Heard It Through the Grapevine". His version, the most famous, was the second recorded and the third released.
Epic Riff: “Let’s Get it On”, in a sense.
Growing the Beard: Literally and figuratively with What's Going On. Motown gave him more artistic freedom allowing him to show his maturity as a musician and he can be spotted with a beard on the cover after being clean shaven to help keep his image in his early Motown career.
Harsher in Hindsight:
- From What's Going On: "Father, father, we don't need to escalate / You see, war is not the answer, for only love can conquer hate". Considering that Gaye's father shot and killed him after years of personal tensions between the two and Gaye's increasing Death Seeker behavior, it's fair to say that he violently disagreed with this statement.
- There's also "Don't go and talk about my father, 'cause God is my friend" from "God Is Love". And the almost whispered "Mercy, Father" mixed subtly underneath the main vocal lines of "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)". And probably others.
- “Can’t Help But Love You” an album track from the “You’re All I Need” album with Tammi Terrell, has the latter promising to love Marvin “til [she’s] old and gray”. Tammi would die from a brain tumor at age 24 two years after the album’s release.
- Marvin and Tammi singing together on "You're All I Need To Get By" becomes even worse when you learn that Marvin attempted suicide after her diagnosis and also due to conflicts with his wife.
Memetic Mutation: "Let's Get It On" has become the stock Bow Chicka Wow Wow tune in the popular consciousness, particularly the opening wah guitar part. If you don't hear "Careless Whisper" being played as part of a sex joke, usually it's "Let's Get It On". And this one’s more appropriate, too.
Once Original, Now Common: Songs like "I Heard It Through the Grapevine," "Let's Get It On" and "Sexual Healing" (among others) have all become such standard verbal and / or musical references, it's easy to forget they're also really good songs.
Signature Song: Either "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" or "What's Going On"; the former is easily his most popular and streamed song, very recognizable by general audiences, while the latter is generally considered his greatest song (4th greatest song of all time on Rolling Stone). Not far behind are his cover of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Let's Get It On", or "Sexual Healing".
Suspiciously Similar Song: Ed Sheeran had to pay up after a long battle with Gaye’s estate over “Thinking Out Loud” vs. “Let’s Get it On”.
- Although, the infamous one is "Blurred Lines" vs. "Got To Give It Up". Your mileage may definitely vary on how legitimate that particular lawsuit was.
Tear Jerker
- Most of What's Going On.
- Here, My Dear is all about his failing marriage with his first wife and him coming to terms with it ending. It is heartbreaking to say the least.
Vindicated by History: Here, My Dear originally flopped and wasn't seen as being a very good album in the eyes of the public. Today, however, it's considered one of Gaye's best works.

YMMV / Marvin Gaye

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