Marvin Gaye - Got To Give It Up (Soul Train Appearance)

Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" Behind "Got to Give It Up"

The most popular song of 2013 was Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" a song about partying, sex, and drugs this has been the one of the largest hits of Robin Thicke's career next to "Lost Without You." I have been a fan of Robin Thicke since I was in middle school because that is when his first album dropped although it wasn't successful he eventually would achieve commercial success with the release of his sophomore album The Evolution of Robin Thicke, One thing I have noticed on every album Robin draws inspiration from artists like Prince, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye. The first time I heard "Blurred Lines" I thought it was a new Marvin Gaye song or a sample from his mega hit "Got to Give It Up." I am going to play the Soul Train performance to the song and you will hear and see why Robin Thicke is getting sued by Marvin Gaye's family.

Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and Clifford Harris Jr. aka T.I. are going to court to secure their profits and ownership from the song "Blurred Lines" they claim that Marvin Gaye's family and Funkadelic's rights owner who have asserted that the song wasn't original.

Toni's Thoughts: I have been a fan of Robin Thicke, T.I. and Pharrell for years but right is right, and wrong is wrong with that being said they need to pay the royalties and the Gaye family deserves an apology. It does not take rocket scientists to know that this comes from Marvin Gaye and Robin has been using his style for years. I have a couple of questions. Why is Robin Thicke offering Marvin Gaye's family six figures? Why did they file the lawsuit first? The next post is Marvin Gaye's Soul Train performance of Got to Give It Up.

Let's Get It On...... 40 Years Later

On August 29, 1973 Marvin Gaye released his twelfth studio album Let's Get It On. He recorded the album from 1970-1973 in Detroit, Michigan and Los Angeles, California.  This would be the first time Marvin explored new territory from a musical stand point he ventured into funk and romance themes with sexual lyric content. The album included the timeless hits "Let's Get It On", " Come Get to This" and " You Sure Love to Ball." This was the most commercially successful album of Marvin's career and this ushered in creative control at Motown which is something Marvin fought for against CEO Berry Gordy Jr.

Inspiration Behind the Album: Marvin had been suffering from writer's block and was uncertain as to how he follow the successful 1971 album What's Going On and the 1972 Trouble Man soundtrack. At this point he was dealing with issues professionally with Berry Gordy and Motown, emotional issues in his marriage to Anna Gordy, and dealing with certain traumas from his childhood. Marvin learned how to cope with these issues by a newly found spirituality and he would use this inspiration to help him grow as an artist.


Marvin's Gaye views on Love & Sex Themes of the Album:  "I can't see anything wrong with sex between consenting anybodies. I think we make far too much of it. After all, one's genitals are just one important part of the magnificent human body ... I contend that SEX IS SEX and LOVE IS LOVE. When combined, they work well together, if two people are of about the same mind. But they are really two discrete needs and should be treated as such. Time and space will not permit me to expound further, especially in the area of the psyche. I don't believe in overly moralistic philosophies. Have your sex, it can be exciting, if you're lucky. I hope the music that I present here makes you lucky."

Toni's Thoughts: I love Marvin Gaye's music I can listen to any song he has recorded and fall in the love with lyrics, vocal skills, instruments, everything about his art touches my soul. My favorite Marvin Gaye albums are What's Going On, Let's Get It On,  I Want You and Here, My Dear.