Marvin had a way of making all my stress go away, enlightening me about societal ills, and schooling me on romance in 4 minutes flat. I can’t remember life without Marvin Gaye’s music. My parents went to one of his concerts back in the day. They used to tell me stories of how women reacted to his performance. Running up on stage, throwing panties at him, and all out freaking out over his voice and sex appeal.

The first time I heard “I Want You” I was overwhelmed and inspired by Marvin’s voice, the melodies, the harmonies, and the arrangement…..ear candy to say the least. I believe LB and I connected so well because she was the first girl to introduce me to a Marvin Gaye song that I had never heard before.
Little did I know, that that song would plant a seed in me to re-explore my vocal abilities and use Marvin Gaye as a virtual mentor. The song “Till Tomorrow” was one of LB’s favs and soon became one of mine. I would listen to that song over and over again, mimicking Marvin’s inflections and falsetto till I could sing it for LB to get the mood right…..

I digress…..a pleasant digression though. There is no one who could do it like Marvin Gaye….he could go from baby making music like “Sexual Healing” straight into gut wrenching messages like “What’s Going On”. While he’s been gone a while, his music will live on forever. I wish he were still here, writing and producing songs as only he could. LB used to love when I sang to her. Unfortunately, we fell out of contact after college. I hope she’s well and I also hope she’s maintained her love of Marvin Gaye. If she did she’ll say the same thing I’m saying. Marvin Gaye is “Hands Down, My Fav….”

All the best,

Ejshani