Released: August 28, 1973
Genre: Soul ∙ R&B
Label: Tamla
Producer: Marvin Gaye ∙ Ed Townsend
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By 1973, Marvin Gaye was one of the leading soul men on the music scene. After the success of the politically conscious concept album What’s Going On (1971) & the soundtrack album to the film Trouble Man (1972,) Marvin renegotiated a new contract with Motown Records that was worth 1 million dollars, making him the highest-earning Black soul artist (overall at that) at the time.
Marvin Gaye’s thirteenth studio album Let’s Get It On was released on August 28, 1973, by Tamla Records. With elements of soul and R&B, Let’s Get It On became one of Marvin’s most sexually charged albums, pushing a movement of sensually themed music to mainstream music and had a tremendous influence on future generations with artists like Prince & D’Angelo.
Let’s Get It On’s themes of love and relationships was a revolution that needed to be enforced in a time of turmoil and change for the country. A SEXUAL REVOLUTION. Don’t get me wrong. I am a very socially aware type of man. But love is needed. Sex is needed too. Intimacy period, is needed. Sexual healing is important, wink wink. Lol. Corny joke I know, but you catch my drift. The album made Marvin a sex SYMBOL goddamn it! Just one of my favorite albums of all time.
Let’s Get It On is also credited for shifting the Motown Sound in the 1970s, as its trademark sound from the 60s was starting to fade tremendously for the sounds of music at the time (where philly soul and funk was more prevalent on the radio). The production on this album was so amazing with the usage of the old school “Motown sound” by modificating and incorporating funky instrumentation, melismatic vocalization and vocal multi-tracking.
Let’s Get It On also gets credit for being a pioneer for slow jam and quiet storm formats, paving the way for albums like Smokey Robinson’s A Quiet Storm, Barry White’s Can’t Get Enough and Earth, Wind & Fire’s That’s the Way of the World. Let’s Get It On peaked at number 1 on Billboard Soul LPs chart and number 2 on the Billboard Top LPs respectively. & rightfully so!
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Marvin Gaye’s Let’s Get It On.
Side one:
Let’s Get It On
Written by Marvin Gaye ∙ Ed Townsend
Let’s Get It On opens up the album, and is a very revolutionary sex positivity record. It was a groundbreaking record for the artist in multiple ways: his strict upbringing from his abusive father conditioned him and his siblings to believe sex was shameful.
We’re all sensitive people with so much to give
Marvin Gaye, Let’s Get It On, 1973
Understand me, sugar
Since we got to be here, let’s live, I love you
Overcoming the trauma with that upbringing to make physical love in the form of spiritual music was truly iconic. Also, I think the song could be interpreted in the form of love across the board and not just in the bedroom. Like we saw with What’s Going On, Marvin cared about the world and peace and positivity within the human race despite living in a corrupt society. So it could’ve went either way in regards to the meaning behind the song. Let’s Get It On gave the singer a number 1 hit on the pop and R&B charts!
***Let’s Get It On has been covered by Jade for The Inkwell soundtrack, and was sampled for 8 Ball by N.W.A., Smooth Operator by Big Daddy Kane, Good Luv’n by BJ the Chicago Kid, Let’s Get It On by UTFO, Soul Heaven by Johnnie Taylor & Ooh Shit by Master P
Please Stay (Once You Go Away)
Written by Marvin Gaye ∙ Ed Townsend
Please Stay (Once You Go Away) is a beautiful smooth record done by Gaye and Ed Townsend, where the singer is expressing he doesn’t want his lover to leave and discusses what the aftermath could be if she does leave.
If I Should Die Tonight
Written by Marvin Gaye ∙ Ed Townsend
If I Should Die Tonight is a Marvin Gaye CLASSIC FOR YOUR ASS!!!! From a lyrical perspective, the song has the singer saying in the event of his demise, he’ll be content because he experienced finding his true love. Initally, he didn’t want to record the song because he wasn’t able to sing a song unless the lyrics pertained to him personally. However, after meeting his future wife Janis Hunter..he felt the motivation to do so.
***If I Should Die Tonight was sampled for If I Should Die Tonight (Interude) by Puff Daddy featuring Carl Thomas, Big K.R.I.T.’s If I Should Die, John Legend’s Who Do We Think We Are featuring Rick Ross & was interoplated for Avant & Keke Wyatt’s You & I.
Keep Gettin’ It On
Written by Marvin Gaye ∙ Ed Townsend
Keep Gettin’ It On is a continuation of the title track, and is a smooth record where he discusses spreading love and peace in the 70s. & I love how the song can be interpreted for being about sexual freedom or it can stick with the socio-political method, which makes more sense, especially after recording this album after 1971’s What’s Going On.
Side two:
Come Get to This
Written by Marvin Gaye
Come Get to This is lyrically about the joy a man has when an old lover returns to get some good loving! Come Get to This was released as a second single on the album, peaking at number 3 on the R&B and number 21 on the pop charts respectively.
***Come Get to This has been covered by artists like Nancy Wilson & Joe.
Distant Lover
Written by Marvin Gaye ∙ Gwen Gordy ∙ Sandra Greene
Distant Lover is a perfect quiet storm record to play when you’re vibing to music before bed. I love everything about it: the production, lyrics and of course Marvin’s vocals. Originally recorded during the What’s Going On sessions, Distant Lover was released as a B-Side to Come Get to This!
***Distant Lover was sampled by Kanye West for Spaceship featuring Consquence & GLC, Jim Jones’ Don’t Push Me Away featuring Rell & Big K.R.I.T.’s They Got Us and has been covered by Brian McKnight & The Three Degrees.
You Sure Love to Ball
Written by Marvin Gaye
You Sure Love to Ball was released as the third and final single released from the album! From a lyrical perspective, the song is about SEX honey. “Ball” is used as a metaphor or slang for sex, and the song was known for the moaning which caused controversy. Nevertheless, the song peaked at 13 on the R&B charts!
***You Sure Love To Ball was covered by Sylvia, Keith Washington, Will Downing, & was sampled for Usher’s Twork It Out.
Just to Keep You Satisfied
Written by Marvin Gaye ∙ Anna Gordy Gaye ∙ Elgie Stover
It’s time for us to say farewell
Marvin Gaye, Just to Keep You Satisfied, 1973
Farewell my darling
Maybe we’ll meet down the line
It’s too late for you and me
It’s too late for you and I
Much too late for you to cry
Just to Keep You Satisfied is easily one of the best Marvin Gaye songs of all time. it’s my best friend and I’s favorite song and rightfully so. The song closes out the album with the quiet storm vibes and stellar production.
Originally a love ballad for The Originals & The Monitors, Marvin rewrote the song as a response to his failing relationship and marriage to Anna Gordy Gaye (the sister of Berry Gordy and Marvin’s first wife). Just to Keep You Satisfied was released as a B-side to You Sure Love To Ball.
***Just To Keep You Satisfied has been sampled for Baby by Dave East & When We by Mary J. Blige, and has been covered by artists such as Howard Hewett, Kenny Lattimore, Nancy Wilson & Philip Bailey.
Let’s Get It On will always be a groundbreaking album for not only Marvin Gaye, but Motown & their legacies period. Love and relationships was the central focus of the album and made sense that Marvin had complete artistic control during his tenure with Motown because the material on these concept albums were top tier. & still ARE!!! MARVIN GAYE WILL FOREVER REIGN SUPREME FOR GIVING US TIMELESS RECORDS. – MW.
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