For the Love of Marvin Gaye -Replay
The man, the music, the lyrics
November 14, 2024
I did it again today. I spent the day with Marvin Gaye, immersed in his poignant lyrics and soulful voice. The house was empty—the sun filtered through the windows. The breeze was cool enough to open them and let some fresh air in.
I haven’t been the same since November 6th.
When I’m busy, I’m okay.
By the time night falls, the heaviness settles in my heart.
Everything is different. I’m different.
I have no desire to endlessly scroll on social media. I don’t want to run across that hateful, orange face. I don’t want to hear about the latest idiot he’s nominating for his cabinet. I will do my best to never listen to lies come out of his mouth ever again.
I had a beautiful self-care day. I emptied my suitcase from travel two weeks ago. I put things away that were piling up on the sofa in my bedroom. I showered, washed my hair, luxuriated in almond cream, and almond oil, from head to toe, and I listened to some exquisite music.
Again, I was taken back by the lyrics.
I was taken back to the seventies, when he sung about war, the earth, poverty, racism—all problems that we still face today. We made it through those times. Will we make it through these?
We have to savor these self-care moments and rest when we get them, without any guilt about all of the things we should be doing.
Today, I was free! I will count every day that I have peace un I can’t count anymore.
“All he asks of us, is that we give each other love.” -God is Love
This was originally written on April 30, 2024
Marvin Gaye made me cry today
for so many reasons
It’s difficult to say
Is it the passion in his soulful voice
evoking memories of first love
making my eyes moist?
Does this kind of love exist anymore?
The nineteen-seventies —the time of my childhood
That inner longing -is, ooh, so good
delicious days of hopeful innocence
Sexy, soul music deserves reverence
I want you. And you want me, so why don’t we
Get together after the dance.
That first boy-girl party
An explosion of hormones
bursting, exuberant, and hearty
Cute boys and lusty girls hanging out in the love zone
Butterflies fluttering
Pure, sweet, imagining
Untainted by the weight of the world
A lustrous pearl
inside the oyster’s shell
I treasure every day like it was, a precious jewel
We have reached the ripe old age
when we say things like the “good old days”
Music takes us back in time
melodies of rhythm and rhyme
feeling love like it’s brand new
back when worries were few
Passion -still in the distance
Yet to be experienced
Deep, yearning for love
Unaware of
the pain that lingers like a goodnight hug
Nineteen-eighties -my high school days
There’s nothing like teenage life in L.A.
1580 K-DAY
a.m. on your radio dial
Crusin’Crenshaw for miles
103.9 KJLH
Hey! That’s Stevie Wonder’s place
As I reminisce… through our joyful summer together
All the daily letters
Falling in love through Love Letters
on warm summer days
vision obscured by summer haze
Then, all of a sudden
Everything seems to explode…
Distant Lover
Are passion-filled days now behind me now?
Loneliness is all I see
If I should die tonight
though it be far before my time,
I won’t die blue
Cause I’ve known you
Found Poem Sources:
Lyrics from Marvin Gaye Songs:
“I Want You” 1976
“What’s Goin’ On”, 1971
“Distant Lover,” 1973
What is a Found Poem?
“A found poem is a form of poetry that comprises borrowed text from different sources. Poets borrow words, phrases, or passages from sources like novels and news articles for found poems. Assembling the sourced texts brings a new meaning unique from the words or phrases’ original context.”
Marvin’s Life, Death, Irony, and our Connection
Born in 1939, the year my mother was born. He would be 84 years young today.
Died on April 1st, 1984, One day before his 45th Birthday
Five days before my 19th birthday. Both of us, the creative sign —Aries
He died in the home he bought for his parents on Gramercy Place after intervening in an argument between his mother and his father. The fatal shot came from his father.
The Gramercy Place home is in the West Adams District of L.A. I grew up in an apartment on West Adams, just around the corner from his parent’s home, where he died.
The moment he passed, I heard the news on the radio. I was with my childhood friends, visiting a relative in Venice Beach. On our drive home, we listened to his songs on the radio between tears and grief, knowing we would pass Gramercy Place on our way home that day. It literally hit close to home. It is a moment that is forever etched in my memory.
A Found poem found me :
This week, out of the blue, I found myself taking a deep dive into Marvin Gaye’s Music.
When we are young, we listen to music for the sound. It makes us dance. It pulses through the body and soul like an electrical current. As we mature, this still happens, thank God. I hope we never stop dancing. Only now, we hear the impact of lyrics more profoundly.
For instance, when I was a teenager, I love, love, loved “The Police” and “Sting.” I had no idea how deep the lyrics were until I was a whole grownup adult and heard myself singing out loud. As life slows down, we pay more attention to the details of the world. When we retrieve previously stored knowledge, suddenly we find meaning that wasn’t there before.
I found myself listening to Marvin’s catalog of music, stopping, writing down the most poignant lyrics, dancing, reminiscing, and crying alone in my writing room until the wee hours of the morning. It was Friday Night Live for old people. This is how I party now.
I started writing this poem between songs, grabbing a line here and a word there. I was “having a Private Party…ain’t nobody but me, my angels and my no guitar, singin’ “Baby look how far we’ve come, yeah.” Learning how to love me." -India Arie, 2006.
More tears.
More memories.
More “This reminds me of that time when…”
When I heard Marvin sing the line, “If I Should Die Tonight,” it took me down to my knees. It made me think of so many prolific artists who gave us the best of everything they had and then died before their time, i.e., Prince, Michael Jackson, Tupac, and the list goes on. Highly sensitive, genius art takes endless energy. It’s hard to turn it off. It’s hard to sleep. Physical and mental pain feels more pronounced. Hence, the introduction of drugs to calm the mind.
At least we will always have the music. What a gift it is to the world.
Lyrical Themes-
Marvin Gaye’s Music hit timeless themes that reflect the struggle of black people and the world to this day: war, climate change, love, hate, and police brutality. The lyrics are poignant and still relevant to the times we live in.
A few of those lyrics:
Father, Father, we don’t need to escalate. You see, war is not the answer. For only love can conquer hate.
Don’t punish me with brutality —What’s Goin On, 1971
Trigger Happy Policing…panic spreading. God knows we’re heading. —Inner City Blues, 1971
How much more abuse from man can she stand? —Mercy, Mercy, Me (The Ecology)
Who is willing to try, to save a world, that’s destined to die?
Little children today, will really suffer tomorrow. Live life for the children.
—Save the World, 1971
Dear Readers and Writers,
I did it again. What was supposed to be a simple, quick “found poem” post turned into a whole thing. That’s the ADHD brain for ya. It took me 3 days to write and edit.
Today, I went all day without eating. I found myself going down rabbit holes, researching song lyrics and dates. Suddenly, I remembered…Oh yeah, eating, taking ADHD meds. Even
just reminded me about this in her post "Movement as Creative Practice"
By the time I finished editing, I was sure this was the most ridiculous post I’ve ever written, and who cares anyway? This happens just about every time I publish.
It’s an incredible act of bravery for all of us when we publish our work and let other eyes see our thoughts.
Keep going!
Thank you for taking the time to read my work. A special shout-out to my paid subscribers! Hey! I love and appreciate you. You give me a reason to keep writing week after week. You make it possible to continue my writing education and reach future writing goals.
Much needed words today. I am still reeling from the election but am also trying to stay busy. It helps. However, I am still unable to watch the national news. Hopefully this too will pass over time. Music does help. Gospel, Anita Baker and Whitney Houston are my current picks. I'll have to add Marvin now.
So much honesty and depth here in the is piece.