Devotion #2

People talk a lot about how busy they are. “I’m so busy with this, I’m so busy with that, busy, busy, busy…blahbity blah blah gooney goo goo.” It seems to be an adult thing, because I can’t remember ever being busy with anything when I was a shorty except for eating, playing, and falling asleep in a church pew every Sunday.

Time is much more precious nowadays, but occasionally, I’m able to roll one project into another and keep things running somewhat smoothly. One of the things I’ve been working on recently is a piece on the late Marvin Gaye, one of most influential artists in the history of R&B and quite possibly its most self-destructive. When Gaye was shot and killed at the hands of his father on the afternoon of April 1, 1984, I was a bit too young to understand the full scope of his life and work. I remember “Sexual Healing,” of course, which was the hit that solidified his comeback after three years in European exile. But a more vivid memory is of this chubby kid named Kelly Ford who lived down the block, running up to a group of us playing in the alley behind my house on the day Gaye died and exclaiming, “Marvin Gaye got shot ya’ll!” I don’t recall much after that. We thought it was an April Fools joke.

Marvin Gaye – "Heavy Love Affair" (previously unreleased version) – In Our Lifetime Expanded Love Man Edition (Hip-O-Select 2007)

As I’ve learned more about Gaye in the decades since then, I have a better understanding of just how much of a force the man was. He was a natural talent whose approach to recording music was effortless, which is remarkable when considering the demons – both mental and material – he struggled with throughout his life. Marvin at 60% was better than the majority of his contemporaries. He could make beautiful music by accident, and often did, occasionally recording vocals while lying down on a couch. Gaye wasn’t a planner – the word “structure” didn’t fit into his realm of comprehension – but if the conditions were right, all a producer had to do was let the tape roll.

This version of “Heavy Love Affair” is an unreleased recording from 1981’s In Our Lifetime sessions. The circumstances surrounding the In Our Lifetime project are a mystery and a complete and utter mess, and well-documented in Steve Turner’s superb Trouble Man biography. The music, however, set standards that have yet to be reached by many artists since his passing. Such was the life of Marvin Gaye. His death didn’t register at the time, but in looking back, his presence is missed.

Elzhi – "Boomerang Slang" – Out of Focus EP (unreleased 2000)

Keith Murray – "Whut's Happenin'" – Enigma (Jive 1996)

I’m new to this blogging thang (yes, thang). I peruse a lot of auditory blogs, in all shapes and sizes, but having to contribute regularly is an entirely different animal – an animal with unforeseen challenges, in particular, like a pet chimp.

For one thing, there are many of them that simply aren’t very good. Normally, this wouldn’t be much of a problem for such a quality online resource as the one you’re reading now, but such low expectations across the board tend to dilute the gene pool. This makes it even harder to stand out, but I like to think that we do. And there is some quality out there, you just have to know where to look.

More important, and more specific to blogs of a musical nature, is how to go about picking these damn songs. I’ve been collecting recorded music since 1982, when I purchased my first 7-inch single, the Dazz Band’s “Let it Whip.” (NOTE: I don’t remember the b-side because it never got played.) Needless to day, the music acquisition thing is out of hand in these parts, so this go-round, I’ve decided to make it easy on myself.

The Elzhi and Keith Murray selections each feature samples from Marvin Gaye’s personally and socially liberating 1971 landmark, What’s Going On. Both artists have long been favorites of mine – Elzhi raps circles around just about anyone – and represent two areas of great cultural symbolism: the city of Detroit and music by MCs who have spent time in prison. Coincidentally, the parts sampled for each come from the opening and closing portions of side A of What’s Going On, including deft “Hey, what’s happening…” usage by producer Erick Sermon of the vocal party banter intro to the album’s title track.

It’s a slight flip like this which separates the men from the boys. And people say this thing of ours isn’t creative.