Top 10 Best Songs by Marvin Gaye

A classic from his early Motown period. Before he delved into depth with social themes, he was the master of cheerful, romantic soul. The song is bursting with joie de vivre and gratitude. The piano intro and sing-along chorus make it irresistible. A timeless hit that shows how smooth and easy his voice actually was.

A funky disco song born from pure improvisation. You hear the party noise in the background; Marvin wanted to capture the atmosphere of a house party. The beat is irresistible and the falsetto singing is playful. The song was the inspiration for "Blurred Lines" (which led to a lawsuit), but the original remains unmatched in its loose, swinging vibe.

One of the first environmentally conscious songs in pop music. Marvin sings about polluted air, dead fish and ruined earth. Despite the somber message, the music is soft and melodious, with a beautiful saxophone solo. It sounds like a sad sigh about the beauty we're destroying. Prophetic and beautiful.

The live version of this song is legendary. It's the ultimate soul ballad about longing and missing. Marvin sings, screams and pleads. The women in the audience scream at every note. You feel the physical pain of the distance. It's vocal acrobatics of the highest order, full of passion and drama.

A dark, jazzy song about poverty and inequality in the ghettos. The bassline is deep and repetitive, like a mantra. It's about lack of money, police violence and hopelessness. "Makes me wanna holler." The mood is oppressive and nighttime. A powerful conclusion to his masterpiece What's Going On.

The ultimate duet. The chemistry between Marvin and Tammi is unparalleled. The song is an explosion of joy and optimism. The message is simple: love conquers all, no mountain is too high. The production is grand and sweeping. It's a song that instantly makes you happy and makes you believe in love.

The opening with the "wah-wah" guitar says it all: this gets sexy. It's the national anthem of the bedroom. Marvin pulls no punches. He sings not vulgarly, but with a spiritual devotion to physical love. "We're all sensitive people." It's sultry, warm and compelling. A song responsible for plenty of babies.

A paranoid masterpiece. The intro is ominous and suspenseful. Marvin sings about the rumor that his girlfriend is cheating on him. The pain and disbelief are audible in his voice. The rhythm is tight and mysterious. It became his biggest hit for Motown and defined "soul with a dark edge."

His big comeback in the eighties. The beat comes from a drum computer, giving it a modern and tight sound. It's less organic, but no less soulful. Marvin sounds healed and relaxed here. It's a song about sex as medicine and comfort. The whispering background vocals complete it. Smooth, cool and timeless.

This is more than music, this is a prayer. Marvin Gaye saw the world on fire (Vietnam, race riots) and simply wondered: what's going on? The layered vocals, jazzy chords and soft groove make it hypnotic. It's a timeless call for understanding and love, sung by a man who turned his own pain into beauty. The most beautiful soul record of all time.