Marvin Gaye
I Want You

I was young and so I got married. She was almost 20 years older than me, but it was never difficult for me to have appeal with women. So much so that the hothead of Berry often paired me with actresses and singers of a certain charm during concerts. And among all of them, at that time, I decided to form a sentimental bond with his sister, the boss, the one who had welcomed me into the biggest record label of the time. But the tyrant did not understand that the audience wanted to hear my voice, not just see my handsome face. To him, I was a damn money machine, a cover face, the symbol of Motown. And I had married her, Anna, Berry Gordy's sister.

But I was indeed young. So the sixties, with all their fashions, passed by and the seventies arrived. First, I started conflicting with Berry, who didn’t understand the depth of my new songs. I was touching delicate themes, pushing soul music towards protest and freedom. I wanted to distance myself from that image he had pinned on me. I wanted the music to truly matter, especially the words to matter. What’s going on? Why do we have to go fight in a place we don’t even know where it is? Why do we have to die in the name of something abstract while the powers of the Earth just watch? I addressed these questions to Our Father, but also to my father. Why did you make me part of your religious delusions? Why are you so envious of my success, why do my songs bother you so much?

Then, love. I met this girl, and I’m crazy about her. Meanwhile, I realize I'm with someone where everything is over. There is no more love, no more sex. God wants my heart, but especially my body, to be sexually driven by another woman. And the same God wants it this time for me to be much older than she is, or rather, for her to be much younger than I am. She is the reason that will lead me to write my subsequent albums. With Let’s Get It On, I talk about sex. I hope I've expressed myself in a non-trivial way, and above all, not in a vulgar manner, because to me, sex is, first of all, sensuality. And Janis, the girl I fell for, represents all of this.

My marriage is now adrift, there’s no more room for Anna in my life. Everything now revolves around Janis. Is it really love? I don't know, sometimes men impose false certainties on themselves because they don’t want to face the truth. Surely, what I felt at that time was something very strong. But it wasn't only Janis who made me feel good, who distracted me. There was also coke. I abused it, damn did I abuse it, and in that lifestyle, I dragged her along too. Lovers, dependent on sex and drugs. And from that labyrinth, many monsters began to escape: they were the images that tormented me the most, guilt for having betrayed Anna; it was the angelic face of Tammi, the singer I paired with in the late sixties, whom I saw die in my arms. And meanwhile, on the other side, always him, my father. The figure who had always blocked, restrained, and shaped me.

In this abyss, however, I let myself be absorbed by the only thing that has always kept me up and that, perhaps, I was putting in the background in this story: the music. Because, let us remember, I am Marvin Gaye, the greatest singer in the world! Obviously, I could no longer conceive music that was separated from what surrounded me. After being a singer of songs written by others, for quite a while now I've also become a renowned author. However, for the album I have in mind, I might contact Leon Ware. He could help me with the music. Hey, listen, Leon, would you like to produce this album for me? Done and done, we set up this fantastic artistic collaboration.

I want you, Janis, I want you, but I want you to want me too. Do you see it? This is the second album entirely for you. The music, the lyrics, everything talks about you. Leon perfectly interpreted what I asked of him. I believe this is my most sensual album ever. I don’t know if it's the most successful one, but little does it matter. I wanted you to enjoy this declaration of love for you. Because I am dependent on you, day and night, night and day. Give me your body, come with me, angel. What tomorrow will bring, for now, matters little. Demons, for now, let's put them aside. Those, at best, belong on the cover of this album. All together, in a wild dance.

All together, dancing.