Released: 2016
Features: Meghan Trainor
Charlie Puth’s track “Marvin Gaye” featuring Meghan Trainor is a catchy, pop-infused homage to the soulful vibes of classic R&B. The lyrics are steeped in metaphorical desire and longing, with repeated references to intimacy and connection, underpinned by the ‘give and take’ dynamics in a romantic relationship.
The chorus, “Let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on” isn’t just a slick play on Marvin Gaye’s iconic song “Let’s Get It On.” On a deeper level, it embodies a yearning for the deep emotional and physical connection that Gaye’s music personifies. In this way, Puth and Trainor are expressing their desire for a relationship that’s passionate and soulful, just like Gaye’s music.
The lyrics “We got this king-size to ourselves… It’s Kama Sutra show and tell” implies an intimate setting. The use of ‘Kama Sutra’, an ancient Indian text about sexual behavior, accentuates the erotic undertones in the song.
The line, “there’s lovin’ in your eyes that pulls me closer“, beautifully captures that unspoken magnetic pull between two people deeply attracted to each other. And when they express, “I’m in trouble, But I love to be in trouble with you“, it’s an acknowledgement of the complications that often come with romantic entanglements, but also an embrace of these challenges when shared with the right person.
With “you’ve got to give it up to me… I’m screaming, “Mercy, mercy, please!”“, they’re pleading for reciprocation – for their partner to give into this irresistible pull and unite in passion, much like the song’s namesake, Marvin Gaye, often sang about.
The lines “And when you leave me all alone, I’m like a stray without a home“, echoing the age-old notion of feeling lost and incomplete without the person one loves. To “Marvin Gaye and get it on” is thus not just about physical attraction, but a plea for companionship, understanding, and mutual surrender.
“Just like they say it in the song, Until the dawn, let’s Marvin Gaye and get it on“, finally seals the deal, echoing the chorus once more for that fully rounded narrative arc, reinforcing that desire for connection inspired by the legendary Marvin Gaye’s passionate and soulful music.
