Marvin Gaye Love Songs & Soulful Grooves for Weddings
Last Updated: August 2, 2023 | Written by Matthew Campbell (Editor of My Wedding Songs and wedding DJ)
Marvin Gaye is a true R&B and Soul music legend. Marvin was a mainstay for Motown Records in the Sixties and continued through the Seventies until his death in 1984. He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
Marvin Gaye had seven top 40 hits as duets with Tammi Terrell also of Motown Records in the Sixties. The duo singing would have continued if her life had not stopped short in 1970 due to a brain tumor. Marvin’s career was also cut short when he was murdered by his father in 1984.
Spotify Marvin Gaye Playlist
Best Marvin Gaye Songs List
#1 Let’s Get It On
Released in 1973 on the album Marvin Gaye
Let’s Get It On was Marvin Gaye’s most successful single as it reached number one on the Billboard charts for two weeks in 1973.
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Understand me, sugar
Since we’ve got to be here
Let’s live
I love you
#2 Ain’t No Mountain High Enough
(with Tammi Terrell)
Released in 1967 on the album United
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Ain’t no mountain high enough
Ain’t no valley low enough
Ain’t no river wide enough
To keep me from getting to you babe
Next, read a James Brown playlist for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
#3 Got To Give It Up, Part I
Released in 1977 on the album Live at the London Palladium
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
But my body yearned to be free
I got up on the floor and found
Someone to choose me
#4 I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Released in 1968 on the album In the Groove
This was Marvin’s first number-one hit on the Billboard charts.
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
#5 Sexual Healing
Released in 1982 on the album Midnight Love
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
And baby, I can’t hold it much longer
It’s getting stronger and stronger
And when I get that feeling
I want sexual healing
Check out an Aretha Franklin playlist for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
#6 Mercy Mercy Me
Released in 1971 on the album What’s Going On
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
Oh mercy, mercy me
Oh things ain’t what they used to be
#7 You’re All I Need to Get By
(with Tammi Terrell)
Released in 1968 on the album You’re All I Need
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
There’s no, no looking back for us
We got love sure ‘nough, that’s enough
You’re all, You’re all I need to get by
#8 How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
Released in 1964 on the album How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
With sweet love and devotion
Deeply touching my emotions
I wanna stop (stop) and thank you, baby
#9 Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing
(with Tammi Terrell)
Released in 1968 on the album You’re All I Need
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
No other sound is quite the same as your name
No touch can do half as much
To make me feel better
So let’s stay together
Listen to a Smokey Robinson playlist for wedding ceremonies and receptions.
#10 I Want You
Released in 1976 on the album I Want You
Most Meaningful Lyrics:
You’re the best I ever had
You’re so bad baby
But I must like you like that
The Let’s Get It On album was also the most commercially successful album in Gaye’s career. The album featured three hit singles: Let’s Get It On, Come Get to This, and You Sure Love to Ball. Also check out the album Number 1’s: Marvin Gaye – Marvin Gaye.
Marvin Gaye Highest-Charting Singles
- #1 I’ll Be Doggone, 1965
- #1 Ain’t That Peculiar, 1965
- #1 Ain’t Nothing Like the Real Thing (with Tammi Terrell), 1968
- #1 You’re All I Need to Get By (with Tammi Terrell), 1968
- #1 I Heard It Through the Grapevine, 1968
- #1 Too Busy Thinking About My Baby, 1969
- #1 What’s Going On, 1971
- #1 Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology), 1971
- #1 Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler), 1971
- #1 Let’s Get It On, 1973
- #1 I Want You, 1976
- #1 Got to Give It Up (Part 1), 1977
- #1 Sexual Healing, 1982
- #2 Pride and Joy 1963
- #2 What’s the Matter with You Baby (with Mary Wells), 1964
- #2 Your Precious Love (with Tammi Terrell), 1967
- #2 If I Could Build My Whole World Around You (with Tammi Terrell), 1967
- #2 That’s The Way Love Is, 1969
- #2 Sanctified Lady, 1985
- #2 Music (with Erick Sermon) 2001
- #3 Can I Get a Witness, 1963
- #3 You’re a Wonderful One, 1964
- #3 Once Upon a Time (with Mary Wells), 1964
- #3 How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You), 1964
- #3 Ain’t No Mountain High Enough (with Tammi Terrell), 1967
- #3 Come Get to This, 1973
- #4 One More Heartache, 1966
- #4 It Takes Two (with Kim Weston), 1966
- #4 Trouble Man, 1972
- #4 You’re a Special Part of Me (with Diana Ross), 1973
Do you have a favorite Marvin Gae song? Please share your song below in the comments.
About
DJ, Editor, Music Lover
Matthew (Matt) Campbell is the founder/editor of My Wedding Songs from his experience as a wedding DJ. He is the author of two wedding planners: ‘Wedding Songs Planner’ and ‘The Wedding Music Toolkit’. Matt is the host of the ‘Wedding Songs Podcast’. He shares music inspiration in his weekly newsletter the ‘Wedding MusicLetter’. His articles have been published on Rolling Stone, DJ Life Magazine, and DJ Times. Matt resides in the wedding capital of the world – Las Vegas.