Song: Marvin Gaye
Artist: Charlie Puth
Year: 2015
Album: Nine Track Mind
Genre: Pop
Style: Vocal
Pictured: CD Single
Click Here to Play the Song
Did you hear that noise? That was the sound of any remaining readers who are fans of The Who slamming their laptops closed. Yes, some random pipsqueak sits directly atop The Who on my list of favorite songs, which is obviously a faulty, flawed list and no one should read it and I’m not playing anymore because come on, The Who, man. All I can say to you furious Who ‘shippers is please refer back to the post in which I kicked off this project. I clearly warned one and all that this sort of thing was going to happen, and happen often. Don’t get me wrong, I offer no apologies. I’m confident that my taste is impeccable, and “Marvin Gaye” really is not only my 355th favorite song of life, but also the 355th best song ever written. Okay, maybe not. Maybe I’m a bit cubbed2 that it has made the list, but I can’t help it. I really like this song, and truth be told it began it’s list life in a much higher spot, slowly sliding down the ranks less because of my love of listening to it, and listen to it I do, seldom playing it but once whenever I play it, instead playing it on repeat for 6 or 7 listens, and more because of the shame I felt for placing it in so lofty a spot among ostensibly better, more respectable fare.
The song certainly has some issues. For starters, the title/chorus. Marvin Gaye is now a verb meaning “get it on?” I guess so. Marvin Gaye’s signature hit, “Let’s Get It On” is all about getting it on, so I can see where Puth is coming from, but it still sounds weird. I definitely believe that if the song weren’t so catchy I would have more of a problem with this. The lyrics are somewhat trite and predictable, and occasionally cringe-inducing, but then again, one might put forth that lyrics like that are the mark of a great pop song. If a song makes you think too much, it ceases to be a pop song and begins edging into art rock territory. There is definitely none of that deep-dish, high falutin’ nonsense to be found here, I’ll tell you that right now. This is color-by-numbers music for he masses, but sung in such a sultry manner, and over such a bouncy, catchy tune, that I simply can’t help loving the song, and remembering why simple, straight-up pop music will always have a place in my playlist, and sometimes that place happens to be one spot above a legend of classic rock song.
2cub/kəb/verb past tense: cubbed; past participle: cubbed 1. cause (someone) to feel awkward, self-conscious, or ashamed.