Marvin Gaye was one of those musicians whose songs become inextricably linked. He was most likely best known for his masterpiece album, What’s Goin’ On, in which his voice was used as an instrument as Ella Fitzgerald’s had been decades before.
That was after he had seized control of his career and let his artistic vision loose.
Before that, though, he cranked out a lot of Motown hits. In the early days, with hits like How Sweet It Is, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Heard It Through The Grapevine, and You’re All I Need, Gaye established himself as a great, great singer.
Of his early hits though, nothing was much better than Ain’t That Peculiar. The arrangement of the song allowed his voice to really soar over the instruments without overpowering them. It hinted at the astonishing work he would do in a few years on What’s Goin’ On and the next great album, Let’s Get It On.
