The 15 Best Marvin Gaye Quotes

Did anyone have a smoother voice than Marvin Gaye?

The Washington D.C.-born artist, who came into the world in 1939 and who left it sadly too young at 44 years old in 1984, shot by his father a day before he turned 45, is remembered today as one of the best singers of all time. Soulful, crisp, buttery, and poignant, Gaye was and is an American treasure.

With hits like “Sexual Healing” and “What’s Going On?” Gaye’s music filled the streets of the United States, rode along with automobile drivers, and even contributed to some babymaking.

But what did Gaye have to say about the world around him, outside of his song lyrics? What were his thoughts on life and love, his craft, and more? That, dear reader, is the subject of today’s inquiry.

So, without further ado, let’s dive into the best 15 Marvin Gaye quote, shall we?

1. “If you cannot find peace within yourself, you will never find it anywhere else.”

2. “Marriage is miserable unless you find the right person that is your soulmate, and that takes a lot of looking.”

3. “Detroit turned out to be heaven, but it also turned out to be hell.”

4. “Great artists suffer for the people.”

5. “I think I’ve got a real love thing going. I love people, I love life, and I love nature, and I can’t see why other people can’t be like that.”

6. “Most fear stems from sin; to limit one’s sins, one must assuredly limit one’s fear, thereby bringing more peace to one’s spirit.”

7. “I am not a star. At least, I don’t consider myself a star.”

8. “I think if I had to choose another profession, I’d like to be a judge because I’m very capable of determining what’s right and what’s not.”

9. “I hope to refine music, study it, try to find some area that I can unlock. I don’t quite know how to explain it but it’s there. These can’t be the only notes in the world, there’s got to be other notes some place, in some dimension, between the cracks on the piano keys.”

10. “If I do my job well, then God will smile on my offspring and on their offspring. I’m sure my father is seeing a blessing in me.”

11. “I sing about life.”

12. “Who isn’t fascinated by evil?”

13. “In a sense, the rumors suggesting I had quit were true: I had retired, but only from the personal-appearance end. I did that because I had always felt conspicuous onstage, and I’m not the sort of person who likes to be an exhibitionist.”

14. “It’s what makes you happy in life, and to pursue it, I think, is brave and a wonderful thing. I don’t care what people say. I just want to pursue what makes me happy.”

15. “I’d had it as a member of a group. I sang with the Moonglows for two years, and that was enough.”

Photo by Rob Verhorst/Redferns