Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. (2 April 1939 - 1 April 1984) was an American soul an… Read Full Bio ↴Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. (2 April 1939 - 1 April 1984) was an American soul and rnb singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist, known as "The Prince of Soul", or "The Prince of Motown." Originally a member of the doo-wop group The Moonglows, he pursued a solo career after the group disbanded and released many successful solo hits including "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", "Let's Get It On" and "What's Going On". His best albums are still held in extremely high regard, and he is often cited as one of the finest singers of his era.

Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was born in 1939 to Marvin Gay, Sr. and Alberta Gay in Washington, D.C.. Gaye began his career in Motown in 1958, and soon became Motown's top solo male artist. He scored numerous hits during the 1960s, among them "Ain't That Peculiar", "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", as well as several hit duets with Tammi Terrell, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"" and "You're All I Need to Get By", before moving on to his own form of musical self-expression.

Along with Stevie Wonder, Gaye is notable for fighting the hit-making—but creatively restrictive—Motown record-making process, in which performers, songwriters and record producers were generally kept in separate camps. Gaye forced Motown to release his 1971 album What's Going On, which is today hailed as one of the best albums of all time. Subsequent releases proved that Gaye, who had been a part-time songwriter for Motown artists during his early years with the label, could write and produce his own singles without having to rely on the Motown system. This achievement would pave the way for the successes of later self-sufficient singer-songwriter-producers in African American music, such as Luther Vandross and Babyface.

During the 1970s, Gaye would release several other notable albums, including Let's Get It On and I Want You, and released several successful singles such as "Come Get to This", "Got to Give It Up" and "Sexual Healing". By the time of his shooting death in 1984, at the hands of his clergyman father, Gaye had become one of the most influential artists of the soul music era.

Always
Marvin Gaye Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everything went wrong,
And the whole day long
I'd feel so blue.
For the longest while
I'd forget to smile,
Then I met you.
Now that my blue days have passed,
Now that I've found you at last

I'll be loving you always
With a love that's true always.
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand always.

Always.

Days may not be fair always,
That's when Ill be there always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But always.

Ill be loving you, oh always
With a love that's true always.
When the things you've planned
Need a helping hand,
I will understand always.

Always.

Days may not be fair always,
That's when I'll be there always.
Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,
Not for just a year,
But always.

Not for just an hour,
Not for just a day,

Not for just a year,
But always.

Overall Meaning

In the song "Always" by Marvin Gaye, the lyrics express the singer's deep affection and commitment to someone he loves, promising unending devotion and support. The first verse describes a time when everything in the singer's life seemed to be going wrong and left him feeling constantly sad and unable to smile. However, when he met the person he is addressing in the song, his life changed for the better, and he is grateful for the joy and love that they bring him. The chorus repeats the promise that the singer will always love the person and be there to support them, even when things aren't going well.

The second verse reinforces this commitment, emphasizing that the singer's love is not just for good times but will persist through difficult times as well. The repeated refrain of "always" underscores the singer's conviction that his love is constant and unending. The final stanza repeats the promise of everlasting love and support, expressing the depth of the singer's feelings and the strength of his commitment to this person.

Overall, the lyrics to "Always" convey a powerful message about the enduring nature of love and the importance of loyalty and support in a relationship. The song's simple, straightforward language and repeating refrain make it both easy to appreciate and hard to forget.

Line by Line Meaning

Everything went wrong,
The events of the day did not go as planned

And the whole day long
This lasted throughout the entire day

I'd feel so blue.
I experienced feelings of sadness and depression

For the longest while
This persisted for some time

I'd forget to smile,
I lost the ability to express joy and happiness

Then I met you.
But then someone new entered my life

Now that my blue days have passed,
The sadness has lifted since meeting this person

Now that I've found you at last
This new person is now a significant part of my life

I'll be loving you always
I will love and prioritize this person forever

With a love that's true always.
This love will always be genuine and sincere

When the things you've planned
In times of need or when things don't go as planned