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.
Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Good lovin' ain't easy
Good lovin' ain't easy to come by
Oh, darlin', that's the kind you offer me
It's just the love to be found
'Cause we're workin' on a buildin' nobody can tear down
Look what we've got, ho-ho-ho-honey
Good lovin' ain't easy, darlin'
Good lovin' ain't easy to come by, oh no no
I've tried the good life and I know
It's a playground where no one cares
But at last you'll find out that don't compare
To what we've got, ho-ho-ho-honey
It takes more than just a song and dance
You've got to work and fight to give it a chance
If the rain comes down on us
And there ain't no place to run
We'll just cover ourselves with a blanket of love
And wait till the mornin' comes
Oh baby, let's do it today
Inflection
Give us protection
Good lovin' ain't easy to come by
Some think it's a plaything
You can toss away when it's old
But when love's valued in pieces
It's worth more than gold
That's what we've got
The lyrics of Marvin Gaye’s song “Good Lovin’ Ain’t Easy to Come By” speaks about the value and rarity of genuine love. The first two lines repeat to emphasize the notion that good love is not something that is easily obtained. The opening line could almost be interpreted as a warning to potential lovers, that they should not take love for granted or expect it to be easy. However, the next three lines suggest that Marvin has found the love he wants in a partner, despite it being difficult to find. He values this love because it is real and cannot be destroyed by anything.
The second verse further develops the idea that the high life doesn’t compare to the happiness that can be found with the right person. The distinction between frivolous pleasure and true love is highlighted, with the former being compared to a playground where no one really cares. It does not give any real satisfaction or meaning to life. This is contrasted with the deeper happiness that can be found in genuine love, where the love transcends the physical and materialistic aspects of life. Marvin implies that you cannot find that kind of love easily.
The last verse talks about the importance of not giving up on love, but putting in the work and effort necessary for it to thrive. The line, “If the rain comes down on us / And there ain't no place to run,” suggests that the challenges of life will come, but if the relationship is built on a strong foundation of love, it will provide shelter from the storm. In essence, the song is a declaration of love for his partner, a recognition of the value of love, and a rallying cry for others to recognize that “good lovin’” is not something that can be taken for granted.
Line by Line Meaning
Good lovin' ain't easy
Finding true love is difficult
Good lovin' ain't easy
Finding true love is still difficult even if you already have some
Good lovin' ain't easy to come by
It's rare to find true love
Oh, darlin', that's the kind you offer me
You are the one offering me true love
It's just the love to be found
True love is the only thing that matters
'Cause we're workin' on a buildin' nobody can tear down
We are building a strong relationship that cannot be easily broken
Look what we've got, ho-ho-ho-honey
Our love is valuable and worth celebrating
I've tried the good life and I know
I have experienced material pleasures but they don't compare to true love
It's a playground where no one cares
Material pleasures are shallow and meaningless
But at last you'll find out that don't compare
Eventually you'll realize that true love is more important
To what we've got, ho-ho-ho-honey
Our love is precious and irreplaceable
It takes more than just a song and dance
True love requires effort and commitment
You've got to work and fight to give it a chance
You have to put in the effort and overcome obstacles to make love work
If the rain comes down on us
If we face hardships and challenges
And there ain't no place to run
If we have nowhere to escape
We'll just cover ourselves with a blanket of love
We'll rely on our love to get us through tough times
And wait till the mornin' comes
We will endure and wait for better days
Oh baby, let's do it today
Let's work on our love today
Inflection
Emphasis on the importance of love
Give us protection
Let our love be strong enough to protect us from harm
Good lovin' ain't easy to come by
True love is rare and valuable
Some think it's a plaything
Some people treat love as a casual thing
You can toss away when it's old
People can easily discard love when it's no longer new or exciting
But when love's valued in pieces
But when love is appreciated for its true worth
It's worth more than gold
Love is more valuable than any material possession
That's what we've got
Our love is precious and priceless
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: NICKOLAS ASHFORD, VALERIE SIMPSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind