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.
Inner City Blues
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Rockets, moon shots
Spend it on the have nots
Money, we make it
'Fore we see it you take it
Oh, make you wanna holler
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
This ain't livin', this ain't livin'
No, no baby, this ain't livin'
No, no, no
Inflation no chance
To increase finance
Bills pile up sky high
Send that boy off to die
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Make me wanna holler
The way they do my life
Dah, dah, dah
Dah, dah, dah
Hang ups, let downs
Bad breaks, set backs
Natural fact is
I can't pay my taxes
Oh, make me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Yeah, it makes me wanna holler
And throw up both my hands
Crime is increasing
Trigger happy policing
Panic is spreading
God know where we're heading
Oh, make me wanna holler
They don't understand
Dah, dah, dah
Mother, mother
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Who are they to judge us
Simply cause we wear our hair long
The lyrics to Marvin Gaye's song Inner City Blues speak to the struggles of those living in poverty and facing systemic oppression. The opening lines refer to the government spending on space exploration and technology, while neglecting to provide for those who are struggling to make ends meet. The lyrics "Money, we make it, 'Fore we see it you take it" allude to the income inequality and taxation policies that disproportionately affect the lower class. The chorus "Make me wanna holler, The way they do my life" highlights the frustration and despair that comes with living in a society that perpetuates inequality.
Gaye continues to paint a bleak picture of life for the impoverished by mentioning inflation and the inability to increase finances, as bills continue to pile up. The line "Send that boy off to die" references the Vietnam War, which overwhelmingly affected young men from low-income communities who were unable to dodge the draft. The verse "Hang ups, let downs, Bad breaks, set backs" alludes to the struggles and setbacks that these communities face that only add to their financial and emotional burden. The final lines addressing hair and societal judgement criticize the superficiality of societal norms and call for compassion and understanding.
Line by Line Meaning
Rockets, moon shots
Referring to the government spending money on space exploration while issues in inner cities go unaddressed
Spend it on the have nots
The government spending money on programs for those in poverty
Money, we make it
People work hard to earn a living
'Fore we see it you take it
Taxes and bills take a large portion of their earnings before they even have the chance to use it
Oh, make you wanna holler
The overwhelming frustration with the situation
The way they do my life
Referring to the injustices and struggles faced in everyday life
This ain't livin', this ain't livin'
The difficult and trying circumstances lead to questioning what it means to truly live
Inflation no chance
Inflation is harming people's ability to make ends meet
To increase finance
Struggling to find ways to make more money
Bills pile up sky high
The overwhelming amount of bills and expenses that pile up
Send that boy off to die
Referring to young men being drafted to fight in the Vietnam War
Hang ups, let downs
The constant disappointments, setbacks, and obstacles faced
Bad breaks, set backs
Referring to the difficulties faced in life due to external factors beyond one's control
Natural fact is
The unfortunate reality and truth is
I can't pay my taxes
Struggling to pay taxes, which contribute to the common good of society
Oh, make me wanna holler
Expressing the frustration and struggle of navigating life's obstacles
And throw up both my hands
Feeling helpless in the face of overwhelming obstacles
Crime is increasing
The increase in crime rates in urban areas
Trigger happy policing
Referring to police who are quick to use violence
Panic is spreading
Fear and anxiety is becoming pervasive in society
God know where we're heading
Uncertainty and worry about the future
They don't understand
The feeling of being unseen and unheard by those in positions of power and authority
Mother, mother
Calling to the maternal instinct of universal care and concern for one another
Everybody thinks we're wrong
Society as a whole often misunderstands or doesn't fully comprehend the realities and struggles of those in the inner city
Who are they to judge us
Questioning the authority and right of others to pass judgment and make assessments about people who have different life experiences than they do
Simply cause we wear our hair long
Referencing the Afro hair style, which was a symbol of black pride and resistance to oppressive beauty standards
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Marvin Gaye, James Nyx
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@tulayamalavenapi4028
Translation
Government men are always like carnivorous demons called Rākṣasas [man-eaters]. Sometimes these government men turn against the conditioned soul and take away all his accumulated wealth. Being bereft of his life’s reserved wealth, the conditioned soul loses all enthusiasm. Indeed, it is as though he loses his life.
Purport
The word rāja-kula-rakṣasā is very significant. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam was compiled about five thousand years ago, yet government men are referred to as Rākṣasas, or carnivorous demons. If government men are opposed to a person, that person will be bereft of all his riches, which he has accumulated with great care over a long period of time. Actually no one wants to pay income taxes — even government men themselves try to avoid these taxes — but at unfavorable times income taxes are exacted forcibly, and the taxpayers become very morose.
Get it? vedabase.io
Free reading here's the verse:
https://vedabase.io/en/library/sb/5/14/16/
But the solutions are ALSO found. Seek ye the kingdom of Kṛṣṇa..
@MisterJackson-so9lo
53 years later and this song is tragically still relevant😢😢😢😢😢😢
@wandacain1310
Still affects me emotionally 😢
@MisterJackson-so9lo
@@user-sc1hu6or1b SUPERB 💥💥 FULL POINT 👊🏾👊🏾👊🏾👊🏾 OBSERVATION
@KwaneleCornelius-qx6uq
😢
@bgbstrm2352
RIP Marvin Gaye - the greatest of all time!!! I am white, live in Sweden, 68 now, but remember how I as a teenager really enjoyed this song - and other soul music - and still do!! This album is the greatest ever, unfortunately the lyrics are still relevant today... 💯🎶🎵
@missionscrapprwill7530
Hello To Sweden
@treacherousjslither6920
Unfortunately. Will we ever get it right? Humanity is pathetic smh
@rubyjones7441
One of the greatest songs ever written!!!
@sybilwindham604
Along with Stevie Wonder's Living For The City.
@sandraatkins2539
Ms. Jones you are so correct. Blessings