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.

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Marvin Gaye Lyrics

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Some people get by
with a little understanding
some people get by
with a whole lot more
I don't know
why you gotta be so undemanding
one thing I know
I want more

I want more

(and I need all the love that I can't get to)
(and I need all the love I can get)
(and I need all the love that I can't get to)

D'you get scared to feel so much?
to let somebody touch you?
so hot, so cold, so far so out of control
hard to come by, and harder to hold

Some people get by
with a little understanding
some people get by
with a whole lot more
I don't know
why you gotta be so undemanding
I want more
(and I need all the love I can get)
(and I need all the love that I can't get to)
(and I need all the love I can get)
(and I need all the love that I can't get to)

There are parts of me that don't get nervous
not the parts that shake
you won't get what you deserve
you are what you take
learning to cry for fun and profit
I'm not done yet
counterfeit dollars or the English zloty
anything I can get

Some people get by
with a little understanding
some people get by
with a whole lot more
I don't know
why you gotta be so undemanding
one thing I know
I want more

(and I need all the love I can get)
(and I need all the love that I can't get to)
(and I need all the love I can get)
(and I need all the love that I can't get to)

All the love that you can get

all the love
that I can't get to

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Marvin Gaye's song "More" express a desire for deeper connections and more meaningful experiences in life. The opening lines acknowledge the fact that some people are able to get by with just a little bit of understanding, while others require more. The singer then questions why the person they are addressing is so undemanding, suggesting that they are not asking for enough in their life. The repeated line "I want more" emphasizes this sentiment, indicating a need for something greater.

The lyrics then shift to a more personal exploration of feelings and experiences. The lines "D'you get scared to feel so much? / to let somebody touch you? / so hot, so cold, so far so out of control / hard to come by, and harder to hold" suggest that the singer is having trouble connecting with someone on a deeper level. They express fear of being vulnerable and the challenge of finding someone who can truly understand and appreciate them.

The final verse of the song seems to be more abstract, exploring the concept of getting what you deserve and learning to "cry for fun and profit." The singer seems to be searching for any kind of connection or experience they can get, whether it be "counterfeit dollars or the English zloty."

Overall, the lyrics of "More" express a longing for greater connection and understanding in life, suggesting that some people are content with less, but the singer wants and needs more.

Line by Line Meaning

Some people get by
Some people are able to manage okay, with mediocrity.

with a little understanding
By having a small amount of empathy or emotional intelligence.

some people get by
Some people are able to manage okay, with abundance.

with a whole lot more
By having more empathy or emotional intelligence.

I don't know
I cannot understand or relate to.

why you gotta be so undemanding
Why you do not expect or desire more, why you appear content with average.

one thing I know
Something I can say for certain.

I want more
I desire abundance.

(and I need all the love that I can't get to)
I require love and affection that is out of reach.

(and I need all the love I can get)
I require as much love and affection as possible.

(D'you get scared to feel so much?)
Are you afraid to experience intense emotions?

(to let somebody touch you?)
Are you hesitant to allow yourself to be vulnerable with others?

(so hot, so cold, so far so out of control)
The intensity of emotions can be overwhelming and difficult to manage.

(hard to come by, and harder to hold)
It is difficult to find and maintain strong emotional connections.

There are parts of me that don't get nervous
Certain aspects of my personality are more confident and self-assured.

(not the parts that shake)
However, there are also parts of me that are unsure and unsettling.

you won't get what you deserve
You will not receive what you are entitled to.

you are what you take
You only have what you are able to gather or acquire.

learning to cry for fun and profit
Developing the ability to show emotion for entertainment or personal gain.

I'm not done yet
I have not finished developing myself.

counterfeit dollars or the English zloty
Anything that can be obtained, even if it is not genuine or valuable.

anything I can get
Anything that is within my reach or scope.

(All the love that you can get)
The maximum amount of love and affection you can receive.

(all the love that I can't get to)
The love and affection that is beyond my grasp or inaccessible.

Writer(s): Anne Preven, David Gavurin, Jim Steinman, Nadir Khayat, Thom Mchugh, Bilal Hajji, Harriet Ella Wheeler Copyright: Golden Wheat Music, Songs Of Polygram Int. Inc., Sony/ATV Songs LLC, Weetie Pie Music, 2101 Songs, Songs Of Redone, Lost Boys Music, Geffen Music, Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp., Mchuge Music

Contributed by Audrey W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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