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.

My Girl
Marvin Gaye Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

I've got so much honey the bees envy me

I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

Hey hey hey
Hey hey hey
Ooh

I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
I guess you'd say
What can make me feel this way?
My girl (my girl, my girl)
Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
With my girl

I've even got the month of May
With my girl

Overall Meaning

The song My Girl by Marvin Gaye is a tribute to his love and affection for his significant other. He is expressing his profound love, and how her presence in his life brings light to his darkest days. The song starts with Marvin telling us that he has sunshine on a cloudy day and that even when it's cold outside, he feels like it's the month of May. He brings attention to being in a good place personally, despite having some unfavorable circumstances.

Marvin's honey is sweeter than the birds in trees, his wealth is abundant, and his feelings unparalleled. He does not need fortune, fame, or money to feel fulfilled, and it is all because of his girl. He repeats the chorus, emphasizing that his girl brings him happiness and his life is much better because of her.

Overall, this song is a declaration of love, hope, and gratitude for the wonderful and magical presence of that special someone in one's life.

Line by Line Meaning

I've got sunshine on a cloudy day
Even when things are tough, my girl brings light and warmth into my life.

When it's cold outside I've got the month of May
With my girl by my side, any cold or difficult moments are made better and feel more like springtime.

I guess you'd say
I'm trying to articulate how my girl makes me feel, but words can't quite do it justice.

What can make me feel this way?
What could possibly be responsible for the incredible happiness I feel when I'm around my girl?

My girl (my girl, my girl)
My focus is entirely on my girl, and she deserves every ounce of my attention and love.

Talkin' 'bout my girl (my girl)
I love bragging about how wonderful my girl is to anyone who will listen.

I've got so much honey the bees envy me
My love for my girl is as sweet as can be, and no one can match the depth and purity of our connection.

I've got a sweeter song than the birds in the trees
Everything in nature pales in comparison to the song my heart sings about my girl.

I don't need no money, fortune, or fame
All the things that society tells me I should want mean nothing to me when I'm with my girl - she's worth more than any material possession.

I've got all the riches baby one man can claim
The love and companionship of my girl is worth more to me than all the gold in the world.

With my girl
No matter what life throws our way, as long as we have each other, we can weather any storm.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Ronald White, William Robinson Jr.

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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