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.
Once Upon A Time
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was lonely
So lonely
Once upon a time
Hoping every day things would go my way
Then you came into my life
Now everything is fine
I never knew what love could do 'til I met you
Now everything is oh-so cozy
Now my skies are blue all because of you
I'm so glad
I was lonely
Once upon a time
I never knew what love could do 'til I met you
Now everything is oh-so cozy
Now my skies are blue all because of you
I'm so glad
I was lonely
Once upon a time
I was lonely
Once upon a time
Oh-so lonely
Once upon a time
I was lonely
Once upon a time
The lyrics of Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells's song 'Once Upon A Time' are about the experience of feeling lonely and lost before finding love. The first line, "Once upon a time I almost lost my mind," sets the tone for the narrative. The singer describes feeling lonely and desperate, wishing for their life to change so that they could find happiness. However, when they meet the person they love, everything changes for the better. The lyrics reflect the transformative power of love and how it can alleviate feelings of loneliness and despair.
The repeated line "I never knew what love could do 'til I met you" emphasizes the idea that love completely transformed the singer's life. They describe their life as "oh-so cozy" and the sky as blue, which suggests that their newfound love has brought joy and comfort to their world. The song ends with a repetition of the phrase "once upon a time," which brings the narrative full circle, suggesting that the singer's life was transformed by their experience of love.
Line by Line Meaning
Once upon a time I almost lost my mind
There was a time when I felt like I was losing my sanity
I was lonely
I was isolated and felt like I had no one to connect with
So lonely
I was extremely lonely and felt like I had no one to turn to for comfort
Once upon a time
In the past, there was a time when I felt truly alone
Hoping every day things would go my way
I used to wish for better things to happen in my life every day
Then you came into my life
But then you entered my life
Now everything is fine
And now everything is better
I never knew what love could do 'til I met you
I didn't understand the power of love until I met you
Now everything is oh-so cozy
Now everything feels warm and comfortable
Now my skies are blue all because of you
You brought color and happiness into my life
I'm so glad
I'm incredibly grateful
I was lonely
I used to feel completely alone
Once upon a time
There was a point in my life when I felt isolated and disconnected from the world
I never knew what love could do 'til I met you
I wasn't aware of the power of love until I met you
Now everything is oh-so cozy
Now everything feels warm and comfortable
Now my skies are blue all because of you
You've brought happiness and positivity into my life
I'm so glad
I'm incredibly grateful
I was lonely
I used to be completely isolated and disconnected from others
Once upon a time
In the past, there was a time when I felt truly alone
Oh-so lonely
I was extremely lonely and didn't have anyone to turn to
Once upon a time
There was a point in my life when I felt completely isolated and disconnected from the world
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Kirth Anthony Atkins, Lisa Steele
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Claude Braddock
56 years and still one of the most beautiful melody's of all times Marvin and Mary Wells.
Tony Seay
Excellent song.Thanks for posting and sharing.They actually wrote good lyrics with meaning.
Darryl C Preston
When I first heard this early fifties style duet, I thought that it was the beginning of a legendary partnership. I couldn't have been more mistaken; Mary left Motown shortly after and watched her career, and then her life, spiral down to nothing.
Raymond Malcuit
This Song Went To Number 19 On The Billboard Hot-100 Chart In 1964.
Mark V
What should’ve been No.1🤦♂️
Lawrence Dorfman
Nice one but not their best!
Louie Mendoza
Krla memories que no