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.
So Long
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Thinking down
Searching all over town
Try to keep my eye on you
You got me looking here
And looking there
Got me searching everywhere
From me you get sweet satisfaction
In return I get no reaction
Your love for me girl is drifting away
So you're leaving me with nothing else to say
So long
I can't take it no more
So long
I'm walking out of the door
My loving you dragging me down
I got to save my heart
Got to get out of town
So long
Honey, honey, honey I'm even
So long now I'm leaving
It's gonna hurt me baby
I know that you
Tried to forsake my heart
There is nothing else I can do
You got a lot of nerve standing there
Tear all over your face
When you know darn well
That you'd do the same thing
Baby, if you were in my place
You might as well dry your eyes
'Cause we both now you don't care
So I'm playing smart, packing up my heart
Honey, I'm leaving now
So long
So long
I wasted to much time
You treat our love like a one night stand
Honey, you just lost one good man
So long
So long, bye bye baby
The lyrics in this song So Long by Marvin Gaye portrays a man who is tired of being used and let down by his lover, who does not reciprocate his love for her. The first verse shows that he is constantly trying to keep her attention and is constantly searching for her despite the uncertainty of her feelings towards him. This can be seen in the lines "Try to keep my eye on you" and "Got me searching everywhere, Honey, why can't you be true".
The second verse highlights how unsatisfied he feels about their relationship. He acknowledges that he gives her everything she needs, but he does not receive anything in return; "From me you get sweet satisfaction, In return, I get no reaction". The chorus serves as his goodbye, and he finally decides to leave her life forever; 'So long, I can't take it no more, So long, I'm walking out of the door'. He asserts his decision, saying that he needs to save his heart, and although it will be challenging, he's got to leave town to break the chains of the toxic relationship.
Towards the end of the song, it is evident that he is not going to look back and regret his decision. He saw the tears on her face, but it did not move him because he knew that she would act the same way if she were in his shoes. He sighs off with "So long, bye bye baby" insinuating that his relationship with her is dead and he's bidding her farewell.
Line by Line Meaning
You got me skipping around
You have me feeling excited and energetic.
Thinking down
Despite my excitement, my thoughts are negative and melancholy.
Searching all over town
I am frantically looking for something or someone, likely you.
Try to keep my eye on you
Despite my searching, I try to keep my focus on you.
You got me looking here
You have me looking in one place for you.
And looking there
You also have me looking in another place for you.
Got me searching everywhere
Your actions have caused me to look for you in every possible location.
Honey, why can't you be true
I am questioning why you can't be honest and faithful to me.
From me you get sweet satisfaction
I provide you with joy and pleasure.
In return I get no reaction
Despite my efforts, you do not reciprocate my feelings.
Your love for me girl is drifting away
Your affection for me is fading.
So you're leaving me with nothing else to say
Your actions have caused me to feel helpless and without words to express my emotions.
So long
I am saying goodbye and leaving this situation.
I can't take it no more
I have reached my breaking point and cannot endure this any longer.
I'm walking out of the door
I am leaving this situation and moving on.
My loving you dragging me down
My love for you is causing me emotional distress and hindering my life.
I got to save my heart
I need to protect myself from further emotional pain.
Got to get out of town
I need to leave this environment completely to move on from this situation.
Honey, honey, honey I'm even
I am now emotionally balanced and not affected by this situation as I once was.
It's gonna hurt me baby
Leaving this situation will cause me emotional pain.
I know that you
I understand that you have done this to me.
Tried to forsake my heart
You tried to hurt me and damage my emotional well-being.
There is nothing else I can do
I have exhausted all options to try and fix this situation.
You got a lot of nerve standing there
I am surprised by your audacity and arrogance in this situation.
Tear all over your face
You are crying and emotional, indicating you may regret your actions.
When you know darn well
Despite your tears, you are fully aware of what you have done.
That you'd do the same thing
You would react in the same way if you were in my position.
Baby, if you were in my place
You would act in the same way if our situations were reversed.
You might as well dry your eyes
There is no use in crying now, as it is too late to change anything in this situation.
'Cause we both now you don't care
We both know that you do not care about my feelings or the outcome of this situation.
So I'm playing smart, packing up my heart
I am being intelligent and strategic by protecting myself emotionally and leaving this situation.
Honey, I'm leaving now
I am leaving this situation and moving on from it completely.
So long
I am saying goodbye and leaving this situation behind.
I wasted to much time
I regret spending so much time and energy on this situation.
You treat our love like a one night stand
You do not value our relationship or take it seriously.
Honey, you just lost one good man
Your actions have caused you to lose a good and caring partner.
So long, bye bye baby
I am saying goodbye and moving on from this situation completely.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: R. Dean Taylor, Norman J. Whitfield, Edward Jr. Holland
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind