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.
Tear It On Down
Marvin Gaye Lyrics
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Tear it all down, your mountain of pride
'Cause when you think only of yourself
You can't love anyone else
And I need you desperately
But with your head in the
Tear it all down
Tear it all down, your mountain of pride
In order to live life in order to work
You must first come down to Earth
And I want you to give in
'Cause my love is so strong, it can win
So tear it all down
Tear it all down
Let it crumble to the ground
It's just a masquerade
So why don't you let it stay
How can I show what I need
When you got your pride standing in between
Tear it all down, your mountain of pride
'Cause it will strip away one day
But my love is here to stay
We can make it, of that I am sure
But you just got to give a little more
So tear it all down
Tear it all down
Let it crumble to the ground
In the song "Tear It On Down," Marvin Gaye is urging his lover to bring down the walls of pride, in order to build a stronger relationship. The lyrics symbolize the emotional barriers that exist between the two partners, which make it difficult for them to connect on a deeper level. When Gaye sings, "Tear it all down, your mountain of pride," he is calling on his lover to let go of the self-centered attitude that prevents her from truly loving him. He points out that her pride gets in the way of their relationship, and that true love requires humility and sacrifice.
The song also acknowledges the role that external pressures can play in damaging a relationship. Gaye sings, "In order to live life in order to work/You must first come down to Earth." Here, he recognizes the importance of staying grounded and connected to reality, rather than getting lost in a high-flying, self-absorbed lifestyle. By tearing down the mountain of pride and coming back down to Earth, the lovers can rebuild their relationship on a stronger foundation.
Overall, "Tear It On Down" is a message of hope and perseverance, urging the listener to have faith in love and to be willing to work through the challenges that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Tear it all down, your mountain of pride
You need to let go of your ego and self-centeredness
'Cause when you think only of yourself
If you focus only on yourself, you cannot love anyone else, including me
You can't love anyone else
If you focus only on yourself, you cannot love anyone else, including me
And I need you desperately
I need you so much, but your pride is preventing us from connecting
But with your head in the
Clouds you can't see me so tear it all down
If you continue to have your head in the clouds, you won't be able to see me and connect with me, which is why you need to get rid of your pride
Tear it all down
Get rid of your pride
Tear it all down, your mountain of pride
In order to live life in order to work
You must first come down to Earth
And I want you to give in
In order to have a fulfilling life and relationship, you must let go of your pride and come back to earth, and I want you to give in to me and our love
'Cause my love is so strong, it can win
So tear it all down
My love for you is so strong that it can overcome any obstacle, including your pride, so you need to tear it down
Let it crumble to the ground
Let your pride crumble to the ground and disappear
It's just a masquerade
So why don't you let it stay
How can I show what I need
When you got your pride standing in between
Your pride is just a facade, so why do you keep it up? It's preventing me from showing you what I need and connecting with you
'Cause it will strip away one day
But my love is here to stay
We can make it, of that I am sure
But you just got to give a little more
So tear it all down
One day your pride will fall apart, but my love will always be here to stay. We can make it through anything if you let go of your pride and give a little more to our relationship
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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