I don't make records for pleasure. I did when I was a younger artist, but I don't today. I record so that I can feed people what they need, what they feel. Hopefully, I record so that I can help someone overcome a bad time
Interpretation
Marvin Gaye expresses that his music is created to serve others and provide comfort rather than personal enjoyment.
In this quote, Marvin Gaye reflects on his evolution as an artist, from creating music purely for personal pleasure to a more profound mission of serving his audience. He emphasizes the importance of understanding and addressing the emotional needs of listeners, aiming to provide solace and support through his work, especially during difficult times.
In practice
This quote can be used in discussions about the purpose of art in society.
I hope to refine music, study it, try to find some area that I can unlock. I don't quite know how to explain it but it's there. These can't be the only notes in the world, there's got to be other notes some place, in some dimension, between the cracks on the piano keys.
If I do my job well, then God will smile on my offspring and on their offspring. I'm sure my father is seeing a blessing in me.
LIVE for LIFE, but let live everybody
Are thing really gettin' better like the newspaper said/What else is new my friend, besides what I read/Can't find no work, can't find no job my friend/Money is tighter than it's ever been/Say man, I just don't understand/What's going on across this land
War is not the answer, because only love can conquer hate.
If it screams truth rather than help, if it commits itself with a courage that it can't be sure it really has, if it stands up and admits that something is wrong, but doesn't insist on blood, then it's rock n' roll.
We've now got a whole generation of jazz musicians who have been brought up with hip-hop. We've grown up alongside rappers and DJs; we've heard this music all our life. We are as fluent in J Dilla and Dr Dre as we are in Mingus and Coltrane.
It's very strange how electronic music formatted itself and forgot that its roots are about the surprise, freedom, and the acceptance of every race, gender, and style of music into this big party. Instead, it started to become this electronic lifestyle which also involved the glorification of technology.
I just wonder where I was when the talent was being given out, like George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Eric Clapton... oh, there's many more! I wouldn't want to be like them, you understand, but I'd like to be equal, if you will.
When you work with Ray Charles, Billy Eckstine and Frank Sinatra, and you tell them to jump without a net, you better know what you're talking about. Thank God I was ready for it.
It's not about battling the original artists when I record these songs, it's about paying tribute to them.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.