Republic of the Philippines

SORSOGON STATE COLLEGE

CASTILLA CAMPUS

Mayon, Castilla, Sorsogon City

John Mike L. Dolot

BSA-1C (Ag. Ed)

Marvin Pentz Gay Jr.

An analysis of an artwork according to its content

BACKGROUND

 NAME

 Marvin Pantz Gay Jr. (Marvin Gaye)

 ALSO KNOWN AS
 Prince of Motown
 Prince of Soul

 BORN

 April 2 1939
 Washington DC.C U. S

 DIED

 April 1 1984 (Aged 44)

 Los Angeles California U. S

 YEARS ACTIVE

 1957-1984

EDUCATION

 Gaye attended Syphax Elementary School

 Randall Junior High School

 Spingarn High School

 Cardoza High School

  In 1956, 17 years old , Gaye dropped out of School and enlisted in the United States Air Force as
a basic airman.

INFLUENCE

 Gaye’s main influence was his minister father

 Rudy West

 Clyde McPhatter

 Ray Charles

 Little Willie John

 Frank Sinatra

 Billy Eckstine

 Nat King Cole

 His major musical influences were doo-wop groups such as:

 The Moonglows
 The Capris

THE MOONGLOWS

 Later 1959 , Gaye become the lead Vocal of the Songs unemployment and Mama Loocie

 Lead Vocal

AWARDS

 GRAMMY AWARDS (1983)

 Best R & B Vocal Performance, Male, For “ SEXUAL HEALING”
 Image Awards ( NAACP) (1988)
 Hall of Fame (WINNER)
 GRAMMY AWARDS (1983)
 Best R & B Instrumental Performance for “ SEXUAL HEALING ) (INSTRUMENTAL
VERSION)

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 bad time.
Marvin Gaye
 NME- December 1982

ANALYSIS

 TITLE
 MERCY MERCY ME
 ART FORM
 MUSIC
 SUBJECT TYPE
 SOCIETY/ENVIRONMENT
 DATE RELEASED
 JUNE 1O 1971

COMPOSITION

 INSTRUMENT USED
 PIANO, STRINGS,SAXOPHONE

 CHORDS
 Cm7, C#m7,Emaj7,F#m7,Amaj7,Fmaj7,Dm7,Gm7,Bbmaj7,F#maj7,D#m7,G#m7,Bmaj7

 STYLE
 Switching from major to minor

MERCY MERCY ME

Whoa, ah, mercy mercy me

Oh things ain't what they used to be, no no

Where did all the blue skies go?

Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east

Whoa mercy, mercy me,

Oh things ain't what they used to be, no no

Oil wasted on the oceans and upon our seas, fish full of mercury

Ah, oh mercy, mercy me

Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no

Radiation under ground and in the sky

Animals and birds who live nearby are dying

 Oh mercy, mercy me

Oh things ain't what they used to be

What about this overcrowded land

How much more abuse from man can she stand?

Oh, no no, na, na na, na

My sweet Lord, na, na, na

My Lord, my sweet Lord

THEME

 This song basically talk about the environment and how mankind is sadly destroying it. The
song’s profound lyrics mention among other things, the blue skies vanishing, oil spilling on the
ocean destroying aquatic life, radiation killing animals and over crowdedness of the earth. He
concludes by asking how much more abuse can mother earth stand

 This song is used to lament on how the world has changed from beautiful and safe place it used
to be into something very sad.

REFERENCES

 www.songmeaningandfacts.com

 www.guitartab.com

 en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Gaye

 www.newworldencyclopedia.org