Sexual Healing

Last updated
"Sexual Healing"
Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing 7-inch single.JPG
Single by Marvin Gaye
from the album Midnight Love
B-side "Sexual Healing" (instrumental version)
ReleasedOctober 9, 1982
Studio Studio Katy, Ohain, Belgium
Genre
Length
  • 3:59 (album version)
  • 4:05 (single version)
  • 4:39 (alternate vocal)
Label Columbia/CBS Records
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Marvin Gaye
Marvin Gaye singles chronology
"Heavy Love Affair"
(1981)		"Sexual Healing"
(1982)		"My Love Is Waiting"
(1983)
Audio sample

"Sexual Healing" is a song recorded by American singer Marvin Gaye from his seventeenth and final studio album, Midnight Love (1982). It was his first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the In Our Lifetime (1981) album the previous year. It peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 (Gaye's final top 10 hit) and is listed at number 198 on Rolling Stone's list of 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. [1] "Sexual Healing" is written and composed in the key of E-flat major and is set in time signature of 4/4 with a tempo of 94 beats per minute. [2]

Contents

Background

In the winter of 1981, Marvin Gaye had relocated to Ostend, Belgium, following the end of a European tour amid problems with the Internal Revenue Service and the end of his second marriage. Struggling with depression and cocaine addiction, Gaye had agreed to move to Ostend on the advice of longtime resident Freddy Cousaert. While in Ostend, Gaye began to curb his drug use and recover from his depression, partaking in Ostend's beaches. Gaye also began cutting ties with his longtime recording label, Motown, following the release of In Our Lifetime , an album he did not consider finished. He said that he would never record with Motown again, and accused it of betraying his creativity. [3]

While still with Motown, Gaye had received offers from labels including I.R.S. Records, Arista Records and Elektra Records; afterward, he sought to make a deal with CBS Records after they offered him a contract. [4] CBS agreed to sign him and help clear his financial debt, and spent a year negotiating. In the meantime, Gaye needed spending money, so Cousaert set him up with a month-long England tour between June 13 and July 1, 1981. The tour was called "A Heavy Love Affair Tour 1981", named after his song "Heavy Love Affair", from In Our Lifetime. [5] After returning to Belgium that July, Gaye performed two shows at Ostend's Casino Kursaal on July 3 and 4, 1981. [6] The tour's commercial and critical success further renewed Gaye's musical confidence.[ citation needed ]

Production

At the end of the tour, two of Gaye's musicians, Gordon Banks and Odell Brown, had decided to stay in Ostend as Gaye had been planning on new musical material after being exposed to reggae music while in England. [7] With Brown and Banks, Gaye created and composed an instrumental track that featured reggae overtones, recorded in October 1981.[ citation needed ] Gaye used a Roland TR-808 drum machine to create the percussion; he was drawn to the instrument because he could use it to create music without other musicians or producers. [8]

Gaye was still working on the track when David Ritz, then a reviewer for Rolling Stone , arrived at Ostend to locate Gaye, despite Gaye's and Couseart's rules that no music critic would be allowed to talk to the singer. [7] [9] The story has been disputed on how the lyrics to "Sexual Healing" were devised. Ritz claims that Gaye had been viewing sadomasochism comic books and advised Gaye he needed "sexual healing". [7] [10] When Ritz explained to Gaye what that meant, Gaye told him to "write a poem" while Gaye came up with the melody. [7] [10] However, Gaye's closest friends dispute this.[ citation needed ]

In an interview with HUMO in 1994, Cousaert claimed the only songwriters were Gaye and Brown and stated Ritz's contribution was the title. [11] In Frankie Gaye's memoirs, My Brother, Marvin, the singer's brother claimed Ritz had told him, "not only are you sexy, your music is healing," inspiring Gaye to write the lyrics himself. [12] Gordon Banks told The Atlantic in 2012 that the conversation between Gaye and Ritz had nothing to do with Marvin's S&M collection but because Gaye had been intrigued by Amsterdam's red light district, to which Ritz replied that Gaye needed sexual healing but said he had nothing to do with the creation of the song. [13] Odell Brown stated he never met Ritz and assumed Ritz was just there for an interview for Rolling Stone. [7] Though Gaye himself acknowledged Ritz for coming up with the song title, Ritz sued Gaye for $15 million for partial credit. [14] Though Ritz was eventually credited after settling with Gaye's estate following his death, his case was dropped due to insufficient evidence in 1983. [14]

Composition

"Sexual Healing" has been described as a post-disco, [15] soul [16] and funk song. [17] It begins with a deep bass drum followed by "tinny" handclaps, "ticky" snare, and "tishy" hi-hats generated by a Roland TR-808 drum machine. [18] The first vocal sounds are of whispers, recorded by singer Harvey Fuqua, an early mentor of Gaye who assisted him in production of the song and its parent album, Midnight Love . Fuqua whispers, "Get up" and "Wake up" four times respectively before the sounds of a rhythmic keyboard. Afterwards, Gaye sings an ad-lib before the first verse.

As Gaye sings the verses, background vocals (provided by Gaye and Gordon Banks) are heard singing, "heal me, my darlin'," while Gaye sings the lyrics. During the chorus, sounds of a harmonious synthesizer are heard before Gaye reaches a vocal bridge, that is led by Gaye and Gordon Banks providing a rhythm guitar solo. In the album version of the song, Fuqua's whispers are repeated in the middle of the song, in the single version, however, Gaye takes Fuqua's place, singing in part of Fuqua's words adding more lyrics before returning to the verse. Another bridge follows after the second repeat of the chorus. In different versions of the song, Gaye had added extra lyrics to the second bridge as showcased on the song's demo tape and on an alternate version of the song. Gaye eventually cut part of the lyrics off.

In the album version, Gaye and Banks' background vocals immediately come after the second bridge ends, but in the single version, Gaye repeats the vamp he had sung at the ending of the first bridge, this time with Fuqua's whispers added. The song ends with Gaye repeating the chorus line. As it fades out, Gaye can be heard singing, "please don't procrastinate, it's not good to masturbate." [19]

Critical reception

In his review of Midnight Love for Rolling Stone, Dave Marsh described "Sexual Healing" as a track that was "sort of a polemic for the power of rampant humping." [20] Blender described it as "the plaintively blue-balled model for basically every slow jam" since its release. [21] An AllMusic reviewer stated Gaye had "concocted a pioneering percussive sound that was balladic in taste but stimulating in feel." [22] In its end-year lists of 1982, Rolling Stone, [23] NME , [24] and The Village Voice [25] listed it as one of the "songs of the year" with the latter two ranking it at number two. People described it as "America's hottest pop-culture turn-on" since Olivia Newton-John's single "Physical". [26]

"Sexual Healing" won several music industry awards. At the 1983 Grammy Awards, the song won Gaye two Grammys, including Best Male R&B Vocal Performance and Best R&B Instrumental Performance. [27] Gaye's performance of the song later made it into the compilation album, Grammy's Greatest Moments Volume I, in 1994. [28] The American Music Awards recognized the track for Favorite Soul/R&B Single. "Sexual Healing" sold over two million units in its standard 45 RPM single format and was certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America. The digital sales of "Sexual Healing" reached 500,000 downloads and was certified as a gold single in 2005. Also issued as a mastertone, this format was certified platinum in 2007.

Personnel

Credits sourced from The Atlantic, Electronic Sound, and the original album liner notes [29] [30]

Chart performance

"Sexual Healing" reached number one on Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart, staying at the top spot for ten weeks. The success was similar on the Hot 100 where it peaked at number three, becoming his 18th and last top 10 hit. This peak at three made Gaye the second artist in the history of the Hot 100 chart (after Aretha Franklin) to have hit songs peak at each position from one to ten on the chart. The song also was a success on Billboard's other component charts, reaching number 12 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart and number 34 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart. The song reached number one on Canada's RPM chart.

It also peaked at number four on the UK Singles Chart and Australia's Kent Music Report. On Belgium's Ultratop 50 chart, the song reached number two. It also reached number one on New Zealand's RIANZ chart, where it stayed at the top spot for six weeks. It reached number three on the Dutch Top 40 in the Netherlands and also reached number seven on the Irish Singles Chart in Ireland. In other countries, success was more modest: West Germany's Media Control Charts, Switzerland's Swedish Singles Chart, and Italy's Italian Singles Chart, where it reached numbers 23, 17, and 37. It ultimately sold over four million worldwide.

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [55] Gold35,000‡
Canada (Music Canada) [56] Gold50,000^
Denmark (IFPI Danmark) [57] Platinum90,000‡
Germany (BVMI) [58] Gold250,000‡
Italy (FIMI) [59] Platinum100,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE) [60] Platinum60,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI) [61]
Physical 1982 sales 		Silver250,000^
United Kingdom (BPI) [62]
Digital 2004 release 		Platinum600,000‡
United States (RIAA) [63]
Mastertone 		Platinum1,000,000*
United States (RIAA) [63]
Digital 		Gold500,000*
United States (RIAA) [63]
Physical 		Platinum1,000,000^

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Soul Asylum version

"Sexual Healing"
Single by Soul Asylum
from the album No Alternative
Released1993
Length4:45
Label Arista
Songwriter(s)

"Sexual Healing" was covered in 1993 by Minneapolis rock band Soul Asylum for the charity compilation No Alternative . Despite not being promoted as a single, the song managed to peak at number ten on the U.S. Modern Rock Tracks. It was included in the compilation Playlist: The Very Best of Soul Asylum .

Charts

Chart (1993)Peak
position
US Alternative Airplay ( Billboard ) [64] 10

Max-A-Million version

In 1995, American musical group Max-A-Million covered "Sexual Healing". Their version peaked at number 60 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number five in Australia, number four in New Zealand and number one on the Canadian RPM Dance chart.

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [73] Platinum70,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ) [75] Gold5,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Sarah Connor version

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  2. ↑ "Sexual Healing by Marvin Gaye – Digital Sheet Music". EMI Music Publishing. May 19, 2008. Retrieved June 30, 2021– via Musicnotes.com.
  3. ↑ Ritz 1991, p. 280.
  4. ↑ Gaye 2003, p. 137.
  5. ↑ Gaye 2003, p. 138.
  6. ↑ Gaye 2003, p. 139.
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 Marvin Gaye: Behind the Legend. 2000.
  8. ↑ Norris, Chris (13 August 2015). "The 808 heard round the world". The New Yorker . Retrieved 21 February 2022.
  9. ↑ Gaye 2003, p. 143.
  10. 1 2 "David Ritz: The First Time I Wrote a Song". First Time Last Time podcast by Ben Adair. SoundCloud . Retrieved April 27, 2016.
  11. ↑ De Witte, Patrick (March 14, 1994). "Marvin Gaye: van ellende naar Oostende". HUMO (in Dutch). Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  12. ↑ Gaye 2003, pp. 144.
  13. ↑ Williams, Chris (October 1, 2012). "'The Man Was a Genius': Tales from Making Marvin Gaye's Final Album". The Atlantic . Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  14. 1 2 Gaye 2003, p. 145.
  15. ↑ Suarez, Gary (October 1, 2013). "Drake, The Weeknd, and the Battle for Marvin Gaye's Mantle". Consequence of Sound . Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Get the groove of Marvin Gaye's Sexual Healing". MusicRadar. February 16, 2012. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
  17. ↑ Friskics-Warren, Bill (2005). "Chapter 2: Sexual Healing, or Somethin' Like Sanctified". I'll Take You There: Pop Music and the Urge for Transcendence . Continuum. p.  51. ISBN   0-82641700-0.
  18. ↑ Anderson, Jason (November 28, 2008). "Slaves to the rhythm". CBC.ca. Archived from the original on June 7, 2009.
  19. ↑ "Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing". SongMeanings. Retrieved June 4, 2013.
  20. ↑ Marsh, Dave (January 20, 1983). "Marvin Gaye – Midnight Love". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 3, 2012.
  21. 1 2 "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born: Number 1". Blender . October 2005.
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  31. ↑ "Forum – ARIA Charts: Special Occasion Charts – CHART POSITIONS PRE 1989". Australian-charts.com. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on October 20, 2013. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
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  33. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6213." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 3, 2013.
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  52. ↑ "Top 100 Hits for 1983". The Longbored Surfer. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
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  60. ↑ "Spanish single certifications – Marvin Gaye – Sexual Healing". El portal de Música. Productores de Música de España . Retrieved January 12, 2024.
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  67. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2894." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
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Bibliography

"Sexual Healing"
Sexualhealing2.jpg
Single by Sarah Connor featuring Ne-Yo
from the album Soulicious
B-side "Get It Right"
Released2007
Studio Saal 4, Berlin
Length4:10
Label X-Cell
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Kay D.
  • Rob Tyger
Sarah Connor singles chronology
"The Impossible Dream (The Quest)"
(2007)		"Sexual Healing"
(2007)		"Under My Skin"
(2008)
Studio albums
Duet albums
Live albums
Compilation albums
Video releases
US/UK top-ten singles
Family
Related articles
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