Rating: 
Summary: A biography and social criticism combined
Review: "In his guttural cries, his hectic moans, his elliptical ejaculations, and his plaintive whispers, Marvin explores the healing and redemptive dimensions of black romantic love."
- From page 132 of "Mercy, Mercy Me" Man, does Dyson have a way with words! I guess that I am one of those "public intellectuals" that finds Dyson's analyses of both Gaye's life and the social ills plaguing the black community so intriguing. Dyson, a minister himself, contrasts Gaye's life as a popular secular singer with his strict Pentacostal upbringing at the hands of his stern minister-father. The struggle that the singer endured played an important part in his music and the book dissects four of the artist's most challenging and enigmatic works: the classic and legendary "What's Going On", "Let's Get It On", "I Want You" and the controversial "Here, My Dear". The author cuts down each album, layer by layer, revealing Gaye as a man in constant turmoil with the battle between his religious teachings and his desires as a man. Dyson also introduces the reader to many lost versions of Gaye's work, now coming to light in "deluxe editions" available for purchase. Unlike most "men of the cloth", Dyson's approach is destined to draw criticism from traditional Christians for he suggests a greater openness in sexual matters, as well as less dependency on corporal punishment as a means of child-rearing. He implies that stiff and unbending Church doctrine may have contributed to Marvin's death at the hands of his preacher father. The final chapter of the book compares Gaye's music and approach to life with the contemporary singer R. Kelly, an admirer of Gaye himself. This provides some interesting food for thought, as the two singers seem to share a bond transcending death and decades. Dyson could've spent a little less time on social/culture commentary and more on the life of the singer at hand; however, the book is still a worthwhile read into the soul of a soul singer and the society that both uplifted and condemned him.
Rating: 
Summary: Most Intriguing, Profound Commentary on Marvin
Review: Dyson explores the life and love and pain of one of the best musical geniuses of all times. He reveals little known facts and secrets such as his love affairs, some purposely blurred song lyrics, and his broad range of musical abilities including playing the piano and drums. This book deeply touched and inspired me. I have grown deeper in my fascination and admiration of Marvin. I have had the pleasure of meeting Dyson on a couple of occassions and he is very articulate, intelligent, charismatic, and also has a great sense of humor. This is a must read for any true Marvin fans!
Rating:
Summary: Most Intriguing, Profound Commentary on Marvin
Review: Dyson explores the life and love and pain of one of the best musical geniuses of all times. He reveals little known facts and secrets such as his love affairs, some purposely blurred song lyrics, and his broad range of musical abilities including playing the piano and drums. This book deeply touched and inspired me. I have grown deeper in my fascination and admiration of Marvin. I have had the pleasure of meeting Dyson on a couple of occassions and he is very articulate, intelligent, charismatic, and also has a great sense of humor. This is a must read for any true Marvin fans!
Rating: 
Summary: For the musicologist or sociologist, but not the rest of us
Review: Dyson has written a fascinating analysis of the life and career of the late Marvin Gaye, a book that will appeal even to readers who don't know Gaye's music all that well. That having been said, this is a weighty tome, which touches on the religious, cultural and social influences of the black community and how they shaped the singer.
For example, in examining the effect of childhood abuse on Gaye, Dyson traces the problem of domestic violence in the black family to slavery. While this is an interesting discussion, it sways quite a bit from the book's star. Some readers will find these diversions tedious.
Because Gaye's relationship with Motown founder Berry Gordy is discussed at length, anyone who has studied the studio and its music will find something of interest here. References to the black church and family will ensure this book's place in programs of African-American study. Finally, the last chapter is in large part about present-day soul star R. Kelly. Dyson's discussion of how both men merged concepts of spirituality and sexuality within their music is interesting. In short, this book is a real find for a musicologist or sociologist, but it's not a biography "for the rest of us."
Rating:
Summary: Impressed and enlightened
Review: I finished in book in 6 days. I'm 21 years old, so its obvious Gaye was before my time. I didn't know too much about him besides some of his greatest hits, but this book did a great job of letting me know what was behind those, as well as other songs in his life. Dyson was able to tie together Gaye's sensuality and sprituality in a way that made it very interesting to read. I feel like I learned a lot about Marvin Gaye's work in this one book that I wouldn't be able to learn about him in other books written by other people.
Rating:
Summary: Detailed analysis of Gaye's musical history
Review: I LOVED the first 5 chapters which breaks down Gaye's music on his popular What's Going On, Let's Get It On and I Want You. Dyson's interviews with those behind the scenes on those landmark classics and what went on very much was impressive to get their thoughts and them acknowledging the different takes Marvin did on songs. I actually wanted to go back and listen to What's Going On again after such a detailed breakdown of the songs and the feelings surrounding them. The book also goes into detail of Gaye's personal issues he was dealing with in the midst of the creation of those classic albums as well. The final chapter in my view was a rehash of the final chapter of Divided Soul but Dyson brings in an analysis of Gaye Sr's disfunctional behavior and corporal punishment. Sadly that messed up influence leads his celebrated son into his own disfunctional drama and sadly his death by his own father (which 20 yrs ago as a kid and now 20 yrs later as an adult still saddens me and is still hard to understand why). The afterword in which Dyson spoke to R. Kelly and how Gaye has influenced him was also very much amazing to me how similar both of these men are with conflicts they have of the spiritual and sexual. It makes me wonder if Gaye was alive today if he would do some kind of music collaboration with R. Kelly and (if he was able face his demons and win the war) if he could be of some mentor/father figure to him beyond the music scene. I just only hope after reading R. Kelly's glowing praise of Gaye that Robert finds a positive way to face his own "Divided Soul" and get the help and seek positive guidance in the way his old school counterpart wasn't able to.
Rating:
Summary: Detailed analysis of Gaye's musical history
Review: I LOVED the first 5 chapters which breaks down Gaye's music on his popular What's Going On, Let's Get It On and I Want You. Dyson's interviews with those behind the scenes on those landmark classics and what went on very much was impressive to get their thoughts and them acknowledging the different takes Marvin did on songs. I actually wanted to go back and listen to What's Going On again after such a detailed breakdown of the songs and the feelings surrounding them. The book also goes into detail of Gaye's personal issues he was dealing with in the midst of the creation of those classic albums as well. The final chapter in my view was a rehash of the final chapter of Divided Soul but Dyson brings in an analysis of Gaye Sr's disfunctional behavior and corporal punishment. Sadly that messed up influence leads his celebrated son into his own disfunctional drama and sadly his death by his own father (which 20 yrs ago as a kid and now 20 yrs later as an adult still saddens me and is still hard to understand why). The afterword in which Dyson spoke to R. Kelly and how Gaye has influenced him was also very much amazing to me how similar both of these men are with conflicts they have of the spiritual and sexual. It makes me wonder if Gaye was alive today if he would do some kind of music collaboration with R. Kelly and (if he was able face his demons and win the war) if he could be of some mentor/father figure to him beyond the music scene. I just only hope after reading R. Kelly's glowing praise of Gaye that Robert finds a positive way to face his own "Divided Soul" and get the help and seek positive guidance in the way his old school counterpart wasn't able to.
Rating:
Summary: Good Review, but...
Review: I've read most of the books that have been written about Marvin Gaye, this being my most recent. Although I found it to be a somewhat interesting read, I also found it to be a little too "clinically" written, for lack of a better term, much like an academic study of the man. The section on R. Kelley, and the author's conviction that he is very much like Marvin, was way off base for me. This book is one of those that you'll just have to read for yourself and form your own opinion.
Rating:
Summary: Congrats to Prof. Michael Dyson
Review: Michael Dyson is such a great author and activist. He really knows the ups and downs of Marvin Gaye's life. Oh that's such a blessing I think every Marvin Gaye fan should get this just b/c they wanna learn more 'bout this man. 2 me he's one of my idols I grew up 'cuz he's such an inspiration. This book tells it all from his days of sex, drugs, violence, threats between his dad, how he got involved in the resurrection of life and death and the coming side of R. Kelly's admirer of Gaye. You see Marvin never say "Give up on what u got". No he saids "Take it lightly and slowly when u dead and gone". That's why we need to check ourselves everyday to the fullest until we live this normal or martyred life. I haven't bought the book yet but I'll may go it ASAP once it's still here. This is such an interesting story from the man who did the lifetimes of Tupac Shakur, black women, black people, the culture of our nation and black music and now. Definitely recommend along w/ Mase's memoir and Miles' memoir.
Rating:
Summary: The Man and His Music: A Critical Analysis
Review: Michael Eric Dyson is known for his critical analysis of such public African American figures as Martin Luther King and Tupac Shakur. He has also delighted his fans with an ode to black women in Why I Love Black Women. In this body of work, Mercy Mercy Me, he explores the arts loves and demons of Marvin Gaye, one of the greatest singers of all time. This however, is not a biography in the traditional sense of how biographies are usually constructed. While accounts of Gaye's life from birth to death are chronicled, this writing is more of an analysis of the life of a man who essentially plotted his own death. When Gaye's father pulled the trigger in April 1984, twenty years ago, ironically the gun was the one he gave his father for protection.
Marvin Gaye was a genius, born to a fanatically religious father who ruled his home and family as a dictator. He was cruel, issuing beatings for the smallest infraction to both his wife and children. While the others buckled under the heat, Marvin, the most talented, rebelled and received the lion's share of punishment. He both loved and reviled his father, who was sexually deviated, yet proclaimed to be holier than thou. Marvin was a victim of his total upbringing, a loving, beaten down mother who coddled him and a sadistic father, who withheld his love. We learn of the psychological and emotional background of his Pentecostal father, Rev. Marvin P. Gaye and of what really went on behind the scenes.
Marvin loved women; he married Berry Gordy's sister, Anna, but it was a troubled marriage complicated by their age differences and her inability to have children. Yet, a son was produced--- that was Marvin's child-- sanctioned by the Gordys who had their own code of conduct for living that did not adhere to society's acceptable rules. In Gaye, we see a tortured soul as we learn how religion, sex and race intersected and became as one in his music and his life. There were women and more women. There was Tammy Terrell and depending on whom you talk to they were lovers or they were brother and sister. Also, there was a second wife, Janice.
The album that brought Marvin Gaye into mainstream American, What's Going On, was at first rejected by Berry Gordy as too radical but it was not to be denied. With the war in Viet Nam, the civil rights and free love movements, this album spoke volumes about the world in which we lived and that Marvin embraced. His music was his life and his life was music. Through careful text, Dyson takes us through a journey of how each album came to be. Here My Dear, Trouble Man, Let's Get it On were works of labor from a genius who was in a constant state of emotional turmoil
If you are looking for a straight biography of Gaye and his life from birth to death, this is not the text. There are several biographies on the market and Dyson highly recommends a few. At times the writing was dense with scholarly criticism and clinical terminology. However, it is offset by revealing commentaries such as an excellent chapter on the comparison and contrast of Marvin Gaye and R. Kelley which this reviewer found fascinating. The similarities are surprising and alarming and quite revealing when looking into the black family and community. Additionally, critical review of African Americans' attitudes on slavery and how black women are viewed in the black community is forthright, stunning and at times shameful. This manuscript will be long remembered and studied as a tool for looking into the life of a man who was an enigma even to himself. As always, Dyson delivers in his own style.
Dera Williams
APOOO BookClub
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