Got to Give It Up

Marvin Gaye recorded the track in Los Angeles on January 31, 1977, after the London Palladium concerts, building it with Motown engineer-producer Art Stewart and contributions from Harvey Fuqua, George Kerr, and James Gadson among others. The hit single was cut at Gaye’s home studio, Marvin’s Room, and later issued in edited form from Live at the London Palladium. The song became one of Marvin Gaye’s biggest crossover records, reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and helping define his late-1970s embrace of a looser, party-centered dance sound. It also strengthened the commercial profile of Live at the London Palladium and became one of his signature recordings. Its groove, bassline, and vocal atmosphere made it a durable touchstone for later R&B, pop, and dance recordings. The track’s influence reached far beyond Marvin Gaye’s catalog, most famously becoming central to the later controversy surrounding Robin Thicke’s "Blurred Lines".