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Marvin Gaye Trivia

Marvin Gaye Trivia Quizzes

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3 Marvin Gaye quizzes and 45 Marvin Gaye trivia questions.
1.
  Song by Song: "What's Going On"   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Test your knowledge of the fourth greatest song of all time, according to Rolling Stone magazine's 2003 list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time."
Average, 10 Qns, skylarb, Oct 28 20
Average
skylarb
Oct 28 20
362 plays
2.
  Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye   popular trivia quiz  
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
Marvin Gaye was a very gifted soul singer. This quiz pays respects to the one and only, Marvin Gaye.
Tough, 10 Qns, ralzzz, Jun 29 08
Tough
ralzzz gold member
1127 plays
3.
  Marvin Gaye and His Life    
Multiple Choice
 25 Qns
His Music is ageless. He is undisputedly one of the most important music figures of the pop generation. All chart placings are US listings only. Part two will follow soon. Enjoy.
Tough, 25 Qns, doomed, Dec 14 05
Tough
doomed
1034 plays
trivia question Quick Question
In 1958 Harvey Fuqua hired Gaye's band to be the latest version of his backing group. What was this group called?

From Quiz "Marvin Gaye and His Life"




Related Topics
  Motown Music [Music] (16 quizzes)


Marvin Gaye Trivia Questions
1. Where was Marvin Gaye born?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: Washington D.C.

Marvin Gaye was born April 2, 1939. His father was a very strict minister in the House of God, a religion that mixed ideologies of Judaism and Pentecostalism. This religion does not celebrate any holidays. His name at birth was Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. He later added the "e" to the end of his name.

2. What was the birth name of Marvin Gaye?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Marvin Pentz Gay Jnr

Marvin Pentz Gay Jnr was his birth name, the 'E' was added to his surname later.

3. When Berry Gordy, the boss of Marvin Gaye's Motown label, first heard "What's Going On," how did he describe the song?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: "The worst thing I've ever heard in my life."

According to an article in The Conversation tilted "Marvin Gaye's 1971 'What's Going On?' remains unanswered today," Gordy called the song "the worst thing I've ever heard in my life," but desperate for new material from Gaye, the label released it anyway. The song went onto both commercial success and criminal acclaim, peaking at number two on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the U.S. R&B/Soul Singles Chart.

4. Marvin Gaye started his musical career as a session musician at Motown. What instrument did he play?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: Drums

Gaye started playing the drums at an early age in his church and used that talent to get a job at Motown backing up some greats such as Smoky Robinson and the Miracles and the Marvelettes.

5. On what date was Gaye born in 1939?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: April 2nd

He died one day before his 45th birthday (murdered April 1st 1984).

6. Players from what football team were invited to the studio to add vocal chatter to the song?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: Detroit Lions

Vocal chatter (or mock conversation) was added to the song to give it a laid back sound. Motown musician Elgie Stover opened the song by saying, "Hey, man, what's happening?" Football players Mel Farr and Lem Barney of the Detroit Lions were also invited to the studio to join in the verbal chatter. In 1972, the song was nominated for a Grammy Award in the categories of Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) and Best Male R&B Vocal Performance but did not win in either category.

7. Where in the United States was Gaye born?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Washington D.C

Not far from the White House it is said.

8. Who did Marvin Gaye sing the duet "Ain't no Mountain High Enough" with in 1967?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: Tammi Terrell

Gaye and Terrell were an incredible duo. There voices supported one another quite well. Unfortunately, Terrell collapsed onstage in 1967 after a performance due to the onset of a brain tumor. She died in 1970, an event that traumatized Gaye for the rest of his life. He remarked that "a part of me died with Tammi" and he was never quite the same afterwards.

9. What was Gaye's father known to do for a living?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: A Preacher

His father was a preacher with the obscure House of God and the two often clashed. Gaye was three years old when he began singing in his father's church choir and was soon playing the organ and drums, too.

10. What girl had fun covering "What's Going On" on her 1986 album "True Colors"?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: Cyndi Lauper

Known for the hit song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun," Cyndi Lauper covered "What's Going On" on her second studio album. Her version of the song was released as a single from "True Colors" in 1987 with "One Track Mind" on the B-Side. Lauper's version peaked at number 12 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.

11. One of Marvin Gaye's earliest singing groups was named The Marquees. The group released a song titled "Wyatt Earp" on the Okeh label in 1957. What fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member sang back-up on this song?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: Bo Diddley

After the song "Wyatt Earp" was released, Harvey Fuqua hired The Marquees and changed their name to The Moonglows to be his backing band. After the band split, Fuqua left for Detroit with his girlfriend, a young lady named Gwen Gordy. Marvin decided to follow them to Detroit. Gwen Gordy had a brother who was putting together a new record label called Motown and he was looking for some acts. Gwen introduced Marvin to her brother, Berry Gordy, and the marriage between Marvin Gaye and Motown was formed.

12. What was the name of the doo wop group that Gaye sang with on the street corners of D.C that brought his love of music to life?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: The Rainbows

Gaye returned to his hometown of Washington, D.C. and started signing in streetcorner doo wop group The Rainbows

13. "Mother, mother / There's too many of you crying. / Brother, brother, brother / There's far too many of you" what?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: dying

The song continues: "You know we've got to find a way To bring some lovin' here today, eh eh." Q magazine included "What's Going On" in its list of "100 Songs That Changed the World." The Recording Industry Association of America ranked it as number 65 on its list of "365 Songs of the Century."

14. It was one of Berry Gordy's sisters that introduced Marvin Gaye to Motown, but he fell in love and married another of Gordy's sisters. What was her name?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: Anna

Berry Gordy introduced Marvin Gaye to his younger sister, Anna, and they quickly fell in love and married in 1961. Shortly thereafter, Marvin had his first hit titled "Stubborn Kind of Fellow". This was his fourth single released, but the first to garner any radio airplay.

15. In 1957 Gaye formed his own group, what was this group called?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: The Marquees

Not a long lived group to say the least, very little info is known about them. If anyone has info I would be grateful of the info.

16. "Father, father / We don't need to _____ / You see, war is not the answer / for only love can conquer hate." We don't need to what?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: escalate

"Escalate" is a term often used in reference to the Vietnam War, especially after the Gulf of Tonkin incident and the Gulf of Tonkin resolution that followed. In 1995, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame named "What's Going On" one of its "500 Songs That Shaped Rock."

17. One of Marvin Gaye's most known songs is "Sexual Healing". On what album did the song appear?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: Midnight Love

"Midnight Love" released in 1982 was the first release for Gaye on the Columbia record label. At the time, "Sexual Healing" had the longest consecutive run at number one on the R&B singles charts ever (ten weeks). One interesting note, the album "Here, My Dear" was released in an effort to make royalties to pay back alimony to his ex-wife, Anna Gordy, thus the title.

18. Who was the backing singer on their first recording "Wyatt Earp"?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Bo Diddley

Bo Diddley on his way to fame and fortune.

19. "_____ lines and _____ signs / Don't punish me with brutality." What kind of signs and lines?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: picket

"Picket lines and picket signs Don't punish me with brutality Talk to me, so you can see Oh, what's going on What's going on Yeah, what's going on Ah, what's going on." A remake of "What's Going On" was released by Live Aid Armenia to raise money to assist those suffering from the 1988 Armenian earthquake. Another cover was released in 1994 by Music Relief '94 in memory of the Rwandan genocide.

20. One of Marvin Gaye's most popular songs is "I Heard it Through the Grapevine". Which group originally recorded and released the song in 1967?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: Gladys Knight and the Pips

Gladys Knight and the Pips reached number two in the US on the Billboard singles chart on December 1, 1967. Exactly one year later, Gaye's version of the song reached number one on the same chart. Gaye's version of the song was found on the compilation album by the same name of the song released on New Year's Day, 1968.

21. What label were they assigned to on the above song?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Okeh Label

Short lived label gobbled up by Motown.

22. "Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong / Oh, but who are they to judge us / Simply 'cause _____." Why does the singer suggest they are being judged?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: Because their hair is long

"Mother, mother, everybody thinks we're wrong Oh, but who are they to judge us Simply 'cause our hair is long Oh, you..." The opening line of this song was improvised on soprano saxophone by Eli Fontaine. Chaka Khan's performance of "What's Going On" with The Funk Brothers for the 2002 documentary "Standing in the Shadows of Motown" won a Grammy award for the Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance.

23. A year after Marvin Gaye's death in 1984, a popular R&B group paid tribute to the great soul singer in the song "Night Shift". Which group was responsible for this song?

From Quiz Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Series: Marvin Gaye

Answer: The Commodores

This song paid tribute to both Marvin Gaye and Jackie Wilson. The world was shocked by the circumstances surrounding Marvin's death on April 1, 1984. Gaye was shot to death by his own father after a heated argument involving money.

24. In 1958 Harvey Fuqua hired Gaye's band to be the latest version of his backing group. What was this group called?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Moonglows

Fuqua was a leading light of the underground music scene in the late 50s and the early 60s.

25. In 2001, a variety of artists released an album containing multiple versions of "What's Going On." What disease were these artists raising money to fight?

From Quiz Song by Song: "What's Going On"

Answer: AIDS

The album was released under the name of Artists Against AIDS Worldwide. Though initially intended only to support AIDS programs (primarily in Africa), because the September 11th attacks occurred shortly before the album was released, it was determined that some of the benefits should also go to support the September 11 fund of the American Red Cross. Musicians contributing to the album included Destiny's Child, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, NSYNC, and the Backstreet Boys, to name but a few.

26. However, the group broke up and Fuqua moved to Detroit taking Marvin with him, and what other artist?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Gwen Gordy

Meeting Gwen was a massive turning point in Gaye's illustrious life.

27. Who did she introduce Gaye to at Motown's 1960 Christmas Party?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Berry Gordy

Berry was the the brains behind Motowns global success.

28. Gaye was signed to Motown in 1961, but what was his first role?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: A session drummer

He played drums for among others Smokey Robinson and the Miracles.

29. Who did Gaye marry shortly after he began at Motown?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: Anna Gordy

In a marriage that would last 14 years.

30. What was the name of Gaye's first hit in 1962, his fourth single?

From Quiz Marvin Gaye and His Life

Answer: "Stubborn Kind Of Fellow"

Written days after he had tied the Knot with Anna Gordy.

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