"Sanctified Lady" is a song by
American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
soul
In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being".
Etymology
The Modern English noun ''soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest attes ...
singer
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay Jr., who also spelled his surname as Gaye (April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984), was an American singer and songwriter. He helped to shape the sound of Motown in the 1960s, first as an in-house session player and later as a solo ar ...
, released posthumously in
1985
The year 1985 was designated as the International Youth Year by the United Nations.
Events January
* January 1
** The Internet's Domain Name System is created.
** Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a ...
by
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music, Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of Japanese Conglomerate (company), conglomerate Sony. It was founded on Janua ...
.
Background
The title of the track was originally "Sanctified
Pussy
''Pussy'' is a used as a noun, an adjective, and—in rare instances—a verb in the English language. It has several meanings, as slang, as euphemism, and as vulgarity. The most common as a noun, it means "cat", as well as "coward or weaklin ...
", a phrase which Gaye can be heard mumbling (appearing somewhat unedited) during certain parts of the updated chorus provided by The Waters, chants of ''"sanctified lady"''. Along with "
Masochistic Beauty
"Masochistic Beauty" is a song by American soul singer Marvin Gaye, released posthumously in 1985 by Columbia Records.
Background
Unlike the majority of Gaye's music, the song is a dedication to S&M, which was something that Gaye was known to ha ...
", the song was an
outtake from the ''
Midnight Love'' sessions, that remained unfinished due to
the singer's death in 1984 at the age of 44. Despite being incomplete and omitted from the album, the song was planned and expected by the singer to become his next big record and follow-up to '"
Sexual Healing."
The lyrics explore the singer's longing to find "that one woman who is untainted and incorruptible." Regarding the earlier receptions of the song and its title, Gaye once stated to ex-wife Janis that "Some say the song is beneath me. And yes, there is humor implicit in the title. But it is no joke. To find a church girl, pure and innocent... I need a woman as flawless as my own mother.”
Years later, guitarist and longtime collaborator
Gordon Banks (Gaye's brother-in-law) helped to finish the track by adding a
choir and an electronic beat throughout the song, plus a
vocodered chant of the title at the beginning.
Reception
"Sanctified Lady" was issued as the first release from the singer's posthumous album ''
Dream of a Lifetime
''Dream of a Lifetime'' is the eighteenth and first posthumously released studio album by the American recording artist Marvin Gaye. It included the top five R&B single, " Sanctified Lady".
Background
In 1982, after final negotiations to leav ...
'', and despite the mumbling of Gaye's original title became a modest hit upon its release, reaching #2 on the
US R&B singles chart.
Credits
*Lead vocals by Marvin Gaye and
Gordon Banks (
vocoder)
*Background vocals by The Waters
*Instrumentation by Marvin Gaye and Gordon Banks
*Produced by Gordon Banks
See also
Midnight Love
References
{{Authority control
1985 singles
Marvin Gaye songs
Songs written by Marvin Gaye
Songs written by Gordon Banks (musician)
Song recordings produced by Marvin Gaye
Song recordings produced by Gordon Banks (musician)
Songs released posthumously
1985 songs
CBS Records singles