Spirituality and the complex character of Marvin Gaye

This is Gaye’s break out album where Gaye finally took the reins of his own record. He experimented not only with new sounds, but different aspects of who he was. Gaye’s outlook on the world and his deep-grounded spirituality would show itself through his songs and reflect his character. Gaye’s spritiual consciousness was a integral aspect of the album. His father, with whom he had a long standing dispute that resulted in Gaye being shot, was a preacher of the House of God. This probably had a strong impact on Gaye. A description of Gaye gives a little more insight:

“His paradoxes were fascinating. In the middle of conversations, he’d stop to meditate or pray, his words turning into songs”.

Even Reverend Jesse Jackson chimed in, saying, “Marvin is as much a minister as any man in the pulpit.”
His songs reflect this improntu spirtual reflection like Mercy Mercy Me, where Gaye addresses God at the end with the repeated plea "My Sweet Lord". It seems in the context of the album, Gaye's spirtuality is used to counter the problems and issues he sees in the world.