MOG

It's been a long, stressful, infuriating day but the boys are now in bed and the evening is now mine and my wife's. So we break open the pint bottle I've been saving of my favorite beer ever--Tripel Karmeliet--and play side two of Marvin Gaye's Midnight Love.

"Turn on Some Music" has always been one of my favorite non-hit soul songs (along with Parliament's "Getten' to Know You", Sly Stone's "Just Like a Baby", and Curtis Mayfield's "Right on for the Darkness").

I think Mavin Gaye's music, as much as any music I've heard (even Bach, Duke Ellington, and the Beatles) has this ability to heal the wounded spirit.

My friend Valentine told me a story about how a large fight that broke out in the halls of his high school was suddenly calmed by someone playing "Let's Get it On" loudly on a shoulder-supported boom box (I always pictured this mythical high school student as the Radio Raheem of peace, love and understanding).

And about ten years ago everything that could go wrong did one day while trying to move to a new apartment in Chicago. While riding in a taxi to O'Hare Airport in a desperate attempt to locate a moving van (after several previous failed attempts) the taxi radio played "You're All I Need to Get By". And I just sat in the back of that greasy-windowed, pine-fresh cab and smiled. No other form of art can comfort me so quickly and deeply.

So, it's strange that channeling Marvin for his 2000 hit "Music" couldn't protect Erick Sermon from harm. But, I prefer to believe The Green-Eyed Bandit's mysterious injury in 2001 was a result of a car accident and not a suicide attempt. But if it was a suicide attempt, then I hope Erick Sermon has found some peace...with the help of friends, family, music, and most certainly Marvin Gaye.