Marvin Gaye: Abraham, Martin and John

Today, we celebrate the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr.

For today’s video, I chose Marvin Gaye’s version of “Abraham, Martin and John.” The song pays tribute to four Americans who fought for social change before their lives were cut short: Abraham Lincoln, Dr. King, John F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy.

The song was written in 1968 by Dick Holler and first recorded by Dion, and it has subsequently been recorded by many other artists.

Gaye was backed by the Funk Brothers on the track, including the always excellent work by the legend, James Jamerson.