Marvin Gaye’s ‘Hitch Hike’ was the first track to land him a top 40 hit. Released on Motown’s Tamla label, the song was another classic co-written by Gaye, William Stevenson, and Clarence Paul. So infectious was its beat that it sparked a brief dance craze after audience members from American Bandstand burst into the “hitchhike” dance. The 1962 classic was Gaye’s usual euphoric blend of soul and R&B, with backing vocals compliments of Martha and the Vandellas, and was one of Paul McCartney‘s favourite songs of the era.
Of course, it was McCartney who had constructed a totally different 1960s sound with the Beatles. However, their skiffle roots were directly shaped by the doo-wop 1950s sound that Gaye drew from in his early days. While McCartney swung more psychedelic, he and Gaye captured the same sense of bright optimism in their pop tracks.
Back in 2013, McCartney took to The Ronnie Wood Show to share some of his favourite artists, reminiscing on hearing them for the first time. On ‘Hitch Hike’, McCartney said the track, to him, “kind of summons up the ’60s”.
At its height, the ‘Swinging Sixties’ led to a cultural revolution. In England, the economy was recovering from post-war austerity, giving young people some crucial disposable income to spend on the latest records – all of which seemed to reflect the newfound optimism the country was experiencing.
That outlook is what McCartney recalled when he listened to Gaye’s song. “It’s like, ‘it’s a nice day outside today’,” he explained, “You know, the ’60s felt like the weather was always good”.
Thanks to Gaye’s effervescent voice, McCartney found positivity in the world around him. “To me, the summer, this song, ‘Hitch Hike’- just Marvin [Gaye], the whole thing, I just love it. It’s just one of my favourite Motown tracks,” he said.
Along with his own material, McCartney was a particular fan of Gaye’s rendition of The Beatles track ‘Yesterday’. Although the cover had been attempted by many significant artists, the likes of Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley, it was Gaye’s that won McCartney over. “Man, I’m major league into Marvin, and he did ‘Yesterday’,” he said of the 1970 cover. “Marvin’s version of ‘Yesterday’ is my favourite, even beyond mine. Just so cool.”
McCartney returned the gesture, performing a cover of ‘Hitch Hike’ in a 2011 show at Comerica Park, and even earlier, during the Get Back sessions, he and John Lennon played a version of it. The track clearly has an enduring charm for McCartney, as it’s also been suggested that the Beatles’ ‘You Can’t Do That’, penned by him and John Lennon, is inspired by the song in its pronounced nod to American R&B and use of cowbells.
Check it out below.
