Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedLet’s Get It On
Soul1970s84BPM
UnconfirmedKey
Tempo/key via Deezer →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record (Marvin Gaye & Ed Townsend), no dispute between the original co-writers — the later Ed Sheeran litigation is covered on “Thinking Out Loud.” The documented transformation from Townsend’s addiction-recovery theme into Gaye’s after meeting Janis Hunter is presented factually.
Quick Facts
Released1973
AlbumLet’s Get It On
GenreSoul, R&B, Funk
LabelTamla / Motown Records
ProducerMarvin Gaye & Ed Townsend
Recorded atHitsville West, Los Angeles
More infoWikipedia → · Discogs →
Who you need to ask
The songwriters of record — Marvin Gaye & Ed Townsend
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
The current administrator — Not confirmed — Tamla/Motown + Townsend estate; needs a Songview/Discogs lookup
Unknown · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
The song at the center of two Ed Sheeran suits over “Thinking Out Loud” (this batch); its single’s B-side was Gaye’s cover of The Temptations’ “I Wish It Would Rain” (this catalogue).
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found; confirmed songwriters of record.
Related Songs
Same album, answer records, and songs worth knowing about
The song at the center of the Sheeran suits (this batch)
This single’s B-side was Gaye’s own cover of that Temptations song (already in this catalogue)
Same artist; Janis Hunter sang backgrounds on that song (this batch)
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Marvin Gaye & Ed Townsend
A documented transformation storyThe song began as an idea by Ed Townsend — a 1950s one-hit-wonder then working as a producer, reportedly recently out of rehab for alcoholism — whose initial lyric concept was about overcoming addiction and getting on with life, with a spiritual theme. Marvin Gaye completely changed the lyrics and meaning after becoming smitten with 17-year-old Janis Hunter, reportedly present during the recording; they began dating within months and married in 1977. No lyrics reproduced.
The recording (current administrator)Not confirmed
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
The co-writer on Marvin Gaye
Ed Townsend, in the 2001 deluxe reissue’s liner notes, said he’d been “blessed to work with many great vocalists” in his career, “but none quite like Marvin Gaye.”
Classic Motown · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Motown’s most successful single to that point
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
LG
Marvin Gaye & Ed Townsend (Tamla)
The confirmed songwriters of record
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
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References
Every source cited on this page — 4 in total
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Page history · 3 updates
Jul 2026BPM corrected to feel tempo 84 (Deezer 168 was a double-time detection) — a slow soul ballad.
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Research Queue Batch 24)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending the automated GetSongBPM/Deezer pass