Marvin Gayes Tryout with the Detroit Lions

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You could see the joy on their faces, through their tears, in the look of pure disbelief. Last weekend, when the Detroit Lions won their first playoff game in 32 years, you could understand the excitement for fans like Arron Wikaryasz, whom NBC cameras captured in the stands mid-sob. “I know how long it’s been since we won, and I know a lot of loyal Lions fans aren’t here with us today,” Wikaryasz told a reporter afterward. “And that one was for my dad, man. That one was for my dad.”

Detroit plays again this Sunday, taking on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a berth in the NFC Championship on the line, years of futility giving way to one magical run. It’s recalled one of my favorite little-known stories from the annals of the NFL—a tale of how the Lions just might have changed music forever. Given that the Lions and Detroit are back in the spotlight, it seemed like as good a time as ever to share it here. After all, few would have been as happy to watch this team as the one and only Marvin Gaye.

In the late 1960s, Motown star Marvin Gaye found himself “in a funk,” according to close friends. His brother Frankie, back from Vietnam, shared disheartening horror stories that took a toll. To add to the burden, his recording partner, Tammi Terrell, had recently died of brain cancer. Gaye hadn’t performed since.

“I couldn’t sleep, couldn’t stop crying,” Gaye told a biographer. “The notion of singing three-minute songs about the moon and June didn’t interest me.”

About the same time, a Lions defensive back named Lem Barney found himself with some time to kill one afternoon before practice. A huge music fan, he looked up Gaye’s address, drove over, and knocked on the door. The singer answered and, being a sports fan, recognized Barney immediately. He invited him in to breakfast.

Over the next few years, Barney and Lions running back Mel Farr became some of Gaye’s closest friends. They played golf constantly, talking about their careers and the state of the world. All along, Gaye stayed away from music.

In 1970, during one of those rounds of golf, Gaye talked to his football friends about a sketch of a new song Al Cleveland had written. It was the tune that would become “What’s Going On.” Gaye told Barney and Farr that he wanted to give the song to a group called The Originals. But Barney and Farr wouldn’t let Gaye do that. “I said, ‘Nah, Marvin. No!” Farr said. “‘No, Marvin. That’s you, man! You got to sing this!”

Gaye wouldn’t budge. But every time they’d get together for golf, Barney and Farr would bring up the song again. It spoke to them, or rather, it spoke to the conversations the trio had been having about, well, what’s going on in the world. Finally, Gaye relented. He’d record the song—but only if Barney and Farr recorded the background vocals.

The two Lions laughed when Gaye delivered the ultimatum. Then they realized Gaye was serious. Not long after, they were in the famous Motown studios cutting the track. Their voices made it into the final mix.

The single, while an instant success, didn’t open a floodgate of new material in Gaye. He still stayed away from the studio. Instead, he spoke to Barney and Farr about another idea of his. Once again, they laughed. And once more, the football players soon realized their famous friend was deadly serious.

Marvin Gaye wanted to be their teammate. Even though he had never even played high school football, he wanted to try out for the Detroit Lions.

Barney and Farr hemmed and hawed. They said they weren’t sure. They came up with excuses. But everyone Gaye talked to during this period recalled similar conversations

“Don’t even try to discourage me,” Gaye told his brother, Frankie, one day. “Smokey [Robinson] said I’m insane, but he’s hanging in with me because you know what?”

“What?” said Frankie.

“I’d rather catch a pass and score a touchdown in Tiger Stadium than rack up another gold record.”

Gaye moved his Rolls Royce out of his garage to make room for a home gym; at other times, he drove to the University of Michigan to work out. Gaye, Farr, and Barney ran routes at local high schools. In all, the singer gained nearly 30 pounds of muscle.

When Barney called Gaye one day to tell him that head coach Joe Schmidt was willing to bring Gaye in for an interview, Gaye showed up to the Lions’ facility in a limo and three-piece suit. He promised the coach that he wasn’t only good enough to be a starter; he was going to score a touchdown the first time he touched the ball. Gaye earned a full-on tryout.

It occurred shortly before training camp in Ann Arbor. Schmidt moved Gaye all around the field, taking reps at running back, fullback, tight end, and wide receiver. He did fine—but not quite well enough.

“I love you, Marv,” Coach Schmidt told him. “I love your attitude.” But, the coach explained, he didn’t want to put Gaye in harm's way. He was a performer, after all, and that’s what he needed to be doing. He needed to make music.

Gaye headed back to the studio with a thunderbolt of inspiration. His detour into football helped Gaye clear his creative logjam, and the resulting album What’s Going On is one of the finest ever recorded.

It was released on Super Bowl Sunday, 1971.

Lynna Burgamy

Update: 2024-12-03

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