Over 60 Lost Tracks of Marvin Gaye Found in Belgium

While Marvin Gaye’s life was cut short, his impact on the music industry continues today as the singer produced numerous hits and helped shape the sound of Motown throughout the 1960s. Often referred to as the Prince of Motown or the Prince of Soul, the artist gained high praise, releasing 17 albums throughout his time in the spotlight. With his last album, Midnight Love, released in 1982, fans of Gaye received a special treat when news broke that over 60 lost tracks of the singer surfaced in Belgium. 

With many iconic singers passing away over the years, fans often wonder what new music from them would sound like or what they were working on at the time of their death. Well, for Gaye, he stayed with musician Charles Dumolin in Ostend, Belgium before passing away. And while staying with him, Gaye apparently left 30 tapes behind. But that wasn’t all as the Dumolin family also held onto notebooks, letters, and costumes from the icon.

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Having kept the items in their possession for over 40 years, the family lawyer, Alex Trappeniers, discussed the treasures with the BBC. “We can open a time capsule here and share the music of Marvin with the world. It’s very clear. He’s very present.” Sharing some of the items, the lawyer added, “A few of them are complete and a few of them are as good as ‘Sexual Healing,’ because it was made in the same time. There was one song that when I listened to it for ten seconds I found the music was in my head all day, the words were in my head all day, like a moment of planetary alignment.”

What The Law Has To Say About The Lost Collection Of Marvin Gaye

According to the law in Belgium, ownership of an item happens when in possession for 30 years. That means, that Gaye’s items are legally the property of the Dumolin family. Trappeniers insisted, “Marvin gave it to them and said, ‘Do whatever you want with it’ and he never came back. That’s important.”

While the Dumolin family owns the collection, the law does not encompass intellectual property. That means that the family can’t release Gaye’s collection without legal repercussions. 

(Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)