"Sexual Healing" is a 1982 song recorded by American singer Marvin Gaye on the Columbia Records label. It was his first single since his exit from his long-term record label Motown earlier in the year, following the release of the In Our Lifetime album the previous year. People described it as "America's hottest pop-culture turn-on since Olivia Newton-John suggested she wanted to get 'Physical'." It is listed at No. 233 on the Rolling Stone list of its 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

In the winter of 1981, Marvin Gaye had relocated to Ostend, Belgium, following the end of a European tour amid financial difficulties with the Internal Revenue Service and the end of his second marriage. Struggling with depression and cocaine addiction, Gaye had agreed to move to Ostend on the advice of longtime resident Freddy Cousaert. While in Ostend, Gaye began to curb his drug use and recover from his depression, partaking in Ostend's beaches. Gaye also began cutting ties with his longtime recording label, Motown, following the release of In Our Lifetime, an album the musician did not declare to be finished. He declared that he would never record with the label ever again after he accused the label of betraying his creativity.

Over the years, Gaye had received offers by labels such as I.R.S. Records, Arista Records and Elektra Records while still with Motown, afterwards, he sought to make a deal with CBS Records after they offered him a contract. The label agreed to sign him and to help clear his financial debt. CBS would spend a year negotiating the contract. Needing spending money, Couseart set Gaye up with a month-long England tour between June 13 and July 1, 1981, titled "A Heavy Love Affair Tour 1981," named after his song, "Heavy Love Affair" from In Our Lifetime. After returning to Belgium that July, Gaye performed two shows at Ostend's Casino Kursaal on July 3 and 4, 1981. The tour's commercial and critical success further renewed Gaye's musical confidence.

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