Marvin Gaye: Under Review

It's funny to devote a post entirely on soul singer Marvin Gaye.  I mean, what else is there to write or say about Marvin Gaye that hasn't been said already?  He's not only one of the best soul singers ever, but one of the best singers to ever walk this planet, and extremely creative to boot.  When I was in college (15 years ago), the first Marvin Gaye album I bought was What's Going On.  To be honest, at the time, I didn't understand the hoopla surrounding this album.  There are some great songs on that album, starting with the title track, "Mercy, Mercy Me", and "Inner City Blues".  It flows together nicely, but I rarely finished the album all the way through back then.  It wasn't until years ago, that I have grown to realize what an amazing album it is.  I fully appreciate everything regarding What's Going On, and consider it one of the best albums ever recorded, of any genre.  Moving on, the second album of Gaye's that I bought (also in college 15 years ago) was Let's Get It On.  While I thought it was a solid album upon first listen, it didn't quite blow me away like I thought it would.  Similar to What's Going On, it grew on me more so years later, and it's definitely one of my GOAT albums of Marvin's.   I Want You and Here, My Dear, are, in my opinion both extremely underrated.  Regarding the 1976 released I Want You, the story behind it is Leon Ware was nearly finished with his solo album at Motown, and invited Gaye over to listen to it.  Gaye loved it, and asked Ware to work on his new album, which ended up being over 90% of Ware's songs off of the unfinished album that Gaye originally heard.  While I really like Leon Ware Musical Massage, I can't help but feel Marvin Gaye really turned I Want You into his own.  Listen to "Come Live With Me, Angel", probably my favorite track off the album.  I love Gaye's use of multi-layered tracking vocals throughout this album, and especially this song.

It's interesting to hear Leon Ware's version of it, later released on the remastered version of Musical Massage.  Minnie Riperton sings with him on the track.  I don't like it as much, even though I like both Ware and Riperton (together and individually as soul singers), mainly because nothing tops Marvin Gaye.   

Here, My Dear is a brilliant Marvin Gaye album, possibly my second favorite of his behind What's Going On.  Released in 1978, this album was released after the messy divorce from his first wife, Anna Gordy (Motown founder Berry Gordy's sister).  In the divorce proceedings, the judge ordered Gaye to give the profits of his new album to his ex-wife.  Hence, the title Here, My Dear.  It's lyrically almost painfully too direct, while also bitter, sad, and tormented.  However, the album also has moments where Gaye is getting as funky as he's ever been.  Listen to "Anger", with the driven, funky percussion and guitar.  It probably sounded somewhat out-of-place when released among the swirling sounds of disco on the radio during that time, as the funk of "Anger" almost sounds like an underground funk band from the early 70's.  Good stuff!

I also love both of the albums Marvin Gaye recorded with Tammi Terrell, as well as some of his early singles from the 1960's, and even Trouble Man is a solid sountrack that Gaye released after What's Going On (his answer to Superfly and Shaft?) and is very underrated as well.