Well folks, that time of year is here again - the 14th of February and we all know what that means don't we? That canny old bugger Cupid will be unloading his quiver of arrows once more, people up and down the country will be attempting to turn on the charm to attract or keep that special lady in their life and posties all over the world will be delivering a worrying amount of red envelopes to houses big and small.
Of course, you could opt to take the cynical approach, pointing out that shops up and down the country are making their wodges selling expensive cards and flowers, reminding people that music retailers are making the best of their "The greatest love album in the world ever 9" offers and wondering why cheap champagne from Tesco is suddenly beginning to regain favour amongst the masses. However you choose to look at Valentine's day though, you can't get away from it - that wonderful conflict between the big red heart of love and the big gold pound sign of commercialism. Now I myself when presented with an opportunity of the commercial nature am never one to look a gift horse in the mouth as they say, so here is my offering - gift wrapped, complete with a little bow and silver greetings tag. :)
Yes I know, it's music once again, but I think it's time to look at some of the "Tuna of lurv" and I'm not talking the tinned variety that comes in thousand island dressing either. Nope, I'm talking about Marvin Gaye. I'd like to take you back a good few year now, probably to the days when I was still drinking Coke when I went out and hark back to a night in a social club somewhere in West Bromwich. I wouldn't be venturing into West Bromwich unless I had an extremely good reason to do so and indeed there was such a reason - The Soul Survivors. These lads when at their best in the mid 90s were and probably still are The Midland's finest soul tribute band - playing classics ranging from Otis Redding to Sam & Dave with a production and performance tighter than a page 3 girl's black crop top. Ever since I saw these guys, I had become bitten by the soul bug - time after time I will go and see them and other bands such as The Commandments but it was at a night in the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton a few years ago that I discovered Marvin Gaye properly.
Unfortunately I'm way too young to have had an opportunity to see the master live in concert as he died in 1984, but I did get the chance to see Edwin Star and Mary Wilson (formerly of The Supremes)
in a production of "The Motown Story", where Edwin and Mary belted out a fair few of Gaye's classic ballads and dance tracks. I was hooked, but it wasn't until a few months ago that I finally bought the Best of Marvin Gaye CD - there I was in HMV, taking advantage of the 2 for £20 offer, Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits in one hand and Leftfield's Rhythm and Stealth in the other - what an odd chap the sales assistant must have thought, but when I got the CD home - I realised what a great move I'd made in buying it.
In my opinion, the lurv masters don't come much finer than Marvin Gaye - although Barry White was indeed a great talent, he pales into insignificance alongside Marvin Gaye in my opinion. Marvin had an illustrious group and solo career spanning over 20 years: in his time he'd seen close friends die, numerous marriages crumble and a cocaine habit that was eventually to lead to the ruin of his personal life and his career - it all being ended when Gaye's father, the Rev. Marvin Gay Senior shot his son after a heated argument on April 1st, 1984. But anyway, enough of my introductory blurb, as the great man himself said: "Let's get it on"…
Being a best of, I'm not going to go through it track by track as it'd bore everyone to tears, but I will point out all the greats to be found on it:
1 - I heard it through the grape vine
I am guessing and would sincerely hope that there isn't a person reading this that can say they don't know this record. It had to be the first track on the album I suppose, as it's got to be Gaye's most well known release. Although typical of the Motown sound at the time (1967), this one is a little more moody than many of its competitors although the female backing singers and fat drums are still present. This song shows the edgier side of Gaye's vocal abilities and was justly re-released in 1985, presumable as a mark of respect and a tribute to his life.
2 - What's going on
Taken from the self produced and written album of the same name (1971), What's Going On is a damned good tune. I'd be tempted to say that this is one of my favourite tracks on the album but I realise that I'd probably be saying this far too often about other tracks so I will reframe. In a time of social and economical change all over the world, What's Going On was seen as a landmark single and album, much of it inspired by the Vietnamese war that was taking place at the time. "Mother mother, there's too many of you crying, brother brother, there's far too many of you dying, you know we've got to find a way to bring some lovin' here today": this song has quite strong jazz influences and is a good representative of the warm and smooth sound that Gaye developed throughout the 70s.
3 - Sexual healing
Yet again this is a song that people will all know, and probably love. I have to say that I'm not a great fan of this one - and yes I know you're all going to shoot me down in flames but Marvin has performed far better ballads than this one. It's still a good tune mind, with the typically 80's sound analogue electronic drum kit and synthesized guitars but even at a time when Gaye's life was falling apart and he had fled to Europe in an effort to throw off his debts and demons, his voice was still as fine as ever and the sexy and longing tones remain.
4 - You are everything (With Diana Ross)
In the words of me and my mates, or should that be my mates and I, "Tune!" The first of many duets to be featured on the album, we've got 2 of soul's finest ambassadors performing together on a powerful love song. "How can I forget when each face that I see brings back memories of being with you, I just can't go on living life as I do, comparing each girl with you, no when they just won't do, they're not you…": A great song to show Gaye's versatility as he moves from soft and rich timbres to pull out the higher and more aggressive notes; Diana too displays that even without The Supremes' help, she is a worthy performer.
5 - It takes 2 (With Kim Weston)
One of those motown anthems this one - not a typical love song but one with a great deal of go and tempo. This song was from a similar time when Tina and Ike Turner were good .. erm yes I did say good and Tina Turner in the same sentence but times change rapidly hehe. Weston and Gaye take it in turns singing each line of the verse before combining for the rising chorus. It doesn't have the genius of many of Gaye's love songs but it's definitely a foot tapper and one that I'm sure your gal will be dragging you onto the floor (dance floor that is!) to.
6 - Let's get it on
Catch your breath and we'll slow it all down back to the jazzy and sensual sound of the mid 70s era of Marvin's work. We can see how throughout his career Gaye has matured as a vocal and song writing talent, the Memphis guitar twangs away and Gaye's voice positively oozes desire as he slides seemingly with ease from low to high octaves. Let's Get It On, is a laid back groove, very dinner party, and you have to almost think twice when you remember how Gaye initially struggled to make it as a vocalist in the early 60s.
7 - Abraham
Now I said that I wasn't going to do a track by track I know, but all the good songs are bunched together and most of the album is, well, good, so we'll take it step by step. Primarily made up of mildly cheesy vibraphones and piano work, this track has strong religious connotations and has quite a resigned sound to it. Many of the motown anthems themselves were motivated by religion (songs such as The Midnight Hour weren't so much love songs as testaments to god), this isn't a motown floor filler, it's a medium paced ballad that's quite different in sound to many of Gaye's others. Good but not an absolute classic, it's easy listening and soothing, well worth putting on the Best of.
9 - How sweet it is (to be loved by you)
Back to another motown classic, later to be covered, quite finely I must add, by the saxophonist and vocalist Junior Walker (or maybe it's the other way round, I dunno, I'm a bit too young hehe). A bouncy and happy number: "I needed the shelter of someone's arms, and there you were, I needed someone to understand my ups and downs, and there you were": a popular and reputable track this one that should need no introduction to soul fans, it's a pleasant break from some of the more full on ballads surrounding it.
10 - Mercy mercy me
"Oh mercy mercy me, things ain't what they used to be, where did all the blue skies go…" this song sounds almost identical to What's Going On in terms of its structure and overall instrumental sound - you could probably interchange the two songs quite seamlessly. This isn't a love song even though it mind sound like one, and voices concerns of over crowded streets and nuclear radiation risks and though laid back and peaceful in it's nature is by no means laid back in what it is preaching. Everyone should have the right to shoot their mouth off in a song or two, Gaye does it all through the album What's Going On that this is taken from - it's a moving number that paved the way for many other black pioneering artists such as Stevey Wonder.
"You're alone, all the time, does it ever bother you, have you asked why you seem to fall in love and out again, do you really ever love or just pretend, oh baby why fool yourself …" Now I've read quite a few reviews slating Gaye and his co-writers for not living up to scratch, well I would have to disagree, the lyrics along with the melodies hit all the right notes. This is my dad's favourite Marvin Gaye song and I have to say that it is fast becoming one of mine - although I would have to admit that many of Marvin's finest songs have been duets with other notable singers and thus perhaps agree that he wouldn't have been half the artist that he was without these collaborations, he more than makes up for it with some of the solo work, but this, with Diana Ross, has to be one of his best.
12 - You're all I need to get by (With Tammi Terrell)
Until collapsing live on stage when accompanied by Marvin, and later tragically dying early in 1970, Terrell was probably Marvin's favourite and most talented vocal partner. There was definitely an innate understanding as their voices and harmonies seemed to lock together perfectly - the classic river deep mountain high style song with calm verses and rousing choruses this definitely gets you in the mood.
13 - Ain't nothing like the real thing (With Tammi Terrell)
The last song I'm going to highlight and probably my all time favourite: "I've got your picture hanging on the wall, but it can't see or come to me when I call your name, I realise it's just a picture in a frame…" the lyrics start to finish are sublime and the melodies in which first Marvin then Tammi will take the lead, only to recombine for the chorus are refreshing and sensual. It's quite short but is always the song I will skip to if I want to choose a track - soul love at its very finest here, don't underestimate this one.
Obviously there are more tracks on the CD, some that are B-sides that I'm not familiar with and others that although are decent don't quite live up to the first half of the album. A collection full of emotion and hidden messages, this is one that any true music lover should own - there are quite a few best of from this man out so you may be able to pick one up cheaper than what I did. I'm not a huge sloppy love song fan and although I'll admit that yeah I do have my fair share of it, I don't go overboard in buying the stuff - this therefore has the Craiggy_Boy kite mark of approval, be it for seductive or chilling means you won't go wrong with this one!
Have a good day all, and be good! … and if you can't be good be careful, and well if you can't be careful … don't come running to me when it all goes pear shaped hehe
Till we doth meet again…
Craig - February 2002
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
I was just listening to my Marvin Gaye CD and thought I'd read along to it. A lovely double.
ClangerWrangler 26.05.2002 12:30
Heard it Through the Grapevine is probably one of the best songs ever written, although I don't know all of the tracks you mention...might have to check this out. Cheers, Clanger
Cheekychicken 18.04.2002 14:02
Ah! Now that's better, I know and like all of these, no wait a minute ... it's not better, it just makes me old :o(
Balancing raw power with shades of vulnerability, Gaye rose to the top of Motown's roster ... more
without the benefit of a supporting vocal group. Whether singing love songs or social commentary, Gaye's voice displays an earnestness and sincerity that are a ...
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The Very Best of Marvin Gaye pulls together the usual hits from "I'll Be Doggone" to ... more
"Grapevine", "What's Going On" to "Let's Get It On" to "Sexual Healing"--all musts for any R&B or pop fan--but this two-CD set also offers treats for the Marvin connoi...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Feb 14th, 2002
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