Marvin Gaye in the 70's

Here My Dear was Marvin's rawest album and in many ways, his most soulful. Battling his demons and going through a very messy divorce (from Berry Gordy's sister). She wanted to get paid and the record was basically a pay-off to her, hence the title; Here My Dear. A stoned out haunted letter to her, I think it's beautiful.

I saw Marvin during his 'Lets Get It On' tour. We scored seats very close to the stage, in a packed arena in Conn. Lemmetellya, I've been to more concerts than I can remember. I've NEVER experienced the sexual tension/energy between a performer and his audience like I did that night! The women were screeching what they wanted to do to him while they flung their panties at the stage!!

 

Lucky!!

 

Here My Dear is my favorite MG album and one of my all time faves from any artist. It´s probably because I have a thing for great double albums. You can get lost there for months in the same way you can do it on Songs in the Key of Life and Sign O´The Times.

 

I have yet to listen to Songs In The Key... And I have the record, and it's on my phone. Probably get down on it tonight.

 

Jarvius, it seems like you are most interested in our contemporary recollections? In the '70s in London, it seemed Marvin was ever-present, touring a lot, recording at the London Palladium, just being around, posters on the underground.

Even as an early-teen I recall there was a lot of love for him among the older generation, especially while Disco was riding high but because the Glam Rock side of the fence seemed to favour reinvention and some very white four-on-the-floor songs, he was viewed as being the old guard in my teen magazines. Whatever his current release was never figured highly to me at the time but there was Marvin everywhere!

 

In my early teens I was almost exclusively into Rock music. There was an R&B song here and there that I heard and liked, but not enough to buy.

I tried to remember what possessed me to buy the then current Let's Get It On (my first R&B album) but it is not coming back to me. I enjoyed Let's Get It On and bought Live! then What's Going On.

After that I branched out to other R&B artists.

 

What's Goin On is one of the best songs of the 70's hands down, besides that Mercy Me also from the same album is a masterpiece as well.

Of his 70's songs those two as well as Got To Give It Up and especially I Want You which I consider one of the sexiest songs ever are just AMAZING.

I had my phone on shuffle yesterday and when I Want You came on U just had to get up and dance, he and Stevie Wonder, as well as Bill Withers, Al Green, Barry White and groups like Earth Wind & Fire and the Ohio Players are why I wish I lived during the 70's. Awesome music, awesome times and awesome fashions.

 

This is a great post. For some reason, the fact that MG was in his prime during the 70's, make me lovr that decade much more. You guys were spoiled.

 

Glad you're back. We have missed you at the great Prince thread still going on

 

Wow! I'm actually jealous, you get to hear/experience 'Songs...' for the 1st time. That's a major cherry gettin' popped!!!

 

I think we were spoiled. Marvin Gaye just had his own niche. Although a lot of singers were popular in the '60s and '70s, Gaye just seemed to have a rarefied air about him even with all of the stuff he was doing, ha. It was cool that Marvin changed with the times and was still recording viable music, he never made What's Going On 2. etc.

And really I think Marvin was one of the few singers who retained the best parts of his voice. Gaye seemed to be jealous of David Ruffin's voice but Marvin's voice was a great instrument.

 

Glad to see you back Jarvius, I thought you vanished into the ether.

When What's Going On was released it had a significant impact on music and on this country. Almost everyone could relate in some way to the album. From war weary Veterans, to political activists and students it was a defining social statement.

What's Going On is really a flawless album. It was a long way from I Heard It Through The Grapevine.

 

I actually enjoy the scraps albums they put out. The first one made me really wish Marvin had been able to finish one final album in those dark months leading to his death. The late period outtakes are fascinating stuff to me, and I would've loved an entire album done in the same style. Maybe he would've finally put out The Ballads. I'd take both.

 

One of the amazing things about What's Going On is even though it's 45 (!) yrs old, it's socio-politico commentary is still so very 'on point' today!

 

I don't see it like that at all. There are some great vocal performances on H,MD. It's also a fairly honest, (if in places self-justificatory) attempt at cataloguing the good and bad in personal relationships. It started with the final track on Let's Get It On- 'Just To Keep You Satisfied'. People tend to overlook the fact that for all his priapic boasting Marvin ends up alone and heartbroken. H, MD continues the analysis of that loss. Ever given a million dollars to someone who doesn't love you any more? I can't imagine you'd be making a feelgood album afterwards.

 

I find Here, My Dear to be unmelodic in the main and annoying lyrically. He cats around for years, fathers children with other women, then feels epically sorry for himself and lectures Anna on her wedding vows? I mean, with an attitude like that, you almost want to say thank God he was on drugs, because recording a song like "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" sober after living the kind of life Marvin did would suggest a sociopathic personality (which some have said Marvin had anyway).

There's one song I like on the album, "You Can Leave (But It's Gonna Cost You)", but even there, the song runs on too long without anything new being brought in. Meanwhile, Marvin's emotional need to hector and taunt poor Anna runs me down. I don't know Anna Gaye but I wanted to give her a big hug after this. He's not just a heel, he's a proud heel.

Sometimes my dislike for the album is based more on the music, which is very repetitive and thunky in a way some seem to think is funky. Thunky's not funky when the result is "A Funky Space Reincarnation," which really meanders. I feel like after five minutes of this, Sun Ra was even checking his watch.

 

I find Hear, My Dear much more pleasant to listen to.

 

Marriage break-ups. There's no right or wrong. You just get 'versions of events'. I saw my uncle gallivant around NYC with different women, staying out late and then go back home to his wife and family in the suburbs. He whinged when she divorced him and took all his money and he had to pay for his daughter's Harvard education. He wound up broke and then went off and married a smokin' hot 19 year old and moved to Miami, where he now lives happily. He'll tell you what a 'good Christian' he is without batting an eyelid. No way to stop some people behaving like jerks.

Agreed, Marvin could be long-winded musically at times. There's a fair bit of padding on I Want You, though the music there is just so damn good he gets away with it.

 

Anymore stories?

 

If you want the real companion piece to I Want You, check out Musical Massage, by Leon Ware (who co-wrote and co-produced the Gaye record). Read about it first though (if you don't know the story already). It's a great great record.

 

Absolutely. I remember when that record appeared. There had been loads of great funk, disco, whatever but "Got To Give It Up" was a huge WTF! moment for lovers of the genre. It was just the best funk single for years.

 

'76

 

Probably the ultimate divorce album, and it certainly has its moments, but I personally found it to be rather undisciplined and over the top. I listened to it twice and traded it off. What's Goin' On and Let's Get It On are both keepers.

 

Musically, you're missing out. The message might be a little too much, but the actual music is top notch. "Is That Enough", "Falling In Love Again", "When Did You Stop....", "I Met A Little Girl", "Sparrow" are all great songs. Might be his best sounding album sonically. I Want You always sounded muddy to me.

 

Agree 100 percent. I don't hear *anything* that sounds over the top or undisciplined. Put this on at a party and the dance floor will get mighty crowded, mighty fast.

Love,
Billy