Deeper Dozen - Marvin Gaye

Following on from the 'Essentials' here are twelve more Marvin Gaye songs...

Easy Living - Upon his own insistence Gaye began his solo recording career with a jazz infused debut album ‘The Soulful Moods Of…’. Whilst mixed, the results display a sound not many associate with the singer. He further explored variations on this style on ‘When I’m Alone I Cry’ and ‘Hello Broadway’ both released in 1964.

Stubborn Kind Of Fellow - With his second album Gaye would take a more decisive step towards R&B. This Ray Charles-esque stomper features on 'That Stubborn Kind Of Fellow' and would deliver his first hit.

Can I Get A Witness? - This 1963 classic was written by the legendary Holland-Dozier-Holland. Their hits are too many to list here but include some of the best known songs by The Supremes, The Four Tops and Martha Reeves and the Vandellas.

It Takes Two - This well known Kim Weston duet brought Gaye his first Top 20 hit in the UK in 1967.

That’s The Way Love Is - This track appears on two consecutive Gaye albums (1969s ‘M.P.G’ and as title track to its follow up in 1970). Inheriting the brooding menace deployed to such potent effect on ‘…Grapevine’ it is unrecognisable from the original recording by The Isley Brothers.

Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology) - Gaye’s composition closes out the first side of 1971s ‘What’s Going On?’ in haunting fashion. Almost 50 years on the environmental theme of the song suggests that it was ahead of its time.

Trouble Man - The follow up to ‘What’s Going On?’ came in the form of Gaye’s soundtrack to the film ‘Trouble Man’. Predominantly an instrumental groove with vocal embellishment and some synthesised experimentation, the soundtrack only features one song, the title track, with a fully sung contribution.

I Want You - If ‘Let’s Get It On’ had listeners purring, ‘I Want You’ would prove an even steamier affair. The album burns with such verve and lust that even your coolest mate would struggle not to blush.

Got To Give It Up - Pt. 1 - Charting at number 7 in the UK in 1977 this somewhat reluctant contribution to ‘Disco’ can be found in its edited form (included here) or as a 12 minute closer to Gaye’s ‘Live At The London Palladium’. The song has been influential (see ‘Don’t Stop ’til You Get Enough’ by Michael Jackson) and even led to a high profile lawsuit against Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams for the likeness of their hit ‘Blurred Lines’.

Here, My Dear - ‘Here, My Dear’ is not concise nor a particularly easy listen. The album was recorded to help Gaye fund his divorce settlement from estranged wife Anna Gordy. The legal process and relationship dominates proceedings with a series of mid tempo funk sermons of reflection (‘I Met A Little Girl’), sadness (‘When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You?’), bitterness (‘Anger'), humanity (‘Everybody Needs Life’) and re-birth (‘Falling In Love Again’). The title track is a standout, not only for the vocal performance but for Gaye’s use of a sweet 50s doo wop style tune to contrast against the far weightier topic of the lyric.

Ego Tripping Out - ‘Ego Tripping Out’ is a single from 1979 and addition to the ‘In Our Lifetime’ album reissue. Gaye talks/ sings over an incessant but catchy synthesised bass riff for the duration. It is ludicrous but a lot of fun.

Sexual Healing - Gaye’s second highest charting single in the UK reached number 4 and featured on 1982s ‘Midnight Love’. The album was critically well received and commercially successful but it would be the last to be released in his lifetime.