"Songs In The Key Of Life" by STEVIE WONDER – September 1976 USA 2LP Studio Set with 'A Something's Extra Bonus' 4-Track EP on Tamla (October 1976 UK on Tamla Motown) - Featuring Ronnie Foster, Dean Parks, Herbie Hancock, Mike Sembello, Greg Phillinganes, Nathan Watts, Shirley Brewer, Minnie Riperton, Denise Williams and Syreeta Wright (January 2009 JAPAN-Only Reissue in the Motown 50: Stevie Wonder Paper Sleeve Collection – Features US Mini LP Gatefold Sleeve Artwork, UK-Language Booklet and Japanese-Language Booklet, 2 x SHM-CDs, SHM-Info Insert, Obi and Protective Sealable Plastic – Uses Kevin Reeves Remasters from 2000) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"… Love's In Need Of Love Today…"

 

The tired eyes of over-stimulated music lovers: but will we ever rub moody on this urge to splurge double-album crescendo bombshell from 1976 on the mighty Motown Records – I seriously doubt it.

 

Presently resplendent in my 65-year-old body-buggered belly-flop dotage – I am one of those nerdy Rock boys who saw, bought and raved unto the joy fantastic for the 2LP set "Songs In The Key Of Life" - and has drooled at the mere sight of it ever since. I can still feel the awe I felt when I first saw copies of this Soul beast in an Irish Record shop in Dublin’s Grafton Street – it was a chunky bugger and expensive. But I knew in my Shamrock-Shaped Y-Fronts – it had to be mine. Let’s update the story...

 

After a few 80s clunky fat-jewel case reissues - 8 May 2000 finally saw the Kevin Reeves Remaster of this double-album and its 4-Track Something Extra EP make it onto a slim-line UK 2CD set. And here in September 2023 - Motown 157 3572-2 (Barcode 6012215735727) from May 2000 has remained the go-to purchase point for most – eight quid or less depending on where you buy. But this is one of my top fave raves so I wanted something approximating better.

 

Up step the Japanese who know how to tease my long-suffering bank account and using the 2000 remasters – they put out the Motown 50: Stevie Wonder Paper Sleeve Collection – SHM-CD reissues in Mini LP Repro Artwork with Booklets etc. Here are the Ordinary Pains...

 

JAPAN-only released 28 January 2009 - "Songs In The Key Of Life" by STEVIE WONDER on Tamla UICY-93936/7 (Barcode 4988005546265) sports the American 2LP artwork from 1976, the full booklet and is on the Super-High-Materials Format.

 

Disc 1 (42:47 minutes):

1. Love's In Need Of Love Today [Side 1]

2. Have A Talk With God

3. Village Ghetto Land

4. Contusion

5. Sir Duke

6. I Wish [Side 2]

7. Knocks Me Off My Feet

8. Pastime Paradise

9. Summer Soft

10. Ordinary Pain

Tracks 1 to 10 are Sides 1 and 2 of the double-album "Songs In The Key Of Life" - released 28 September 1976 in the USA on Tamla T13-340C2 and October 1976 in the UK on Tamla Motown TMSP 6002. It had a 24-page booklet with complete musician credits, lyrics, artist influences and "A Something's Extra" 4-track EP (played at LP-speed) that has been tagged onto the end of Disc 2 here.

 

Disc 2 (62:15 minutes):

1. Isn't She Lovely [Side 3]

2. Joy Inside My Tears

3. Black Man

4. Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing [Side 4]

5. If It's Magic

6. As

7. Another Star

 

A Something's Extra Bonus:

8. Saturn

9. Ebony Eyes

10. All Day Sucker

11. Easy Goin' Evening (My Mama's Call)

Tracks 1 to 7 are Sides 3 and 4 of the double-album "Songs In The Key Of Life" - Tracks 8 to 11 are the 4-track EP that came with original copies of the vinyl 2LP set

 

I love the KEVIN REEVES remasters (done in 2000 at Universal using original tapes) - warm and full of presence - bringing songs like "Isn't She Lovely" and the astonishing vocal bitterness and synth-funk in "Ordinary Pain" to life. There have been other reissues in Japan – namely the 18 December 2013 Platinum SHM-CD Version (Motown UICY-40044/5 – Barcode 4988005798435) that apparently uses a new 2011 DSD Flat Remaster. But despite genuinely beautiful packaging and presentation in a Gold and White Mini Box Set - they are deleted, ludicrously expensive (fifty-quid plus) and I bought one for the Rolling Stones "Sticky Fingers" and hated its dead sound so I have left any of them alone.

 

What can you say about "Songs In The Key Of Life" - it feels like "Blonde On Blonde", "The Beatles", "Exile On Main St." and "Physical Graffiti" - a double album you'll never dip into for years to come and still seemingly find something new. It opens with the truly gorgeous "Love's In Need Of Love Today" and the brilliance (and social conscience) rarely lets up. I love the instrumental "Contusion" and Minnie Riperton and Denise Williams in the Backing Vocals of the acidic "Ordinary Pain' - with Shirley Brewer singing the angry 'response' lyrics with such conviction as to be positively unnerving. Album nuggets include the gorgeous slow drawl of "Joy Inside My Tears", social injustice in "Pastime Paradise" and his soaring vocals in "Ngiculela - Es Una Historia - I Am Singing" brings tears to my eyes.

 

Stevie Wonder would annoy everyone with the indulgent 1979 2LP extravaganza "Journey Through The Secret Life Of Plants" and then regain his crown with the slimmer "Hotter Than July" in 1980. But this Seventies marvel (along with "Talking Book", "Innervisions" and "Fulfillingness First Finale") are the bedrock of his reputation - and rightly so.

 

You could of course buy the UK/Euro 2CD Remaster from 2000 for cheapish amounts of dosh – but I like that extra oomph this SHM-CD format offers. "Songs In The Key Of Life" is the kind of album I covet and I have to have it in the best way poss...

"Let's Get It On" by MARVIN GAYE – August 1973 US LP on Tamla Records (September 1973 UK on Tamla Motown) – Featured Guests Include The Originals, The Monitors, Joe Sample and Wilton Felder of The Crusaders, Ray Parker, Jr., Willie Hutch, Dean Parks, David T. Walker, Leroy Emmanuel, Bobby Keys, Michael Henderson and many more (September 2001 US Universal/Motown Deluxe Edition 2CD Expanded Edition Reissue and Remaster with 27 Unreleased) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...You'll Like It!"

 

At the risk of limb-loss and threats of being forced into a Sweeny Todd type barbers at midnight on the day of judgement - I'm going to put out an unpopular opinion, nay sacrilegious and possibly even scurrilous assessment.

 

While "What's Going on" puts Marvin (hot like an uv-in) Gaye firmly on the shoulders of Gods, I always thought 1973's lovers album "Let's Get It On" was good rather than great and not quite the masterpiece of lurve-sexy bedroom delight everyone claims it is.

 

So why five stars for a record I think is only deserving of four? I'm reviewing the 'Deluxe Edition' 2CD Reissue of "Let's Get It On" and on top of the newly remastered eight album tracks, you get a whopping 29 extras – 27 of which are Previously Unreleased (the other two are period tie-ins issued in the 90s). And in the main, they are truly stunning - pushing this 2-Disc 2001 Expanded Edition splurge into the stratosphere.

 

Like most music fans, if I've a fave album and Universal or Sony has done a 2CD Deluxe Edition of them, I'm going to own it. But we have found that time and time again, the unreleased stuff (or rarities as they like to call it) was unissued for a reason. But here, the sheer wallop of all that extra brilliance is screaming at you - almost too much in that it sometimes drowns out the core eight we're supposed to be celebrating. 

 

In fact, when you're listening to the truly fantastic grooves being achieved in instrumentals like say "Song No. 3" or "Cakes" - it's like listening to an entirely different Marvin (hell some of "Cakes" even has a Northern Soul shuffle to it).

 

Soul fans will salivate too at those session-men names (some superstars in their own right) - Herbie Hancock on Keyboards, Wilton Felder and Joe Sample of The Crusaders on Bass and Keys, James Jamerson also on Bass, Ernie Watts on Sax, Uriel Jones on Drums with Ray Parker, Jr., Melvin 'Wah Wah' Ragin, Leroy Emmanuel, Dean Parks, David T. Walker and Willie Hutch on Guitars along with many others.

 

Over on CD2 in the 'Working The Groove' clutch of tunes section we even have Fonce and Larry Mizell of Blue Note/Donald Byrd "Spaces And Places" fame providing funky backing vocals on the gorgeous "Where Are We Going?" – Track 11. With stuff like "The World Is Rated X", you get to hear a 1975/1976 Funk-Sexy-Soul Music sound, three years before it became commonplace. In short, there is a whole lot on offer here - a slew of creativity that's thrilling to eavesdrop on, and all of it sounding super-duper spiffing your honor. Forgive me people, but let's get it on and on...

 

US released 18 September 2001 - "Let's Get It On: Deluxe Edition" by MARVIN GAYE on Universal/Motown 440 014 757-2 (Barcode 044001475726) is a 37-Track 2CD Reissue and Remaster with 27 of its 29 Bonus Tracks being Previously Unreleased (Tracks 14 on CD1 and 20 on CD2 were issued before). It's part of Universal's DELUXE EDITION Series and plays out as follows:

 

CD1 (70:29 minutes):

ORIGINAL ALBUM

1. Let's Get It On [Side 1]

2. Please Stay (Once You Go Away)

3. If I Should Die Tonight

4. Keep Gettin' It On

5. Come Get To This [Side 2]

6. Distant Lover

7. You Sure Love To Ball

8. Just To Keep You Satisfied

Tracks 1 to 8 are his thirteenth studio album "Let's Get It On" - released August 1973 in the USA on Tamla Records T 329V1 and November 1973 in the UK on Tamla Motown Records STMA 8013. Produced by MARVIN GAYE, ED TOWNSEND - it peaked at No. 1 on the US R&B LP charts and No. 39 on the UK Rock LP charts.

 

SESSIONS (All Tracks Previously Unreleased Except 14)

9. Song No. 3 (Instrumental, 5:30 minutes)

10. My Love Is Growing (Working Titled 'Super Polished', 4:20 minutes)

11. Cakes (Instrumental, 3:15 minutes)

12. Symphony (Undubbed Version, 2:50 minutes)

13. I'd Give My Life For You (Demo, 3:33 minutes)

14. I Love You Secretly by THE MIRACLES (Marvin Gaye co-written song, officially issued on The Miracles US LP "Renaissance" in April 1973 on Tamla T325L)

15. You're The Man (Alternate Version 1, 7:25 minutes)

16. You're The Man (Version 2, 4:45 minutes)

17. Symphony (Demo, 2:50 minutes) 

 

CD2 (77:01 minutes):

DEMOS, ALTERNATIVES MIXES & MORE

(All Tracks Previously Unreleased Except 20)

1. Let's Get It On (Demo, 5:14 minutes)

2. Let's Get It On (Part II) aka Keep Gettin' It On (Complete, 3:15 minutes)

3. Please Stay (Once You Go Away) (Alternate Mix with Horns, 3:50 minutes)

4. If I Should Die Tonight (Demo, 4:15 minutes)

5. Come Get To This (Alternate Mix, 2:48 minutes)

6. Distant Lover (Alternative Mix, 4:20 minutes)

7. You Sure Love To Ball (Alternate Mix with Alternate Vocals, 4:40 minutes)

8. Just To Keep You Satisfied (A Capella with Alternative Vocal, 4:40 minutes)

9. Just To Keep You Satisfied by THE ORIGINALS (1970, Original Single Mix Scheduled for Soul 35079, B-side of "God Bless Whoever Sent You" but Cancelled, 4:00 minutes)

10. Just To Keep You Satisfied by THE MONITORS (1968 recording, Richard Street Lead Vocals, 2:36 minutes)

 

WORKING THE GROOVE

11. Where Are We Going? (Alternate Mix, Produced by and Featuring Freddie Perrin and Fonce Mizell, 4:00 minutes)

12. The World Is Rated X (Alternate Mix, From Version That Appeared on the 1995 2CD "Anthology" compilation, 3:50 minutes)

13. I'm Gonna Give You Respect (2:55 minutes)

14. Try It, You'll Like It (3:55 minutes)

15. You Are That Special One (3:35 minutes)

16. We Can Make It Baby (3:20 minutes)

(Tracks 13 to 16 Produced by and Featuring songs from Willie Hutch recorded throughout 1972)

17. Running From Love (Instrumental, Version 1, 3:45 minutes)

18. Mandota (Instrumental, 3:00 minutes)

19. Running From Love (Instrumental, Version 2, 3:45 minutes)

20. Come Get To This (Live From Oakland, 2:57 minutes, First Issued in 1990)

 

The 28-page booklet inside the foldout card digipak (and outer plastic printed slipcase) is a tastefully laid-out piece of work. Someone did some serious work on this because it is crammed with Discography Details from the Motown Archive and Biographer DAVID RITZ and Music Author BEN EDMONDS pour of the Biographical stuff that puts it all into context (the groove and grind always aligned with conflict and contradictions). HARRY WEINGER also gives us insights in paragraphs he entitles "Finding The Groove – Adventures In The Vault" – Tape Preparation and Location. Impressive stuff.

 

The array of cool woollen beany hats Gaye wore at the time make for the most beautiful photos, but all of that is as nothing when you start to wade through the dirge of music (on top of the album) you are given. KEVIN REEVES has done literally hundreds of CD Reissues for Universal and his is a name I would actively seek out. Well his magic touch is very much in evidence here – all of it feeling muscular and sensual in a way that was lacking before. Not even the Demos or Alternates feel clunky – in fact – some are better recorded than some actual released material.

 

The album produced three 45s with wildly varying chart success. The title track previewed the LP by two months when "Let's Get It On" hit the shops in June 1973, but it was a smash and promptly topped both the R&B and Pop charts in the USA. That was followed by "Come Get To This" in October 1973 (No. 3 R&B and No. 21 Pop) - whilst the final overtly hip-swaying 45 tapered out even more - "You Sure Love To Ball" in early January 1974 managing only No. 13 R&B and No. 50 Pop. Sounding like a manifesto for the bedroom, I can only imagine how many homes had this on the turntable in 1973 and now count grandchildren all owed the Oven Man. But there is even better in the Bonus material...

 

Universal put out an Original Mix of "Where Are We Going?" on their 'Very Best Of' Marvin Gaye set in July 2001 – what we get here is an Alternate Mix that emphasizes the sexy piano and wah-wah guitar backbeat – a gem. That's followed by what has to be one of the best Marvin Funk discoveries of all - "The World Is Rated X" – laid down in 1972 with Marvin even putting in Saxophone. His vocal on this is passion personified – every line sung with a genuine conviction - that socially aware inner radar on his on fire. That is then whomped by the lovely Willie Hutch session of four songs – the nugget being the brass-bopper "I'm Going Give You Respect" – the kind of winner that makes you want to lay talcum powder on the kitchen lino and just sway and shuffle with your Northern Soul crew. Regardless of what else is on CD2 – if I only programmed Tracks 11, 12 and 13 together – I’d be in Marvin Nirvana. But then you are hit with three more...

 

Things get Fuzz-Guitar Funky with two Versions of "Running From Love" laid down in September 1971. The first sounds like a backdrop to The Temptations or even The Undisputed Truth before they go off to that war over there. Both are instrumentals co-written with Hamilton Bohannon and Michael Henderson – fantastic echoed guitar licks from Melvin "Wah Wah" Ragin, Ray Parker, Jr. and Leroy Emmanuel, while Marvin provided Keyboards, Bongos and Percussion. A couple of months later (December 1971), Marvin and Hamilton Bohannon put down the seriously Funky Guitar and Keyboards instrumental "Mandota" – all Blaxsploitation atmospherics that feels like a precursor to the "Trouble Man" soundtrack in 1973. The Second Version (Take 6) of "Running From Love" slows everything down to a sexy groove that again wouldn’t have gone amiss on Shaft or Trouble Man – all strings and grinding groovy Funk. It ends with a sensual audience-clapping Live Version of "Come Get To This" recorded 1974 and first issued on the 1990 Box Set "The Marvin Gaye Collection" – tasty and still Marvin cool.

 

Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On" is one of those 2CD Deluxe Editions that provides a genuine embarrassment of riches - a real upgrade on what went before (Bob Marley's "Legend", Marvin Gaye's own "Trouble Man" Soundtrack 2CD Deluxe Edition, Whiskeytown's "Strangers Almanac" with Ryan Adams and The Who's "Who's Next" are among many others that warrant a DE merit badge too).

 

In the end, I'm probably like every other fan, I only have to hear his voice soar and parry with the melodies and I'm a goner. And that always makes me wish he wasn't.  

Come Get To This indeed because I guarantee, if you have any affection for the 1973 original, then this brilliant 2001 upgrade is a big You'll Like It!...

"What's Going On" by MARVIN GAYE – May 1971 US LP on Tamla - October 1971 UK on Tamla Motown featuring Ed Townsend (March 2001 and January 2011 UK Universal/Motown 2CD Deluxe Edition Reissue and Remaster – Kevin Reeves and Suha Gur Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"…A Place Where Love Is King…"

Infused with a legend that only grows deeper as the decades pass - Marvin Gaye's 1971 album "What's Going On" is surely the cornerstone of every Soul lover's collection - a vinyl LP so engrained in our hearts that its probably impossible to review it with any real distance. 

And why the Hell would you want to. Some things are just beautiful - plain and simple. And this fabulous 2CD Deluxe Edition celebration of that Tamla Motown crown jewel only hammers its legend home with presentational and sonic knobs on. What an album and what an artist. Here's What's Happening Brother...

The 2CD set "What's Going On: Deluxe Edition" by MARVIN GAYE was originally UK released March 2001 (February 2001 in the USA) on Motown 013 404-2 (Barcode 044001340420). 

It's been subsequently reissued January 2011 on Universal/Motown 0600753279557 (Barcode 600753279557) and both DE versions break down as follows:

Disc 1 (75:37 minutes):

ORIGINAL LP RELEASE (21 May 1971)

1. What's Going On

2. What's Happening Brother

3. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)

4. Save The Children

5. God Is Love

6. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

7. Right On [Side 2]

8. Wholy Holy

9. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)

Tracks 1 to 9 is the original album "What's Going On" - released May 1971 in the USA on Tamla TS 301 and October 1971 in the UK on Tamla Motown STML 11190

ALTERNATE DETROIT MIX (5 April 1971) - Previously Unreleased

10. What's Going On

11. What's Happening Brother

12. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)

13. Save The Children

14. God Is Love

15. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

16. Right On

17. Wholy Holy

18. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)

THE FOUNDATION - Previously Unreleased

19. What's Going On (Rhythm & Strings Mix)

Disc 2 (77:28 minutes):

LIVE AT THE KENNEDY CENTER, WASHINGTON DC (Recorded 1 May 1972):

1. Sixties Medley: That's The Way Love is/You/I Heard It Through The Grapevine/Little darling (I Need You)/You're All I Need To Get By/Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing/Your Precious Love/Pride And Joy/Stubborn Kind Of Love

2. Right On

3. Wholy Holy

4. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)

5. What's Going On

6. What's Happening Brother

7. Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)

8. Save The Children

9. God Is Love

10. Stage Dialogue

Reprise:

11. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler)

12. What's Going On

Tracks 1 to 12 are Previously Unreleased Live Versions

ORIGINAL SINGLE VERSIONS:

13. What's Going On

14. God Is Love

15. Sad Tomorrows

IN THE MEANTIME...

16. "Head Title" (aka Distant Lover) - Previously Unreleased

The 2011 reissue comes in a 2CD jewel case when the original 2001 issue was one of those chunky Deluxe Edition Card Digipaks in a plastic titled outer slipcase. The 32-page booklet reproduces the 'Family Photo Album' insert that came with original copies of the LP, there an intro from Smokey Robinson, an essay on the album called "A Revolution In Sound & Spirit: The Making Of What's Going On" by BEN EDMONDS of the Mojo Magazine, lyrics, notes on the Detroit Mix, Single Versions and after by HARRY WEINGER and comprehensive reissue credits. In between the text are outtake photos of Marvin playing football and training in the snow, taking a phone call and even getting a haircut (it's comprehensive!).

KEVIN REEVES (Disc 1) and SUHA GUR (Disc 2) - both long-time Universal Engineers - carried out the 24-bit remasters from originals tapes - and the sound is gorgeous - as warm and as lovely as you would have hoped for. The album broke the production line process at Motown and is heavily layered, deeply religious and spiritual in its feel and message - that all surfaces as the instruments, strings and voices surface in your speakers. The live set is not a great recording by any means but it is full of atmosphere and Marvin's band digging the new material. It feels like you're eavesdropping on musical history...

Chills race up my arms every time I hear the song "What's Going On" - possibly the most sublime opening tune on any album anywhere. It morphs into the double-whammy of "What's Happening Brother" and "Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)" - linked by rhythm and social messages. Marvin goes into full on preacher mode with "Save The Children" and ends Side 1 with another own-two sucker punch - the beautifully uplifting "God Is Love" and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" (those strings and that sax solo). But the best is yet to come - Side 2. Marvin's worries for America and the World and his positive solutions for the same are name-checked in the sublime groove of "Right On" - a seven and half minute slice of magic that never fails to move me - forty-three years after the event.

The extras are a mixed bag as always. The liner notes explain that some oxidization on the tapes have produced drop outs and heavy amounts of hiss on the "Detroit Mix" of the album and indeed it's particularly evident on Side 2 - "Right On", "Wholy Holy" and "Inner City Blues..." But if I'm honest I can see why Marvin discarded this mix - there's just something missing. It could be that I'm so used to hearing the original that it makes an alternate hard to swallow. There's interesting vocal passages in "Inner City Blues" and a more prevalent rhythm section - but again it feels about as subtle as mallet.

Far more exciting is the live set. Recorded a year after the album's release - even his opening 13-minute "Sixties Medley" is done in a languid "What's Going On" groove - slow and mournful - with the band playing a blinder while he gets seriously Soulful on the piano (impressive playing). There then follows the whole of Side 2 - that finally sees the gig lift off into Donny Hathaway territory - the vibe and the crowd behind him and the funky groove. He even starts "Inner City Blues..." over again much to the crowd's clapping delight. Disc 2 ends with four winners - three single mixes and a Demo taste of the future. The B-side "Sad Tomorrows" is a version of "Flyin' High (In The Friendly Sky)" while I've always loved the Single Mix of "God Is Love".

So there you have it - a masterpiece given a worthy reissue. Even the front cover photo gives me the wobblies - what an album.

"...Some of us feel the icy wind of poverty blowing in the air...heed the people's cries..." - Marvin sang on "Right On". Our Soul Hero may be gone but the truth soldiers on...

"Gold" by MARVIN GAYE – Tracks from 1962 on Tamla and Motown through to 1982 on Columbia Records Including Two Previously Unreleased Tracks from 1968 and 1972 – Guests Include The Vandellas, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell and songwriters Holland-Dozier-Holland with Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong (September 2005 UK Universal/Motown 2CD Anthology of Kevin Reeves Remasters) - A Review by Mark Barry...

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"...Come Get To This..."

When it comes to huge artists across many different genres and you just want a 'Best Of' or 'Anthology' that delivers but won't cost you a second mortgage - where do you look? I’d advise that right here is a truly fab place to start. 

The 2CD "Gold" sets from Universal is one of those boring generic series of reissues where they 'make it easy for the public to understand'– a catchall type compilation for the supermarket shelf or Megastore (if there any of those even left). I think Universal have as many as 40 maybe even 50 different artists given the twofer "Gold" treatment (see my reviews for Steppenwolf, The Crusaders, Traffic and The Commodores/Lionel Richie). 

But here's the rub (and the distant lover); despite the rather naff artwork and a title that shows all the creative imagination of a concrete brick - I've found without exception that the "Gold" series does the absolute business on the audio front. You get great remastering names like ERICK LABSON (huge swathes of Chess), ELLEN FITTON (all 14 of the award-winning Motown Singles Book Sets), SETH FOSTER (James Brown) and SUHA GUR (Allman Brothers, Joe Cocker, Elvis Costello, Kansas, Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart and more). 

In the case of our Soul hero Marvin Gaye, Motown tapped a name used by many Audiophile companies and an Audio Engineer who has handled literally hundreds of CD Reissues and Remasters to mucho praise - KEVIN REEVES. This 2CD set sounds glorious. And it’s cheaper than a party political promise come election time. In fact if you look in the right places, you can probably nab this sexy little double digital Anthology for under a fiver. 

"...Mercy Me" is right. So, if you'll forgive the obvious pun, let's get it on and do the details...

UK released 5 September 2005 - "Gold" by MARVIN GAYE on Universal/Motown 0602498632253 (Barcode 602498632253) is a 34-Track 2CD Definitive Collection of Remasters covering 1962 to 1982 that plays out as follows:

CD1 (54:05 minutes):

1. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow [The Vandellas on Backing Vocals]

2. Hitch Hike [The Vandellas on Backing Vocals]

3. Pride And Joy 

4. Can I Get A Witness 

5. You're A Wonderful One 

6. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) 

7. I'll Be Doggone 

8. Ain't That Peculiar 

9. It Takes Two [with KIM WESTON]

10. Ain't No Mountain High Enough [with TAMMI TERRELL]

11. Your Precious Love [with TAMMI TERRELL]

12. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You [with TAMMI TERRELL]

13. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing [with TAMMI TERRELL]

14. You're All I Need To Get By [with TAMMI TERRELL]

15. You 

16. I Heard It Through The Grapevine 

17. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby 

18. That's The Way Love Is 

19. His Eye Is On The Sparrow [PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 1968 Stereo Mix]

CD2 (76:09 minutes):

1. What's Going On 

2. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)

3. Inner City Blues (Makes Me Wanna Holler) 

4. You're The Man - Pts. I & II (5:45 minutes)

5. Where Are We Going? [PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED 1972 recording]

6. Trouble Man 

7. Let's Get It On

8. Come Get To This 

9. Distant Lover (Live) 

10. I Want You 

11. Got To Give It Up (Live, 11:48 minutes)

12. Anger 

13. Ego Tripping Out 

14. Praise 

15. Sexual Healing 

The 16-page booklet features liner notes from Marvin's official biographer DAVID RITZ who gives a potted history of his recording career and well-publicised mental and financial troubles towards to end - right up to he triumphant "Sexual Healing" return in 1982 that put him right back up on top everywhere in the world. There are cool colour photos and the track-by-track annotation offers the LP title, writer credits and US R&B and Pop chart positions if applicable. They use the same smiling photo of MG on the rear inlay beneath the see-through tray. KEVIN REEVES handles the MONO and STEREO Remasters and they are fabulous. 

While the early stuff like "Hitch Hike" and "Pride And Joy" is very much for aficionados of early 60ts Soul – tunes like "Can I Get A Witness" and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" carry with them a joy that made Motown so huge (Holland-Dozier-Holland songwriting contributing). Can we even count the number of movies that have used Marvin and Tammi tearing it up on "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and you have forgotten how touching and life-affirming they were on the upbeat "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You". There was also something so expressive in his voice when he hit those "I" high notes in "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" – Smokey Robinson commenting in the liner notes that he could up any song you threw at him into something better. 

And what can we say about "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" – a Number 1 R&B hit for Gladys Knight & The Pips a whole year earlier in 1968. It was thrown onto the "In The Groove" LP in August 1968 as filler on Side 1, and in fact if you look at the cover art for original issues of Tamla TS 285 in Stereo, you will see that the song isn’t even mentioned in the highlights track list on the front cover. Clearly not much was expected of it. But a Chicago DJ spotted "...Grapevine" and it's rhythmic brilliance and after saturation play and huge reaction from his listening public, Berry Gordy was forced to rush release the single in November 1968 Stateside. And wham – a US R&B No.1 and Pop too. In fact when it was belatedly issued February 1969 in the UK on Tamla Motown – the 45-single did the same – up to No.1 – only Motown’s second number 1 in the UK for the whole of that decade. In the USA they re-named the "In The Groove" LP after the tune now forever associated with our hero. Even now "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" sends chills down my spine. A masterpiece...

I half suspected that the Traditional Gospel tune "His Eye Is On The Sparrow" which had been an American-only Mono single in September 1968 would be a bit of a barnstormer in STEREO – and it is. He goes at the Jesus watches over me epic with gusto even if the brass and backing singers threaten to drown the song with too much reverence. But it’s a find and a clever set up to the God-love that opens CD2.

Everything is everything – gotta find a way to bring some love here today. It is impossible for me not to hear "What’s Going On" and not go to tearful mush. This stunning album has been in my life 50 years and never diminishes. So CD2 hammers you with a trio of Gaye gorgeousness that just can’t be beat – "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" and "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)” following the title track. Cool too to hear "Ego Tripping out" and "Praise" from those last albums he did for Motown. The 2CD Deluxe Edition of "Let's Get It On" featured an Alternate Mix of the unreleased "Where Are We Going" (a 1972 outtake) – the song being a sort of almost-Pop version of "What's Going On" meets "Let's Get In On". It’s beautifully recorded and genuinely feels like a discovery. And on it goes to the 'good for me' comeback song "Sexual Healing" - a suitable end to this Anthology.   

Disappointments and exclusions: looking at that 54:05 minute playing time for CD1 and it's clear that at least seven or even eight more songs could have been fitting onto the '60s' disc. Gems like the stand-alone "Baby Don't You Do It" single from September 1964 - a huge kick-ass R&B fave of The Who, Small Faces, The Band and so many other Rock acts. It would have elevated proceedings hugely. Or even more of the sublime Marvin Gaye/Tammi Terrell duets like "Two Can Have A Party". 

True MG fans kind of lose it for his brilliant and largely instrumental "Trouble Man" soundtrack album too, so the sexy-funky "'T' Plays It Cool" would have added another bow to CD2, displaying his real talent and diversity. And do I want nearly 12-minutes of the live "Got To Give It Up" when I could have had "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" from the underrated divorce-present double-album "Here, My Dear"? But besides these wee niggles; what you do get is wall-to-wall excellence (and in Stereo) rounded off with two unreleased and a booklet presentation that doesn't disgrace itself.

In an ideal world, I’d revamp CD1 and push the page number up in the booklet. But as it stands "Gold" is a very satisfying listen with that great Remastering and a solid block reminder of a talent so huge that we miss him still – nearly thirty-seven years since his passing. Hot like an oven...