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From the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

1978

Here, My Dear
Album Summary

Here, My Dear is the fifteenth studio album by music artist Marvin Gaye, released as a double album on December 15, 1978, on Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place between 1977 and 1978 at Gaye's personal studios, Marvin Gaye Studios, in Los Angeles, California. The album was notable for its subject matter focusing largely on Gaye's acrimonious divorce from his first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye. A commercial and critical failure upon its release, it was later hailed by music critics, in the years following Gaye's death, as one of Gaye's best albums. "It's taken me a while," Anna admitted in later years, "but I've come to appreciate every form of Marvin's music."

Wikipedia

Rating

3.24

Votes

10728
Genres
Soul
Funk

Reviews

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Thu Mar 25 2021
2

This album is fucking boring. I don't care what it's about. He can whine about his divorce all he wants, it's not a good album. Pretty telling that no one cared about it until he died. More proof that posthumous acclaim is pretty much always unwarranted. And it goes FOREVER, fucking hell. 2/5.

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Mon Mar 15 2021
5

This is my first time listening to this album.The late 70's is such an interesting time for music. The big legacy acts were putting out their most unusual and experimental albums. Either due to their ability to flex creativity control, their bordom with their old style or in this case, Marvin needed to finalize his divorce and he was gonna make just the album he felt like. Fuck you bitch is a simple concept but effective at bringing something out of Marvin. Marvin's funk is a light funk and I dig it. It feels slow and gentile comparied to the heavy funk or Parliament or James Brown. Like every good concept album, this album is meant to be enjoyed as a whole. It would be perfect to own on vinyl and enjoy on a lazy afternoon. The first two tracks start things off slowly. Lacking much of a hook or a resolution to the melody, its sounds like they are asking you to chill. But from there it builds, getting funking and faster but still remaining gentile with Marvin's sweet voice leading the way. I'd let Marvin slow funk me again anytime. Especially if its leads to "Time to get together" and "A Funky Space Reincarnation".

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Wed Feb 09 2022
5

Bro was IN HIS FEELINGS about that divorce, huh?

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Wed Nov 04 2020
4

So... I've never been into the smooth smooth stylin's of Mr. Gaye. But this album is really interesting. It's got the smooth sound you'd expect but, if you take a moment to listen to the lyrics, they're REALLY raw. Apparently, half of the earnings of this album were forfeited to his ex-wife even before he wrote it... so he wrote it about her. And damn. He put it all out there. Lyrics like, "You don't have the right to use the son of mine/To keep me in line/One thing I can't do without/Is the boy whom God gave to both of us" are balanced in the same song with "May love ever protect you/May peace come into your life." It's a really fascinating record, honestly. Not something I foresee myself listening to again but an album that I ended up enjoying while I listened to it.

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Fri Mar 04 2022
2

"Let's turn the saxophone up to 10 and put an echo effect on all the vocals!" I know Marvin Gaye is a legend but this was not a good album.

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Wed Mar 09 2022
5

It’s like eating chocolate in a Cialis commercial.

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Tue Jan 25 2022
2

If you are a millennial like me, you either 1.) know that Marvin Gaye's music is synonymous with sexy times, or 2.) know someone who was conceived to said music. This album, 'Here, My Dear', does little to break the stereotype. From start to finish, the album features gentle soul/funk to make love to. Not fuck. Not chains-and-whips and edible undies type sex. No. We're talking sweet, sweet slow missionary style boom chikka wow wows. The instrumentations, from the gentle snare-and-high-hat drums to the gentle percussive guitars, lays the groundwork for Mr Gaye's reproduction-encouraging vocal stylings. Punctuated by the occasional sax lines, the music tends to be a bit one-note (says the guy who would listen to a Ramones album end to end). Overall, this album was not one I enjoyed. Not to say that it is bad. Maybe one day, I will meet a nice lady at my retirement home on Mars, and we will make out to the timeless sexy sounds of Marvin Gaye. But for now, I will just leave the record here, my dear.

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Tue Oct 04 2022
2

A guy complaining about his divorce over boring funk beats. Should be called “I got a divorce (sax outro)” Seriously you just got a divorce bro. She doesn’t need a song named after her. Maybe focus on paying that alimony broke boy

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Mon Aug 15 2022
2

I have no objection to personal songs or emotional connections, but this is self-indulgent, overblown and interminable. ‘When did I stop loving you?’ Round about song three. Two many low points, and not much to praise except the Motown production. And Marvin Gaye does have a good voice. Really not one of his best.

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Sat Apr 02 2022
5

Another incredible album by Marvin Gaye. This album takes us through his divorce and the wide ranging emotions that come with that. He oscillates from expressing anger, reconciliation, sadness, defensiveness and finally acceptance. His vocals are tortured and magnificent. I loved the use of thematic grounding around the phrase ‘When did you stop loving me, when did I stop loving you.’ It’s gives the album a sense of unity to persist through the roller coaster of sheer emotion

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Fri Oct 16 2020
4

Still fire. Sparrow is *chefs kiss*

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Wed Jan 20 2021
4

For an album to be created for the purpose it was to be as good as this one, is amazing.

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Tue Dec 21 2021
3

Nice vibes, rlly chill. Not my style, but I could vibe to this anyday for sure.

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Tue Jun 21 2022
2

Je ne comprends pas. Il faut entendre cet album parce qu'il s'agit de la plus mauvaise décision de faire un album double sur son divorce et ça en fait ainsi le plus grand échec commercial? Ça a été une écoute très difficile et pénible. En terme de face d'album, le 2e disque et plus particulièrement la face B est la meilleure. J'aime bien ce que Marvin Gaye fait, mais cet album n'était pas nécessaire.

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Tue Aug 16 2022
2

I admit I went into this album with a bad attitude. There are so many great artists and albums not represented on this list of 1001 albums, why waste a slot on this, which was created out to essentially spite his ex-wife? And after the first two songs I was still pretty bitter about it. And don't get me wrong, I love Marvin Gaye. He might be my favorite singer. But I was not feeling it on those first two songs. Even his singing felt off. But I don't know, by the time the third song came on, the music got interesting and I opened my mind up. Some of these tracks are just plain weird and maybe even bad. But some of them are actually kind of cool. And the musicianship is excellent throughout, as you'd expect from Motown. I don't know how quickly I'll be putting this back on, but it was better than I initially gave it credit for. And maybe if I listen to it more I'll give it a better ranking, but this morning I'm feeling a 2

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Fri Aug 19 2022
2

Hey Marvin! Marvin! Why don't you just leave me alone? I'm just trying to make my life better by earning an honest day's wage, but here you are again, trying to talk me in to doing drugs and partake in sordid sex rituals. Just let me be. I hope you die, you creep. Leave my sister alone too. She's already had 4 abortions this year, she doesn't need another.

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Sat Sep 03 2022
2

I'm a huge fan of minding your own business. So I don't really meddle in my neighbors' personal lives, nor do I take interest in celebrities' shenanigans, nor take pleasure in afternoon TV shows involving real life love affairs or late night TV shows involving fictional love affairs. So, the vouyeristic nature of Gaye's "Here My Dear" didn't hit me. In other words, I don't care about his divorce. I guess I appreciate the fragility and the sincerity of it. But that doesn't mean that I enjoyed thus one hour messy soul jams. There's a reason why it was panned when it's released, and it's simply because it sucks.

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Sun Sep 04 2022
2

Pretty underwhelming and not some of his best work. I'll stick with the classic albums and songs of his.

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Sun Jan 31 2021
5

Absolutely wonderful. Jazzy, melodic, soulful. Funny enough I heard a song that sounded like a Justin Timberlake song in there so it must have been influential. I’m giving it a 5/5 because it was so pleasant to listen to and I had barely any anxiety listening to it.

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Wed May 12 2021
5

Very long and a tough listen because of its subject matter, but I love the sound and the emotion. 9

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Thu Jan 21 2021
5

De éste disco no conocía ninguna canción.

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Tue Nov 30 2021
5

du er en kæmpe champ marvin

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Sat Jan 01 2022
5

Wow, this was raw. Powerful stuff. Best track: A Funky Space Reincarnation

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Sat Jan 08 2022
5

Amazing album from an icon of R&B

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Sat Jan 08 2022
5

Classic Marvin Gaye album - it is the Marvin Gaye album I probably listen to the most - it is perfect - not much more to say.

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Fri Apr 01 2022
5

loved it, his voice is superb!

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Sat Apr 30 2022
5

Wonderful flow to this album going through the elation of a new relationship, falling in love and heartbreak. Then getting back on the horse. Great stuff.

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Mon Jun 13 2022
5

Wonderful Sunday morning record

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Sat Jul 09 2022
5

MARVIN GAYE. One of the best to ever do it and my personal favorite artist of all time. This album, just like all his other work, is amazing. 5/5 there’s not a Marvin Gaye album that’s not a 5 star.

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Tue Jul 26 2022
5

Je comprend que l'album n'est pas été un succès instantanné mais une revelation après plusieurs années. Ce n'est pas classique de Marvin Gaye comme je le connais, mais certaine de ces chansons sont empreint d'une grande emotivité et la production est A1. Marvin Gaye est un artiste que j'aime beaucoup et je crois que cet album est un must a écouté pour bien connaitre l'artiste. 5

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Fri Aug 05 2022
5

No one else has ever made anger sound so beautiful.

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Thu Aug 25 2022
5

Wonderful. Can't remember any of the songs/tunes, but it's just a beautiful noise, from start to finish. In that respect he's a bit like Van Morrison - it doesn't matter what he plays/sings, it's all just great.

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Fri Oct 28 2022
5

Romandische jazzige RnB Oldies

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Tue Nov 22 2022
5

Marvin Gaye, Marvin Guy, move on up baby let it be.

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Thu Dec 22 2022
5

Great album. About his divorce.

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Tue Dec 27 2022
5

so nice, love it love absolutly

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Wed Jan 04 2023
5

What a voice and what a set of songs. The ultimate quiet storm for a divorce record. Brutal and beautiful in equal measure. One's fully down with belated reckoning of this one as MG's masterpiece.

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Thu Jan 12 2023
5

Crazy... I had just put this album on the turntable earlier this evening! Marvin's working through some real shit here and I respect him for being so candid. Yes, this is a sprawling mess of an album, but in the best and weirdest way. Something like "A Funky Space Reincarnation" doesn't even seem to fit the concept of the album, but it's so batshit bonkers that I'm tickled he sandwiched it in there. Just shows you how off the rails he must have been at that point in his life. I think recording in your own studio tends to lend itself to this type of wild self indulgence. I'm glad Marvin had the opportunity to make such an artful and thorough public catharsis.

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Wed Feb 01 2023
5

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: I met a little girl, When did you stop loving me, Anger, Is that enough, Everybody needs love, Sparrow, Anna’s song, Falling in love again

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Tue Feb 07 2023
5

Masterpiece. I'm only halfway through right now, and picking a favorite track is going to be extremely difficult. Favorite tracks: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You; Is That Enough

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Sun Mar 12 2023
5

I have always heard the name but didn't think I had ever heard him, but I definitely have. Such an amazing voice.

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Thu Mar 30 2023
5

Really funky. A bit long, with the three versions of the same song, but I liked it. Good for having on in the background. + When Did You Stop Loving Me + Sparrow + Anna's Song

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Fri Mar 31 2023
5

Love it. Such a smooth, silky album. Sounds like background music for when you’re laying on a fur rug in front of the fireplace drinking a glass of red wine with your lover. 5 stars

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Fri May 05 2023
5

lovely, nice, cute, amazing. listened to it on repeat the whole day

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Fri May 19 2023
5

A Funky Space Reincarnation blew my tiny little mind.

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Thu Jul 27 2023
5

Best Song: Sparrow. Something about the contrast between Marvin's slow, methodical vocals being contrasted with the spastic solos in the background just really worked. Worst Song: Here, My Dear. Wasn't digging the spoken parts. Felt like a too on-the-nose intro for the album. Overall: It's actually a shame that some of Marvin Gaye's name has become synonymous with some of his more outlandish songs (e.g., "Sexual Healing"), because damn if he doesn't have a consistently great catalogue. Each track was funky, or soulful, but always buttery smooth.

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Thu Sep 28 2023
5

Marvin Gaye may be the best singer I have ever heard. Along with some great jazz instrumentals this is such a great album. Is That Enough is such a good song I was about to give this album 5 stars just off of that. The intro and outro are just so good.

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Mon Oct 16 2023
5

Okay, I'm going to say it: This album is not only one of Gaye's best works but maybe even better than the well known What's Going On. The music is more interesting (the drums) and Gaye works with many harmonies. Maybe it doesn't win out thematically but it is the better bedroom music.

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Mon Dec 18 2023
5

Soft and smooth, knows where to hit

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Wed Jan 10 2024
5

De este disco no conocía ninguna canción.

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Sun Feb 11 2024
5

To me, this is hilarious. It’s genuinely very good. Music is beautifully composed, the singing is excellent. And the lyrics really are about the end of a relationship. What tickles me is how on-theme all the songs are. The man was seriously upset by this marriage. He put it all out there. It’s a very cathartic project. If you’re going through it, this is the album for you. Considering the other concept albums on this list, this has to be among the best. Setting a song about attorney fees to a sexy slow jam, is the chef’s kiss of pettiness.

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Mon Feb 12 2024
5

Marvin Gaye was a gift from God. That voice is so smooth. Iconic. I could listen to Marvin every day-not the same album but all of his songs.

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Wed Feb 28 2024
5

De éste disco no conocía ninguna canción.

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Sun Mar 17 2024
5

10/10 listening to this album feels like a light has entered my life

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Mon Apr 19 2021
4

4/16 Smooth as can be. Standout Tracks: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, Is That Enough, Sparrow, Anna's Song, A Funky Space Reincarnation

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Sun May 23 2021
4

Currently my fav Marvin Gaye album

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Fri Jan 15 2021
4

'Everybody Needs Love' is incredible. Great album overall, would listen again

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Tue Jun 15 2021
4

Liked this one, soul music I always find so relaxing

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Mon Jan 18 2021
4

Many songs feel generic. Favorite song "Sparrow"

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Mon Feb 15 2021
4

The man can sing, that’s not news to anyone.

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Mon Feb 15 2021
4

Très bon album du son classique de Marvin Gaye, glisse très bien d'un bout à l'autre, mais un tantinet monotone.

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Tue Jun 15 2021
4

Dayum this was so good! I absolutely loved how long and repetitive some of these songs were. Had a few problems with some of his whining about women, and that's kind of all he's got. Some were more positive.. but overall. Enjoyed - put me in such a good mood

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Mon Jun 28 2021
4

I've been patiently waiting for some Marvin Gaye, particularly What's Going On. I actually just heard about this album a couple days ago, but hadn't heard it. It's really, really great. Marvin has such a soulful voice, there's a lot of life and pain in there, but it's still groovy. Interesting that he gave up promoting this album after it was deemed "too commercial." So many tracks on here that I loved immediately. Ironically, though, the one song I've heard before ("When Did You Stop Loving Me") I don't like. That song is featured on the "blonded" radio station in GTA and it's one of the few that I will tune away from. It just doesn't do anything for me, and yet I had to hear it three different ways on one album. Despite that, I loved this. I recognize the classic status. Favorite tracks: I Met a Little Girl (amazing track), Everybody Needs Love, Anger, Here My Dear. Album art: Never even seen this before, but I really dig it. Marvin immortalizing himself as a statue looks pretty funny, but it's a very cool art style. 4.5/5

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Thu Jan 14 2021
4

Easy listening and good love songs

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Mon Jun 28 2021
4

Pure pleasure to my ears. A while back I had listened to "What's Going On" since it topped Rolling Stones chart and I really enjoyed it but never dove into his other albums. This one was awesome. I'll be exploring this one again to find some favorites but When Did you Stop Loving Me is an early stand out, as is a lot of the album. Very glad this came on a Friday especially with the week we've had with bad albums. Incredible album cover too. Is Rome/Greece burning down because of his love? Who knows but I'm here for it.

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Fri Feb 12 2021
4

Long in a positive and negative way, Gaye is always listenable and compelling but this doesn’t have the ease that I relate with him

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Wed May 12 2021
4

i liked the sound of this a lot and the lyrics were rough but also really raw and emotional. this is another tusk situation where if they had pared it down to a really good single album, i might give it a 10, but as it is there are a lot of tracks that felt like filler. 8

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Sun May 16 2021
4

Smooth Marv, Smooth. Love those bass lines. Album was unndecessarily long though, could have done with an edit ** A funky space incarnation **

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