Reviews (page 2 of 8)
When did you stop loving me is class
the goat
Definitely an album that grows its genius over multiple listens. First go through, it feels like everything is the same. All one note and nothing much else. But each listen pulls back a layer of this incredibly funky yet heartbreaking album. The lyrics really shine and the horn playing is just perfectly placed every song. This may sometimes feel too long, but I quickly remember how good the rest of the album is, so I don't mind the light slog
This album is both a really bizarre look into Marvin Gaye's personal life, and full of really solid tracks. "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" is simultaneously a scathing rip on his ex and a damn fine bop.
Yes
Absolutely superb. Voice of an angel. Love love love ❤️
Album is a vibe. Kept expecting a Kanye West beat to drop though
Sex in space!
My third Marvin Gaye from the list, and only a couple of days after "Let's Get It On". I've apparently listened to this before, but must have put it on as background music as I didn't have any particular memories of it. I was pretty captivated first play through - none of the preachy stuff that put me off "What's Going On" and not as relentlessly horny as "Let's Get In On" - a mood that intrigued me but was hard to pin down, melancholy, wistful, with, yes, a splash of horniness. Then I read the backstory and it clicked into place! Kinda mad that he coulda phoned in a bunch of standards and covers, or otherwise skimped on the effort, and instead fully artistically engaged with the idea of a divorce album. I'm glad critical appraisal caught up! Fave tracks - the reoccurring "When Did You Stop Loving Me" really ties the album together. "Is That Enough" is probably my pick for stand out track. "A Funky Space Reincarnation" is fun, too!
PURE LOVE
I like this even better than What’s Going On?
Wonderful!
Later album from Marvin. You can really hear him flexing a well used muscle. Well polished songs. Beautiful Melodys, soulful singing with thoughtful lyrics.
ladies & gentlemen dimmet euchi liechter, zündet es paar cherze ah und schmeissed euch ih euches feinste sunntigsgwand… mir hend es meisterwerk zur hand han mi sehr fest müesse zämmerisse dasi nöd churzerhand en sponti sex-playlist im büro erstellt han nöd mal zwingend mis favourite marvin gaye project aber de king of r&b bechunt halt kategorisch direkt 5 saftigi stern id fratze
loved it!
Like butter.
chill
Prachtig album, twijfel heel erg tussen 4 en 5 sterren. Geweldige muziek, mooi concept, maar wel veel van hetzelfde.
"Here, My Dear" is the fifteenth studio album by Marvin Gaye, originally released in 1978. **Warning:** This album will make you think about your ex. It's no mystery to find out why this record was met with criticism upon its release. His previous studio album, 1976's "I Want You" was filled with love and lust-filled tracks that Marvin Gaye had become known for by the mid-1970s. This album is a stark contrast. The lyrical content on here largely revolves around Gaye's divorce with his then-wife, Anna. When I say these lyrics are personal, I mean they're PERSONAL. He calls out Anna by name multiple times throughout these tracks, and even has a whole song dedicated to her! That would immediately be off-putting to even hardcore fans of Gaye's music at the time. It's kinda like when you're hanging out with your friend and he gets drunk then starts venting to you and it's kinda awkward cause you don't know how to react at first. Gaye's raw emotion on this record, and sometimes his bitterness, is out of character for him. But that's why I think this record is so great. It's a complete outlier in his discography. Even the production gets a bit interesting on here. They're starting to experiment a bit more with electronics and synths. I can tell that this record was definitely influential to modern artists, especially Tyler, The Creator (especially his 2019 album "Igor"). Definitely a fun and at times emotional record to listen to.
Very cool!
Some of the most raw emotion you'll hear on an album. That paired with the funk and jazz elements throughout make this one pretty addicting for me. Favorite track: A Funky Space Reincarnation
Marvin Gaye could sing an infectious disease textbook and still make women swoon. Even with the pin and, at some points, bitterness on this album, he’s still incredibly soulful. It was admittedly a little difficult to listen to sometimes having gone through a divorce myself, but that’s a testimony to how honest this album is.
10/10 listening to this album feels like a light has entered my life
Yesssss
De éste disco no conocía ninguna canción.
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.
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.
De este disco no conocía ninguna canción.
Soft and smooth, knows where to hit
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.
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.
Angelic
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.
A Funky Space Reincarnation blew my tiny little mind.
lovely, nice, cute, amazing. listened to it on repeat the whole day
Great stuff from Marvin
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
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
I have always heard the name but didn't think I had ever heard him, but I definitely have. Such an amazing voice.
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
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
Beautiful
perfect.
Loved it
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.
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.
so nice, love it love absolutly
Great album. About his divorce.
Marvin Gaye, Marvin Guy, move on up baby let it be.
cool
Romandische jazzige RnB Oldies
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.
No one else has ever made anger sound so beautiful.
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
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.
Wonderful Sunday morning record
amazing
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.
Pretty damn fantastic. Basically a concept album. Really interesting vibe
Nice Marvin!
Really enjoyed it.
loved it, his voice is superb!
Classic Marvin Gaye album - it is the Marvin Gaye album I probably listen to the most - it is perfect - not much more to say.
Amazing album from an icon of R&B
Brilliant.
Wow, this was raw. Powerful stuff. Best track: A Funky Space Reincarnation
Classic smooth sound
du er en kæmpe champ marvin
good tunes
Classic
Smooth as gravy, awesome
SMOOOTTTTHHHH
My favorite smooth talker
Good
sexy
Loved it
De éste disco no conocía ninguna canción.
Very long and a tough listen because of its subject matter, but I love the sound and the emotion. 9
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.
Wow. Just wow.
Lovely
i liked it but i can't listen to it without remembering what marvin gaye was doing, that man was disgusting
I’m not sure a concept album about divorce should be this . . . smooth? It’s hard to complain, though: smooth *is* smooth.
uff, really good! I've never heard a full album of Marvin but has always liked his music, this didn't disappoint. 4.5
Deeply soulful and melancholic
This album is pure love from start to finish. While listening I felt completely immersed in a wave of raw emotions and deep passion. It’s one of those records that feels like Marvin is laying his soul completely bare. The songs merge together beautifully, creating this smooth, continuous flow. The instrumentals are rich and tasteful, and Marvin’s vocals are godlike — tender, powerful, and heartbreakingly honest. The whole record is a concept piece about his painful divorce, but it becomes something much bigger and more universal. And I can’t talk about this album without mentioning “Anna’s Song” — it’s one of the absolute best moments in Marvin’s entire career. So beautiful, so vulnerable, and so emotionally heavy that it hits you right in the chest. Here, My Dear is a masterpiece. Emotional, passionate, and deeply moving. One of his very best.
This is a perfectly calibrated machine. Each moving part is seamlessly choreographed as cylinders, pistons, and valves all move in unison, completing their part. It hums. It purrs. So smoothly, it looks easy.
Fuck man, where do you even start with a record like this? 72 minutes of grief, misplaced anger, realization, wonderful saxophones, and occasional non-sequitur tunes about Pluto (by 1978, you wouldn't have told Marvin Gaye no either...) It is daunting and ugly and maybe unethical, but it is never anything less than gripping and powerful. It would be one thing if this were a heavy album with heavy instrumental, or a light album with heavy instrumental, but to keep the standard Motown sound on an album this vulnerable and ugly makes it feel unlike anything I've heard. It sounds like the curdling of pop-music romance... the songs are slower, the bass is louder, and Marvin more honest than ever. I'm not sure if I can get away with calling an album that dips so shamelessly into personal baggage (especially regarding another human being who seemingly wasn't keen on hearing about her husband's issues with her through song) a masterpiece, but goddamn is it close. Marvin Gaye was a genius, tainted by things that were often his fault but also often the result of the horrible cards he was dealt. How much of those two factors intertwining resulted in his divorce is up to anyone's guess, but I hope he's got some peace now.
Nice
Not my favourite Marvin album (What's Going On is the one) but definitely a great album
This was weird but I LOVED it. The music was incredible and the lyrics were just a guy complaining about his divorce for an hour and a half. This was either the most non-commercial mainstream R&B album, or the most commercial non-mainstream R&B album ever created. Thoroughly enjoyed.
Yay! Everybody needs love.
El álbum del divorcio de Marvin Gaye y se podría decir que ese es el concepto, porque dura poco más de una hora y cuarto y todos los temas tienen que ver sobre su separación, el dolor, el enojo y sobre todo los recuerdos de cuando su amor seguía encendido (y las cosas que hacían cuando dos personas se aman y están a solas), nos lo cuenta con su tremenda voz acompañada de unos instrumentos increíblemente tocados como la guitarra y el saxo y todos los que aparecen. Lo único que no me gustó es lo largo que se hace, y obviamente que pasa porque es largo pero también porque todos los temas suenan parecido y hablan de lo mismo, le da muchas vueltas al asunto y encima repite 3 veces la misma canción, pero fuera de eso es un sólido disco doble.
De la soul sexy! Je sais pas ça m’a plus accroché que What’s going on. Surement une hérésie d’affirmer ça.
This is good. A bit meandering and long, but good.
Un buen 4. Musica tranqui para escuchar mientras haces cosas
Not as iconic nor cohesive as What's Going On, it certainly improves towards the second half of the album, although Funky Space Reincarnation threw me for a (good) loop.
Such a voice and musician
Marvin Gaye always brings it.
Jazz
Really cool, smooth album but found it too long to love
I wish I knew less about the background of this record, and could listen with uninformed ears. Knowing that Gaye’s divorce, and financial obligations from it, played a major role in the songs colors my listening. Those details led me to actively read into the lyrics and Gaye’s delivery for signs about the marriage. Then again it does not take a literary scholar to decipher Gaye’s message on the bulk of the album. “Anna” (his ex-wife’s name), “You Can Leave, But It’s Gonna Cost You” and three versions of “When Did You Stop Loving Me, And When Did I Stop Loving You” make Gaye’s predicament abundantly clear. Longing, blame and regret abound, with a touch of vindicativeness. It plays out like an inverse of Van Morrison’s Moondance as well as echoes Bob Dylan’s examination of divorce that appeared in several songs on Blood on the Tracks and Desire. The raw circumstances brought forth Gaye’s most intense musical involvement as he sculpted the songs from a bevy of new fangled synth-like keyboards. Gaye continued the musical evolution that had begun with What’s Going On. The richness of the Motown productions gives away to quieter, bare bones music. At times, I wished Gaye had a backing band as talented as Al Green’s Hi Records musicians to compliment his tortured soul. Green and his cohorts could conjure a dark night of the soul, while still finding the sleek and sticky, The album improved as Gaye started to abandon the spoken word approach of several of the opening songs. “Anger”, “Time to Get Together”, “Anna’s Song”, the 2nd run at “When Did You Stop Loving Me, And When Did I Stop Loving You” and “A Funky Space Incarnation” saw the music and Gaye became livelier. While earlier Gaye bordered on lounge music, those tracks saw him finding the stripped groove of Sly Stone circa “There’s a Riot Goin’ On.” To make a great record, and not fully utilize his vocal skills, indicated the depth of Gaye’s talents. Only a few times did he let loose with his spine tingling “ooohs” and falsetto runs. To withhold his greatest gift and still make a great record is remarkable.
Very relaxing, works great as lounge music. Favorite track(s) When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You
Quand même quelle voix
It's a lovely sounding album, and it is quite interesting listening to Marvin Gaye move from grief-stricken to vengeful and back again throughout the album as he processes his divorce. It is certainly a rare topic to find in music, so the album gets some credit for that, as well. And there's a random sci-fi track towards the end, which amuses me greatly. Favorite track: "Anger"
Easy listening, soulful, and intimate R&B dissecting the different aspects of love and marriage.
A heartfelt album about his messy divorce. Really nice and laid back, but still heartfelt and sharp sometimes
Children of the 80s, this is what helped get you here 😂😂
Det er sgu bare rimeligt lækkert
Both new and old school stuff from Mr. Gaye, but very raw and emotional. There’s an interesting juxtaposition between the music and his storytelling, I loved it. The soul and funk are still lingering on.
real music!! he goes from i dooooo, i love youuuuu to when did you stop loving me? when did i stop loving you? when you say i do you're supposed to mean it. im so angry rn. i love when albums take you on a journey.
While its a touch too long, it is incredible What a voice. Production is superb. So good I wish I could have more time with it, but happy enough to give a 4 of the highest regard Great
Ok, I like this album. Not filled with the usual Gaye hits we’ve all heard so often. Just a nice mellow album that keeps your toes moving and lungs a hummin.
Equally heartbreaking and funky.
None of his recognisable (to me) songs on this. But he's so smooth, how can you not enjoy this?
Never go wrong with Marvin. Smooth and cool.
This album is such a beautiful representation of what the genre of soul and funk can be. It is so raw, and yet one of the smoothest albums of Gaye's career. The only issue I have with it is that the back half just does not feel as strong as the front half, but when your front half has Thats enough, When did you stop loving me when did I stop loving you, and Everybody needs love. Its is very hard to keep that consistency on a Hour plus LP. It is not my favorite by Gaye but I feel like it is one I will keep coming back to forever. Fav tracks: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, Is that enough, Everybody needs love, Sparrow, Annas song, and You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You
great album.
Add another to the Divorce Album pantheon. Terrific album, though some of the lyrics are (inevitably) mean
Just good music
As always I listen more to the melody than the lyrics. The genre is a quite smooth soul with some cool grooves. I like this type of soul that feels real and not too exaggerated. There are moments when there’s too much «saxophone-smoothness», but most of the songs are enjoyable. It’s not an album with big hits, though. I struggle to pinpoint any songs that makes the album stand out. And also it’s a little long to listen through in one sitting.
Ça donne envie de copuler longuement.
Need this on vinyl for Saturday night date nights!
I just listened to a man suffer for an hour and its was beautiful. I am sorry for Martin Gaye but it produced a very good album.
Jesus he was REALLY in his feelings, but it did end up being one of the best Marvin Gaye albums I've listened to so far. So I guess heartbreak is great for songwriting?
This is such a raw baring of his soul, and it's hard not to get caught up in his emotional turmoil and heartache. His voice is so gorgeous and these tracks so smooth. Despite its long windingness, I thought it was a pretty beautiful sonic soul journey.
Here, My Dear 3.6 I Met a Little Girl 4 When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You 3.7 Anger 3.5 Is That Enough 4 Everybody Needs Love 3.6 Time to Get It Together 3.7 Sparrow 3.4 Anna's Song 3.5 When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (instrumental) 3.5 A Funky Space Reincarnation 3.7 You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You 3.4 Falling in Love Again 3.5 When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Reprise) n/a Score: 3.621428571
What a sexy album
Here, My Dear was very interesting. Por ser tan largo tuve que darle a few re-listens a este album. Y cmon its Marvin its gonna be good. Pero no estaba encajando con el tema tan presente del divorcio en tantas de las canciones. Con los re-listens aprecie un poco mas como la vida de un artista directamente influye sobre su arte y ayuda que there are some bangers: Anger, Sparrow y Funky Space Reincarnation destacadas. 4/5
Disco muy controvertido, fruto de su divorcio. No tuvo éxito, recibido con indiferencia (salvo por su exposa que lo recibió como lo que es: una obscenidad musicada) por público y crítica. Vendió poco, se retiró en seguida de circulación, no hubo promoción... ¿Venganza? ¿Autoterapia? en forma de disco. Desapercibido en su día, no es What´s going on ni Let´s get it on, es una mezcla de ambos. Un disco mezcla de rencor, culpa, frustración y dolor. la portada y el interior no dejan lugar a dudas. Como Blood on the tracks y otros discos de ruptura y demolición (Rumours, 21, Dogman star...), es un disco que tiene gran fuerza y encanto. Con Gaye no es distinto, su voz lo ilumina todo, la triada inicial es magestuosa (con When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You que se repite varias veces a lo largo del disco) pero otras por ejemplo Everybody needs love no es menor en absoluto. A Funky Space Reincarnation se la sabe de memoria Jay Kay. Un tipo que hace un temazo como Is that enough no puede querer hacer un mal disco. En absoluto. No se´si está entre los 1000 mejores, pero sí que es de una belleza enorme.
Sexy and old
This has to be the ultimate break up album.
9/10
I was going to give this a three, but Marvin Gaye really has the juice. Could listen to him sing anything. Clearly a very cathartic and personal album, so even though it's not an experience I can relate to, I really felt his pain. Per Wikipedia, he and his ex-wife reconnected as friends later in life, and I think that's nice.
This album announces itself right from the start as a breakup album. Heartbreak and divorce hang over every song like a cloud of smoke. It’s a big album — over 70 minutes! — so there’s a lot to absorb. But I Marvin Gaye is such a smooth, soulful singer that I enjoyed going along for the ride even if this is an album that will reward multiple listens. I like that there’s a lot of funk in addition to soul. These sound like Stevie Wonder songs at times. This is beautiful, seductive music even while it’s melancholy and bittersweet. Also, I love that on this big concept album about divorce, Marvin Gaye still finds room for an 8-minute song about gettin’ it on in space! “A Funky Space Reincarnation” is a silly but very fun song. I like the album cover. It should be cheesy, but there’s something about it that works. It’s weird and off-kilter but distinct, and it fits the music. 4.5
A spiteful album but full of great songs. Sparrow is one of his best, both languid and melodic. When did you stop loving me is an argument set to record. Its a little bit long and some songs outstay their welcome, largely this is marvin making art from sorrow.
This journey has made me appreciate Marvin Gaye more than I ever thought I would. His voice is a national treasure, and he turns being horny into an art. Favorite Track: "Here My Dear".
So smooth, so subtly funky, such a voice. Favorite songs: Anger, Time to Get It Together, A Funky Space Reincarnation, You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You. "time would heal all wounds, time, time, time, time But we have to live right to get the time"
Fairly standard Marvin Gaye affair. Smooth make out jams, but nothing really standout. More of a 3.5 than a 4.
I really like Marvin Gaye. I’m sorry to hear about his divorce.
Jazz and funk....good times
Great rhythm section. The percussive guitar work on this album is really fun too. Overall, just a great album that I can get down with.
Kunne lide det her en del bedre end det første marvin gaye album (lets get it on) - det var virkelig rart at lytte til. Apparently er det et skilsmisse album der floppede ved udgivelse men blev senere hyldet af anmeldere efter hans død
Marvin gets real starkly confessional. Not a singles album.
Heard of Marvin Gaye. Favorites: - No song separated itself from the pack, but I did like the front half of the album more. Thoughts: THIS MY SHIT.
Potentially my favorite record of his I've heard so far. I tend to enjoy more of his individual songs than complete albums, but there's a surrealness to this record that intrigues me. I'm interested to keep revisiting it 3.5/5
Love it!
Spite album
Great Marvin Gaye soul music
3.5
Out of all the divorce records I've ever heard this is probably the most out and out. If I did not know the lore behind, it definitely came out in the lyrics. I can't say this is what I would consider one of Marvin Gaye's best albums, but it's really compelling because conveys pieces of story throughout the album. The big highlights emotionally were "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You", "Everybody Needs Love", and "Anger". If there is one problem for me as far as this album is that sometimes the lyrics are too on the nose especially in "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You" and "Is That Enough" (he should have listened to his friend Johnnie Taylor). One funky note on this album is when Marvin "stretches out" for "A Funky Space Reincarnation". If it obviously Marvin's voice, I would have straight up assumed this was a Bootsy song. (8.47) ★★★★
Very cool soul album. A bit too long, but still very varied. 4.5 stars
4.5
Fun album but drags a little bit at the end. You can hear some influences that lifted from this record. Solid 4
On first listen this fell a long way short of the heights of What's Going On, but after reading the story behind the album, and paying more attention to the lyrics, it hit more on the second listen through.
Always a great vibe. Baby making music baby!
Marvin Gaye doesn't leave much to the imagination here. 'Here, My Dear' is essentially about his divorce from first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye, and he spends just over 70 minutes trying to work out what went wrong. The fact he was writing this as everything was transpiring too makes the songs seem as much like evolving commentary as self-reflection. Musically, 'Here, My Dear' is very much rooted in the soul/funk sound that Gaye had helped pioneer throughout the 60s and 70s, but with his divorce going on in the background, Gaye covers everything about it: hindsight ('When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You?'), anger ('Anger'), recovery ('Time to Get It Together'), painful court proceedings ('Is That Enough'), recovery ('Time To Get It Together') and moving on ('Falling In Love Again'). Apparently half the royalties from this record went to Anna at the recommendation of Gaye's lawyer too: damn, it was figuratively and literally a divorce record! The most important song on this record is 'Anna's Song', where he finally addresses Anna directly and explores their relationship in full. While Gaye rattles off a number of fond memories they shared, it's delivered with a somewhat cynical voice, as if he's trying to work out what it all was for in the end. Because he was still in the eye of the storm at this point, it's a bit difficult to take 'Anna's Song' as a true summation of his failed marriage, as you can't really reflect properly without enough of 'Father Time' backing you up, but the song is important in contextualising the meaning and purpose of the entire record. Which is why the most memorable song here is probably 'A Funky Space Reincarnation', as it's where the album finally starts to get more upbeat and positive. It shows Gaye starting to get funky again and rediscover what it is that made his music great in the first place. The influence of P-Funk is noteworthy on this song, and it's the moment where you can tell Gaye has all the malice out of his system and is ready to move on. It's a pretty brave move to write an entire 70+ minute album centred around a divorce, and the lack of variety in the subject matter is perhaps what lets it down a bit, but 'Here, My Dear' is a fine example of creative therapy and how it aids in the recovery process. It's clear Gaye wasn't setting out to make a landmark record here, rather one that could help him make sense of everything. Best songs: Anger, Is That Enough, Anna's Song, A Funky Space Reincarnation
The concept of the album is definitely clear. It worked well in my opinion. I liked how detailed some of the songs got about Marvin Gaye’s divorce from Anna Gordy Gaye. I tend to enjoy double albums because they feel more like a journey, in a way. I did feel like the album dragged on a little bit at the ending, though.
I was enjoying it overall but the album really found its groove at "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You?" and it just kept going from there. Its a fun narrative on heartbreak and the swings of emotions that immediately follow. Favorite Song: You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You
It doesn’t take long for the ick factor to kick in, as Marvin lays it all out right from the get-go: These are pillow-talk jams hijacked by the self-serving, one-sided pity-party account of a man legally obligated to fork over money from this release to his ex-wife as part of the divorce settlement. It’s an interesting document in that way, and it’s crazy that he remained so committed to the bit, but it’s also like overhearing a couple breaking up at the table next to you. Check please! But as I kept listening, my misgivings were sanded down by the incredible sounds washing over me like a narcotic. Musically, this is fantastic: silky, hot-buttered and funky. Gaye played all the keyboards, which add richness and fascinating linkages between eras and music genres, and his voice conveys pain and regret, even if it doesn’t feel like he’s being forthright about his own role in how things fell apart. This was one of those albums that I recognized deserved more than one listen before judging, and I’m glad I did. It’s weird as hell, and you have to take Gaye’s whole narrative account with a giant grain of salt. But it somehow works as an ambitious and inspired document of the loss of love, peering over the fence at what once was and tallying the damage.
4 for marvin standards. i have loved funky space reincarnation since my late teens.
Nice. Zu lang.
Not my style really but I can't say it's not pretty good. Great vocals, catchy songs. Solid instrumentation. It is a little long.
Smoothest divorce album ever?
This was great. Loved the repeating “when did you start loving me” track.
From a musical standpoint it's nothing spectacular, but the perspective and subject are unique enough to set it apart.
Was surprised that none of the classics were on this one. Still, easy listening!
Baby making music all morning. Def didn’t know there was other good stuff besides let’s get it on!
good but dude be in his feelings about that divorce
I didn’t really love the album but love Marvin Gaye and pudding is pudding, you know?
I LOVE MARVIN GAYE!!!!!! I’M SO MAD HIS DAD KILLED HIM!!!!!!!
Classic R&B.
The ultimate breakup album. I liked it, although some of the songs dragged on a bit too long. But it's funky and good. 4/5
Solid
I was aware of there being a story behind the album, but deliberately didn't read up on it, so as to judge the album musically. Though not always the most comfortable listening, the soul in symphonies of anguish like When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You is palpable and weirdly purifying. Similar funky licks to those that heralded his Let's Get It On sex opus now accompany lyrics of devastating candour, whether in the form of admissions of failings and drug problems, vicious digs or near-tearful protestations of love and the pain of betrayal.
An essential breakup/divorce album. I love the cover and the fact that Marvin Gaye tried to make something bad because of the alimony royalties and ended up making something pretty good. First of his albums that I have listened to all the way through also.
Tema-album. Och dom i 99% av alla tema-album är temat skilsmässa. Plattan finns i hyllan men tror inte att jag lyssnat på den ordentligt förrän nu. Vid en första lite okoncentrerad lyssning blir omdöme svalt. Men när man ger den sin rätta uppmärksamhet växer något större fram. Ett Gayes ljuva, men också förtvivlade stämma ligger som ett duntäcke över bandets stadiga groove. Musikaliskt fortsätter han den väg han slog in med What’s going on, men här finns det en jazzigare ton. Musiken hänger samman över de dryga 70 minuterna vilket förvisso kan tyckas lite enformigt, men samtidigt blir det verkligen en helhet, ett album och inte en samling låtar. Några klatschiga hits finner vi inte, men det gör inte så mycket. Det är helheten som räknas, även om jag är speciellt förlust i Sparrow. Femma för omslaget. Skivan får en fyra.
Good vibes but low impact. Solid listen though!
good album, better story https://molivam42.wordpress.com/2015/10/18/the-story-behind-the-song-here-my-dear/
Such a loverboy
Really solid album. Was tapping my feet and humming the whole way through. It did get a little boring with the sound kinda just being the same throughout, but still super enjoyable.
more marvin gaye. mans was going through a divorce when he was recording all this material. like other works in his discography, this album is also very smooth and funky. even when he's going through it all, he still knows how to channel that emotional energy into his work. it would probably hit harder for me if i was going through some relationship troubles of my own... it's an underrated entry in gaye's album history.
Marvin Gaye music sounds like a boomer sex playlist even when singing about divorce. Can’t deny the funk even if the lyrics are whiny.
Marvin Gaye was 24 when he married Anna Ruby Gordy, 41, sister to Berry Gordy, founder of Motown Records. Maybe mercenary, maybe naive, maybe love, probably all three. They adopted a baby. He sang “How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)”. They were both cheating on each other by the end of the marriage. Gaye, a self-admitted chauvinist, knocked up 16-year-old Janis Hunter in the 70s. He fought tooth and nail against paying alimony or child support to Gordy during the actual divorce proceedings. It’s just a huge, bitter, hot mess. This album is also a huge, bitter, hot mess, and in my opinion that’s what makes it remarkable. It’s deeply personal and more nuanced than I remembered. There’s still pettiness and anger, but also fear and hope and grief. You know, divorce stuff. The music itself is classic Gaye. Not as tight as his masterpieces (‘Let’s Get It On’, ‘What’s Going On’), but musically and vocally everything that made Gaye great is here. I guess I could do without the eight-minute “A Funky Space Reincarnation”, but it is kinda funny that it’s there.
It's not what's going on but still solid
En mode lover, no skip album. donne envie d'etre la statue de la cover, embrassade gravee dans la roche
Funky, sax, coole hoes
Sometimes the story behind an album really helps to make it interesting. In this case, Marvin Gaye was going through a messy divorce and agreed to let his soon-to-be ex-wife have 50% of the album's royalties. That's a strange starting point for a creative project, when personal circumstances are directly connected to the recording. Gaye apparently didn't care much at first, perhaps creating a lacklustre album out of spite. But the idea of channeling his emotions into something great for the fans must have been too tempting and suddenly the project took on a new life. It's not a simple funk album but ranges across many styles and feelings. Sometimes it's bleak, sometimes it's hopeful. "A Funky Space Reincarnation" has elements of black science fiction that you might hear from George Clinton or Sun Ra. Notably though, the album lacks many obvious singles. It's works as an album though, albeit a lengthy one. It didn't sell very well until Gaye passed away and is now considered one of his best works. I imagine it was bittersweet knowing that his artistic triumph and commercial failure wouldn't have earned much for his ex, as least while he was still alive.
Immediatly very good Sooo smooooth I met a little girl, fire Dooooo you remembeeeer all of the PSUHINMEE!Yeah yeah Woah the sax solo in is that enough I might like this better than what's going on Anna's song, I love the subtle keys in that song and in general on the record, it's great! Poo pee poo pee doo Yeah it's been a minute but I like this one better than what's going on, it's great, long but great!
It feels like an album that I wasn't meant to hear.
Man I love Marvin Gaye but even I can admit that an hour and fifteen minutes is maybe a hair too long.
Bro was in his feelings huh
-pretty good background music
Here, My Dear (1978) is unlike anything else in Marvin Gaye’s catalogue: a 73-minute, self-produced “divorce settlement” that was literally financed by the divorce itself. Court-ordered to give half of the next LP’s royalties to ex-wife Anna Gordy, Gaye turned the obligation into a sprawling, unfiltered memoir set to music. Below is a track-by-track deep dive into the lyrics, music, production, overarching themes, and the album’s slow-burn influence—followed by a concise list of its clearest strengths and weaknesses. ------------------------------------------------- 1. LYRICS – “a legal document in rhyme” ------------------------------------------------- Gaye writes as if he’s testifying in open court. There are no metaphors about rainbows—only line-items about attorney fees, alimony and who kept the photo albums. - **“Here, My Dear”** – The title track opens with a sarcastic wedding-gift dedication: *“I guess I’d give it to you, Anna, ‘cause you have made my life complete…”* The bitterness is wrapped in doo-wop nostalgia, already signalling the album’s emotional whiplash. - **“I Met a Little Girl”** – A tender origin story that quickly curdles; the same girl who “blew his mind” becomes the woman who “took my soul.” - **“When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You?”** – 6½ minutes of cross-examination. Gaye rattles off grievances (*“You didn’t have the right to use the child of mine to keep me in line”*) then immediately undercuts them with self-interrogation (*“Maybe I didn’t love you as much as I said I did…”*). - **“Is That Enough”** – The album’s most cinematic scene: Gaye in a courtroom hallway, watching his lawyer hand over a cheque while a saxophone solo wails like a siren. The lyric sheet is literally a cost-breakdown of the divorce. - **“Anna’s Song”** – Three whispered *“Anna”*s—lonely, horny, furious—delivered over a suspended 7th chord that refuses to resolve. Listeners routinely call it the most erotic non-erotic song ever recorded. - **“A Funky Space Reincarnation”** – A 8-minute P-Fantasy in which Gaye imagines reuniting with Anna on Jupiter, trading her lawyer for a silver space suit. The lyric is absurd, but it’s the only place on the record where he allows himself to win the argument. - **“Falling in Love Again”** – A closing statement addressed to new wife Janis, already sounding like he knows that marriage will collapse too (it did, less than a year after release). ------------------------------------------------- 2. MUSIC – velvet coffin ------------------------------------------------- Gaye builds the whole album on a single mid-tempo pulse—approx. 92 BPM—so songs bleed together like one long hangover. The harmonic vocabulary is basically *Let’s Get It On* turned inside out: instead of resolving, chords swirl in place, mirroring the emotional stasis of a couple who can’t quite leave each other. - **Rhythm section**: Chocolate percussion, feather-touch high-hats, and a kick drum that lands a fraction behind the beat—classic Gaye “slow-funk.” - **Guitars**: Multiple tracks wah-washed and phase-shifted until they sound like memories you can’t trust. - **Horns & reeds**: Tenor-sax solos (e.g. “Is That Enough”) are recorded hot, almost clipping, so every squeak feels like a slammed door. - **Vocals**: Layered up to 14 tracks of Marvin arguing with himself—croon, falsetto, growl, spoken aside—often panned hard left/right so the headphone listener is literally in the middle of the fight. ------------------------------------------------- 3. PRODUCTION – bedroom confessional as concept art ------------------------------------------------- Engineer Art Stewart has said Gaye would arrive with no written songs, press “record,” and compose verses in the talk-back mic while the tape rolled. This explains the album’s unpolished edges—half-finished couplets, mumbled count-offs, laughter that may or may not be performative. Yet the messiness is strategic: - **Reprise motif**: The chord progression of “When Did You Stop Loving Me…” re-appears in at least six other tracks, sometimes slowed to half-speed, sometimes disguised as a jazz turnaround. The marriage keeps coming back to haunt him. - **Synthetic colours**: Gaye was introduced to the ARP 2600 and Moog Polymoog during these sessions; he uses them for alien bleeps on “Funky Space Reincarnation” but also for sub-bass that you feel rather than hear, anchoring the bitterness underground. - **No radio singles**: Tracks average 6-8 minutes; hooks evaporate before they can be sung. Gaye literally refuses to give Motown a marketable product—part sabotage, part honesty. ------------------------------------------------- 4. THEMES – more than a divorce record ------------------------------------------------- - **Money vs. Love**: Gaye keeps translating affection into dollar amounts until both become meaningless. - **Public vs. Private**: By pressing the details onto vinyl he turns the most intimate failure of his life into public theatre—pre-dating today’s social-media overshare by four decades. - **Black male vulnerability**: In 1978 mainstream Black masculinity was still coded as either blaxploitation cool or Motown charm. Gaye presents himself as broke, horny, jealous, lost—an early crack in the armor that artists like D’Angelo, Frank Ocean and Kendrick Lamar would widen later. - **Cycle of trauma**: The reprise of “When Did You Stop Loving Me” at the very end implies no closure; the needle lifts and the argument is still happening in your living room. ------------------------------------------------- 5. INFLUENCE – from embarrassment to template ------------------------------------------------- - **Commercial reception (1978)**: Billboard peak #26, no hit singles; Anna’s lawyers reportedly tried to block release. Gaye joked he had “finally made an album nobody liked.” - **Re-appraisal (post-1994 re-issue)**: Rolling Stone 5-star review; Pitchfork 9.0; sampled by Madlib, Kanye, J Dilla, Erykah Badu, Tyler, The Creator (who called it the blueprint for *IGOR*). - **Literary recognition**: David Ritz’s biography *Divided Soul* uses the album as structural spine; poet Hanif Abdurraqib devotes an entire chapter to it in *They Can’t Kill Us Until They Kill Us*. - **Legal lore**: Law-school courses on entertainment contracts cite the album as the moment an artist turned a royalty obligation into conceptual art—effectively monetising spite. ------------------------------------------------- 6. PROS & CONS – quick verdict ------------------------------------------------- **PROS** - Rawest, most conceptually unified album in Gaye’s catalogue—no Motown gloss, no compromise. - Sonic innovation: slow-funk template, psychedelic soul mixing, early synth textures. - Lyrical precedent for transparent R&B confessional (Ocean, The Weeknd, H.E.R.). - Emotionally exhausting but cathartic; the rare record that sounds different after your own breakup. **CONS** - **Length & repetition**: 73 min, three versions of the same motif; second half drags unless you’re in the head-space. - **Self-indulgence**: “A Funky Space Reincarnation” is 8 minutes of sci-fi pillow-talk that hasn’t aged well. - **Mono-emotional palette**: If you’re not interested in one man’s divorce, there is literally nothing else here. - **Vocal murk**: Gaye’s layered vocals occasionally bury key lines; lyric-sheet almost required on first listen. ------------------------------------------------- Bottom line ------------------------------------------------- *Here, My Dear* is not “music for candle-lit dinners”; it’s the sound of someone burning the furniture to stay warm. Flawed, overlong, occasionally ridiculous—yet the bravery of turning legal defeat into autobiographical opera makes it one of soul music’s great, unrepeatable monuments.
Here, My Dear is an album i enjoyed quite a lot. It does feel a bit odd going from an album like Let's Get It On to this one for Marvin Gaye considering the lyrical themes but i guess this did come out 5 years after that album so things definitely changed for him. The music is a bit of a step back from Let's Get It On but is still pretty good and the lyrics are definitely some good lyrics about divorce without feeling overly creepy. Granted, these songs can feel very samey and do tend to blend in with each other but this is to be expected when it comes to albums that are 71 minutes long. This album may not be as good as Let's Get It On but i still enjoyed it. Best Song: Is That Enough Worst Song: Here, My Dear
Had never heard this one! It’s great!
i like long albums when they kick major ass basically
Yes! Wat houd ik van 1001 albums raten! Marvin Gaye is een legend en al jaren wil ik dieper in zijn muziek duiken. Maar soms is er wat vrees voor het onbekende en kies je daarom voor een zekerheidje, zeker in gezelschap. Met 1001 albums móet je wel, en gelukkig. Wat een heerlijk plaatje is Here, My Dear. Vanaf seconde 1 is de mellow sfeer gezet. De nummers zijn misschien wat minder funky maar ik vind juist de uitgesponnen lange nummers erg lekker. Heerlijke groove waar je minutenlang op kan meedwalen. 8/10 Highlights Is That Enough
Kinda weird when you start listening to the lyrics, but a nice chill album overall
Very easy listening, didn't feel like it was over an hour long.
I was made to this music.
Det er ikke så mange år siden jeg hørte What's Going On og ble blown away av hvor smooth & conscious & ikonisk den skiva er. Men når jeg først finner et sånt album, graver jeg meg som oftest veeeeeldig langsomt dypere i artistens discography, og jeg har så langt bare hørt Let's Get It On i tillegg. Tror faktisk jeg kan bo i den skiva her ass. Den har ikke bangers, men en gjennomgående kvalitet; lyden av et talent som bare gjør greia si i 74 minutter og får det til å høres helt effortless ut. Smooth, conscious, og til tider litt funky. Hvis dette er en skive jeg ender opp med å komme tilbake til igjen og igjen, kan det hende at ting plutselig sitter; at jeg tok feil om at skiva er et banger-fritt territorium; at dette er en skive man må bo & leve med for at man skal unlocke dens potensiale. Tiden vil vise.
Hørte dette for første gang for noen måneder siden. Satt ikke igjen med så mange inntrykk etter det. Hører det igjen nå, og jeg klarer ikke helt å se hvorfor akkurat dette er med i 1001. Det betyr ikke at det er dårlig, selv de svakere albumene i Gaye-katalogen er bedre enn veldig mye annet. Det er kult å høre på, og jeg kan godt høre det igjen, det bare står seg ikke like godt som de mer kjente platene hans, som jo er virkelige mesterverk og i aller høyeste grad fortjener å toppe lister. Men alt i alt fornøyelig å høre på
So good, first time listen
This album feels like you're overhearing a domestic argument while out in public, uncomfortable in many ways but really interesting listening
Marvin with modern tech (at least at that time). The synth used on this are super fun and to here them amongst Soul roots. FUN FUN FUN
Some of you have never been divorced and it shows. Idk why all the negative comments. This album as groovy, soulful and understated. Anger is a dope track. The rest feels like it could sit comfortably in the background during a dinner party but no complaints. I like feelings
My first Motown album in this exercise so I am delighted. Marvin Gaye's divorce album (plus an outer space sex jam for good measure), some heavy stuff lyrically and always tasty musically, excellent all around
This was pretty great, although, predictably, I feel it would be improved by being a tad shorter. I liked A Funky Space Reincarnation.
That was great. What a fantastic man!
Sexayyyy!
Someone owes this man some answers. Is it Anna?
One of the few times where the songs sounding the same actually works out. The chill vibe throughout sorta puts you into a trance when you listen, in the best way.
What a confusing album to review. The back story is unreal, was expecting a FU divorce album, but a self pitying and self serving recording that through it’s art becomes more a courageous self introspection. Going to be listening to this. 4 Stars on 1st day list.
Good stuff. Not a lot of his famous songs but still a lot of quality on here.
VERY sexy album.
i don't think marvin gaye can make bad music
Solid work! Grew up listening to this album with my mom! Not Marvin’s greatest work but great nonetheless!
More impressive once you realize Gaye produced the album himself, and provided almost all instrument tracks. Hints of classic R&B, disco, funk and soul. Generally, very easy listening. This is sometimes 'disturbed' by erratic saxophone playing, which reflects the emotions and thoughts of the album much more than the lyrics do. Can be a bit monotonous, but no song is the same.
If you were going through a messy divorce, and one of the requirements of the settlement was that you had to release an album and give your ex the royalties, you'd probably want to demonstrate your hurt and pain and release material cursing them and the rest of the world out. Marvin chose a slightly different path. He's hurt all right, he's angry, he's vocal, he's wounded and raw, but he channels it supremely well into a series of groovy, soulful tunes, but which leave you thinking, oh man how much did she hurt him? Maybe there was something on both sides? Judging by this, maybe, but we know squarely where Marvin thinks the blame lies. Very listenable, not too uncomfortable if you choose to focus on the lyrics - he rants at times, but it's well disguised by the melody. I'd give it a go again for sure (this record, not divorce).
“I Met A Little Girl?” Fucking weird… It sounds nice but now I’m scared. Dad come pick me up. I did like the song. I just am questioning the language here. I do like “When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You” and “You Can Leave, But It’s Going To Cost You”.
Loved the combination of the lyrical diary approach, and the free form musical compositions.
I'd heard *of* this album for a long time, but never listened to it. Knowing the story that Marvin made this album to fulfill his contractual obligation, I didn't expect this to be so damn good. Then I remembered we're talking about Marvin Gaye. Some of y'all have never been divorced, and it shows. Divorce brings out a lot of conflicting emotions, and this album is full of them, thus the double-LP. I can agree that its breadth can make it hard to call it a perfect album. Standout tracks are "Anger" and "A Funky Space Reincarnation."
Solid album. My favourites were When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You; Sparrow; Anna's Song & Falling In Love Again.
Strong and solid! Good vibes.
Funky
Some really good tracks, especially enjoyed Time to get it together
Here my dear: feel violated 3 I met a little girl: 4 When did you stop loving me…: 5 Anger: 6 Is that enough: 5 Everybody needs love: 5 Time to get it together: 4 Sparrow: 3 Anna’s song: 3 A funky space reincarnation: 4 You can leave but it’s gonna cost you: 4 Falling in love again: 4
My second Marvin Gaye album - funky, soulful, great songs on this one. Such an easy and smooth listen. My only real flaw with this album is while When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You is a great song, three times in one hour is a lot.
Heel erg relaxt Ijzersterke stem en goeie jazz trompetjes Tijdloos wat mij betreft, is bijna 50 jaar oud Heerlijk, goed begin.
Not his true masterpiece, but some good songs and that amazing voice
Guilty of picking his earlier work over this routinely. It's so angry and sad I find it hard to want to get into the album. But it's a real treat.
Very smooth, very Marvin. Songs I hadn’t heard before, but enjoyed. - 3.5/5
Quite nice vibes
I can see why people don’t like this. It almost seems like a concession to his divorce and alimony—a trope itself that he’s almost pioneering by calling it out and breaking the fourth wall. But it’s also an amazing album for showing the growing Marvin Gaye went from Motown “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” to space funk.
I liked it a lot.
If Frank Ocean was in the 60s/70s. This album was funky, it was beautiful, and it was even sad. The only critique I have for leaving it as a four star is album length, some songs go on for too long, and some tracks haven't aged well, may be to a production issue. Otherwise, incredible singing, lyrics, and grooves.
Funky, smooth, enjoyable. First time I've listened to a Marvin Gaye album! Four stars.
Marvin Gaye’s album, “Here, my dear” Is a timeless classic. Released in 1978, it still has a sound so unique and perfected. Gaye’s calming vocals paired with the production of the album provide a calm, somber listening experience.
Feel kinda bad for this dude....he sounds pretty bummed. I hope his life picked up after this one.
Groovy, funky, and…horny?
Amazing. Last couple tracks held it back from a 5
I love this thing. Cocaine anger never came across so good
My review is going to be a bizarre story. Last night I had an extremely vivid dream that I was riding in a wooden two person swing that was being carried by a helicopter. It was fun and a beautiful day and the views were incredible. To my right riding with me in the swing was Marvin Gaye. Unmistakably, clearly, Marvin Gaye. We flew around for a bit, and the helicopter flew down close to the ground where my wife was holding our 1 year old daughter. When we were close enough she handed her to me and she rode with Marvin and I for a while. At some point something went wrong with the helicopter and I thought we were going to crash, so I hopped in a tree and my daughter and I were safe. I woke up from this dream shortly after, not knowing what happened to Marvin Gaye. The next morning I checked my 1001 albums app and had this album as my album of the day. That was enough to freak me the fuck out! Here, My Dear is a solid album. Not nearly the masterpiece that is What’s Going On in my opinion, but a really solid cohesive soul record.
Alternately awash in self-pity, desperation, pain, joy, cynicism, love, and even aggression towards his former beloved, it can be a difficult album to listen to front to back. But it’s also an artistic achievement.
he couldn't sound bad if he tried
Quite good diff from let’s get it on album but I like it a lot
Hard to rate any Marvin Gaye album lower than a 5 due to the outstanding musicality, singing, and production quality. Marvin always surrounded himself with good musicians. The themes in this album didn’t really resonate with me though
Not used to Marvin Gaye being this raw and vulnerable. Good album, but not one you could just throw on any time
Good artist. Good music.
You can't hate anything MG has done. The are some elements here that get a little repetitive, mostly the theme, but overall it's suave, cool and soulful. Nothing more than what you'd expect from the mighty MG. 4 because I wanted something more, but I get just about got what I expected.
Tasaista jammailua. Loistava tunnelma. Erinomainen taustamusiikiksi
“Somebody tell me please, tell me please/ why do I have to pay attorney fees? (my baby’s)” is truly beautiful lyricism.
Excelente álbum. Soul. QoA Adonis New.
Really surprised. Went into this not expecting much as heard his heart wasn't really into this project, but enjoyed it.
Great album, enjoyed it the whole way through
Houses of the holy
Really liked this one, super funky, 4.5/5
Pretty good! This isn’t really my jam but it does seem like good stuff.
Great baby making music
My man was working through some shit with this one. It is the best sounding depression though. Marvin has an amazing voice and he is singing through his depression. So I really believe that a country musician could do a lot of these songs and it would just fit. Heartbreak is universal. The Space song is wild in this. He is singing about his love and pain, then a song about getting down on the moon. I'm a bit confused but it's a good song. Sure he has better albums, but as a Soul/Funk music lover this hits. I'll listen to it again for sure. I don't think I would recommend it to someone going though divorce. Well except A Funky Space Reincarnation. That one I'm telling everyone to listen to.
So many 10/10 songs on here but I feel like I can’t give the whole album a 10/10. Very sluggish towards the middle once “Time to get together” started and even a couple skips. Album is very long too, but even the bad songs are still good. Very very strong album. 9/10
It’s Marvin Gaye, so it’s a given that it’s going to be pretty great. This album seems interesting in that it was panned when it was released and now if thought of positively - too bad Marvin died before the turn around
Okay yep more Mr. Gaye. I'm sorry his wife left him but I'm pretty indifferent to this too. Obviously it's great music, I just am not feeling it. UNTIL IS THAT ENOUGH CAME ON. What a banger. The why do I have to pay attorney's fees line is so good. I don't think he's trying to be funny but this song is hilarious and it grooves. There's also a square wave synth in the jam section. It really turned things from indifferent to more active listening. Most of these songs are too long. Still, would do it all again to hear Is That Enough again. There's something about him complaining about his divorce that is really appealing to me, mainly because it's funny. Mr Gaye can have this 4.
Super Gaye. This album is so good, but not quite as good as a listening experience as Let's Get It On for me. Production is really clean. I'm really struggling between a 4 and 5, so I think I'll pick the strongest 4 you can imagine.
I was unfamiliar with your spite game, Mr. Gaye. He got RAW in a different and unexpected way on this album. deliciously smooth funk that never competes with, but always compliments his vocals. this will get repeat listens from me.
This is a bad album cover. Funky and smooth. He really dialed it in for his 14th album. It blends together but I think in a good way. Also an appearance by Bootsy Collins!
All marvin is great but i wasnt as excited about this as some of his others. I got more excited as it became funkier, the contour told the story in a cool way. 5 compared to most of this list but not my fav marvin
++: Here, My Dear, When Did You Stop Leaving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, Anger, Is That Enough, Time to Get It Together, Anna's Song, When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You, A Funky Space Reincarnation, You Can Leave But It's Going to Cost You, Falling in Love Again, When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Reprise) +: I Met a Little Girl, Everybody Needs Love, Sparrow 8,8/10
An interesting story of love-run-it’s-course behind this one that is simultaneously a strength and a weakness. While the singular subject matter provides a focus, the albums lengthy nature negatively underscores the lack of variety. Production is complex, often with several rhythm and guitar tracks interplaying at once. Here there is no lack of variety, and, of course, the vocal performance is exceptional. Tracks meander along their merry way at a relaxed pace. Listened to: on the Vermonter. Favorite tracks: Is That Enough, Time to Get It Together, Sparrow, You Can Leave But it’s Going to Cost You
Easy listening. I actually prefer the funkier tracks to the more smooth R&B. Only really familiar with Marvin Gaye’s hits, so it was nice to hear something new.
this is quite good, but it's certainly on the long side, and I don't know that it ever rises above "quite good" relative to some of his other albums. I'd never be upset if someone put it on, but i won't be rushing to do so personally
This music is great. Joins the Divorce Music Hall of Fame with Rumors.
Obsessesed, love it
When the first track of of this album kicked off, I wasn’t feeling it at all, but as I kept listening, the album really grew on me. It’s a laid-back, soulful record with a jazzy, smooth vibe. The funk influences are there, but even those feel relaxed and chill, adding to the overall mellow flow.
Marvin Gaye really is one of those artists you can't go wrong with. His style is so accessible and with his beautiful soft voice, he is practically incapable of making a bad album. I get why this one is slightly lower rated, I agree that it's reaaaalllllyyyyyy long. But at the end of the day, it's still a Marvin Gaye album.
"Here, My Dear" is the 14th studio album by America soul singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye. The album focuses largely on Gaye's acrimonious divorce from his first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye. Upon its release, the album was considered a critical and commercial failure. In retrospect, critics have hailed the album as one of Gaye's best. "Here, My Dear" opens the album. A wah-wah guitar and doo-wop backing vocals. Gaye sings about his alimony due to his ex-wife and concedes the relationship is over. In "I Met a Little Girl, " he reminisces about falling in love and love standing the test of time. Very soulful. Nice 60's-ish backing vocals and Gaye utilizing his falsetto. "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" is the core motif of the album as there are three versions on the album including an instrumental and reprise. Horns, a prominent bass, Gaye talking as well as layered vocals highlight this main version. Gaye has tried a million times to save the relationship and recalls the good times. "Everybody Needs Love" delivers the smooth soul. Gaye croons as he needs love too. Great song. Hey, there is a song not about his divorce and it's pretty good one in "A Funky Space Reincarnation." It's funky with the organ. He mentions Star Wars and combines parting and romance on different planets. A welcome one off. This album is very focused on its divorce theme. As one critic put it, he created ten different songs of saying the same thing. Ah, yeah, he did but it worked. Gaye's voice is very emotional and, at times, sounded drained. The music is smooth, laid back, soulful and jammy at times. You could listen to the album just for the music and Gaye's vocal sound alone. Overall, this is a really solid album and, although long (double album), worth a visit.
I dig it
I get he was going through Some Shit at the time, but I just wished he talked a tiny bit less about the divorce. Otherwise, it's got some pretty damn good instrumentation. Solid 4 Stars.
Very good 👍
Too long but Chad.
I found this to be an incredibly emotional album and you can clearly hear the pain Marvin had gone through in the divorce coming through in the move. I will say that the music itself is emotional but the songs don't pop out like any of his other hits; respectable though. 7/10.
I have never listened to this Marvin Gaye album before. Honestly, I hadn’t heard of it. There weren’t really any of this big hits on it. But I really liked it. I mean I don’t think it’s in the same category as what’s going on but still pretty damn good.
Even is second tier work is still great 7/10
Sensual one
I was so bewildered by just how much of a divorce album this was I had to give it one more listen. It was just so weirdly distracting I couldn't really properly listen. The second listen brought a much deeper appreciation. It's still a bit odd to have a whole album so focused on it. I can't deny the music is good though. The best track is the one about reincarnated space sex. Yeah, I couldn't believe such a song existed either but it sure does and it's fantastically funky.
Whew, what a stormy quiet storm. There is clear turmoil here layered in some smooth jazz and soul. I love "Sparrow".
I always say that it's too bad white listeners mostly know Marvin Gaye for Sexual Healing and Let's Get It On, giving the impression he's mostly about shallow sex jams. This album is mellower than my vibe has been of late, but it has a great backing music, really nice fusion of jazz and soul, and neat introspection about love and the disintegration of his marriage.
Nice album. Came out of it with 3 new lovers
Wasn't thrilled on my first listen, but I'm glad I read up on it a little bit and gave it a second listen, it was worth hearing in the right context. I wasn't really expecting a breakup album on my first listen, so with that in mind this is a great album.
Good album. I enjoyed this. No real standouts but an easy listen.
Takes a song or 2 to settle into the vibe. But once you're in, the ride is funkadelically delicious. Highlights: TIME TO GET TOGETHER ~ A FUNKY SPACE REINCARNATION ~ YOU CAN LEAVE, BUT IT'S GOING TO COST YOU
So smooth and so melodic. I wish there weren't so much run time dedicated to lamenting an acrimonious divorce, and there aren't as many stand out all time gems as his other albums, but a great listen over all
This album is too sexy for Wednesday at 8am. 4*
You’d be hard pressed to find better r&b than Marvin Gaye
Enjoyed this album.
Smooth. Listened to the full thing on a flight back home and it was just easy listening.
Sexy and sad, funky and soulful, the Marvin Gaye divorce album that I didn't even know existed until now.
4-
I need a few more listens to this to fully digest, but I was blown away, in a way I never had previously been with Gaye's music. Pure venom. Uncomfortably raw.