Here, My Dear

Its a hard album to listen to. But I feel if I listened to it a few more times it would grow on me. Gets an extra star for that I guess

Would be a lot better with less songs and some of the songs being shorter. I enjoyed everything here, but the runtime made everything feel very samey and boring by the end

Generally enjoyable but doesn't stand out at all to me.

Good background music.

It's alright

Fine. This album didn’t grab me like his other higher profile albums. Turns out I have a short attention span for listening to a guy talk about his divorce. It felt like reading something on Twitter.

A mixed bag for me. Some stuff in here I really enjoyed marred by what felt like tossed together songs that may have been cathartic, given the circumstances but don’t necessarily make for essential listening.

Not my thing but it's fine

Marvin Gaye is a petty bitch. And ultimately, that does not necessarily make for a great album. There are some funky jams here and it’s Marvin Gaye so the vocals are great, but nothing really stood out about this album and it didn’t feel like there were any real hits from it. I enjoyed the concept, as petty as it was, which elevates the experience slightly but overall found this album to be fairly mediocre.

This album was certainly long. It has a pretty compelling backstory and circumstances behind it. And I suppose that context it makes it interesting, but it's not my favorite. It was fine.

Not bad, but not great. Sorry, Marvin.

I very much appreciate one Marvin Gaye album. This is the second. This one is a departure. A little bit deeper. More retrospective.

Funky, chill with some highlights but still a bit one-dimensional which would be fine if it wasn't a 1 hour 15 minute album. Still overall had a good time though. (75%)

damn he really had a bad life huh

Well produce. Great rhythm section. Marvin flow is legendary. Talking about his divorce with so much truth must of been hard for him. Unfortunately, it’s not my style at all. 3 stars

HL: "Is That Enough", "Everybody Needs Love", "Time to Get it Together", “Anna’s Song”, “I Met a Little Girl” It’s been about 500 albums since the last Gaye on this website, so I don’t have the most insightful comparisons to Let’s Get It On. I did see the controversial stat on this website showing Here, My Dear as the lowest ranked of his, and I get why. It’s fooken miserable, that’s why- or as the book tells it, “grimly fascinated” by misfortune. To quote Jamiroquai’s Jay Kay: "It doesn't quite get you the first time” and… same. Part of me understands this is some great 70s soul, while the other part tried and failed to be prepared for the bitter 70 minutes of this double album (alright, 62/70 minutes) October 8, 2023

OK, but not the type of music that excites me.

My only reference point for Gaye is What's Going On, which is a politically poignant album. This one seems more direct R&B with standard themes: old love, new love, lost love. Mostly lost love. Beautiful voice with soulful if at times boring compositions. When Did You Stop Loving Me? is a jam. Maybe not the most unique lyrically, but so well done. Love the vocal layering and embedded funk. Had more written but it didn't save. Not my particular cup of tea, and I don't think I'll be back. Some of the compositions are really cool and ahead of their time, but a lot of this ran together for me. All in all, not bad,, but not revolutionary 3/5

Some easy listening in here. Nothing special but also nothing offensive. Solid 3

Really beautiful music. I wonder if this album gave her the creeps.

-TIME FOR MARVIN GAYEEEEE -so very excited for this -his voice is so beautiful -i don’t think this is marvin gayes best album but i am still enjoying it -the beginning of is that enough is really cool -i do really like this album, the jazzy bits and his voice are delicious together -but im going to be honest, this doesn’t feel like his best album to me personally -so for that, its 3 stars for me personally

Listened Before? N This is my first full-album exposure to Marvin Gaye. He was certainly an amazing singer and a unique talent. I really enjoyed listening to this one. Some of the songs were a bit long but meh, it's ok. Good style of music for long songs. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Everybody Needs Love

Genres: Soul, funk Formed: Detroit, US in 1960 Run time: 14 songs, 1 hour, 13 mins The fifteenth studio (double) album by the artist. Marvin Gaye has a silky smooth voice that he can turn from angelic to seductive. The album focused largely on Gaye's acrimonious divorce from his first wife, Anna Gordy Gaye. I was impressed that it was a reflection on loss, rather than a vehicle for accusation and blame. Spotify: Least popular song: >318k Most popular song: >7.7M plays. Apparently he put his all into the album, which was probably very therapeutic, but it doesn’t contain any of his most famous tracks. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ***

Nice romantic music

The type of music you listen to with a significant other. I like it. 3

Relatively pleasant album, mainly thanks to the soothing voice of Marvin Gaye. The small drawback is that I couldn't differentiate between the songs at all, because they all sounded the same to me. Easy an gentle melody, groovy bass line and Marvin. Hopefully his other albums are more interesting than this.

Good tunes.

Plenty more fish in the sea mate.

Some smooth R&B soul to use for mood music for certain activities. But for just listening to on my way home from work, it doesn't do a whole lot for me. However the lyric about his father needing love hits hard considering he was shot and killed by his father a few years later.

thats a whole lot to say abt one divorce

i don't think marvin gaye could've made bad music! while i don't think here, my dear is his finest work, it isn't bad. it's still unbelievably smooth, and his voice is just as delightful as always. he really was made for soul music. it seems to miss the spark his other music has, though. but i'm not mad, because his voice is still full of love. i'm no gaye aficionado, but i think he did something a little different here. i thought funk would be on this album more, but it's only a touch of funk sometimes. "is that enough" contained electronic pieces, and "a funky space reincarnation" reminds me of parliament's mothership connection with its sci-fi.

1001 has been throwing me a lot of soul in the last couple of weeks, not the least of which was another Marvin Gaye album. If I'm being honest, I was kind of bored with this album. It was incredibly smooth, and the soul was there no doubt, but it just didn't have a lot of energy. It makes sense, given the context of this album, but still. While this album had some funk elements to it, even the funk seemed subdued and depressed. Again, he was hit hard by his divorce, so no judgment here.

Well, again it is what it is but very creamy dreamy

Easy listening but not spectacular

I like Marvin Gaye's music, but this is not his best stuff.

A slick and smooth double album from one of the all time great soul musicians. I really liked the first disc. If Gaye had left it there, I would have come away thinking this is excellent. Unfortunately disc 2 is not as good and drags the album out, making it a lot less enjoyable. Also, on side 4, the album's lead single, 'A Funky Space Reincarnation', tells the sci-fi story of a future love. It's really weird, but not in a good way. Disc 1: 4/5. Disc 2: 2/5. 'A Funky Space Reincarnation': 0/5. Overall: Rating: 3/5 Playlist track: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You Date listened: 28/07/23

Marvin is the king of his genre. Smooth listening experience if not all a bit samey.

My first issue is track #10 is billed as an instrumental, when Marvin Gaye clearly sings on the song. Small nitpick, of course. This album is what happens when an incredibly talented artist goes through a tough breakup/divorce and isn't able to churn out his feelings into a classic album. Because Marvin Gaye is one of the best R&B/funk/soul artists of all-time, there isn't a way for him to make a bad album and this is not a bad album. I can understand why he was stung by the lack of success of this album, as he pours his heart into it. It's just...a lot. It's not that nearly every song is about his breakup, as "Blood on the Tracks" is the same way, it's just there is more of a focus on the lyrical nature of the songs and less on the musicality on "Hear, Dear." The lyrics are more straightforward, so there is a bit of a lack of depth and less universality to them. I can't decide if this album is a "must hear" album, as in the context of Gaye's career it's a milestone in terms of the reaction to it and his reaction to it. Sometimes an album can be too personal, at least in terms of the lyrics. An artist has to be able to differentiate between an album "about divorce" and an album "about MY divorce." I am not sure he does that here. Maybe I hold Gaye to a higher standard than I should.

Sounds like one continuous groove. All good except I've heard it before on other Marvin Gaye albums. Think I'll stick with What's Going On.

A double album of smooth, groovy vibes to vent about your divorce as part of you alimony settlement. Dick move Marvin. Dick move.

Sure, I like Marvin Gaye. Very soulful and enjoyable.

Here, My Dear // I Met A Little Girl // Everybody Needs Love //

I can see how this album wasn't a commercial success. I can also see how it ultimately made this list. It's not what I would consider "classic" Marvin Gaye, but it's an honest album, the story behind it is intriguing, and - let's face it - I'd listen to this guy sing about anything.

i know that Marvin Gaye is insanely talented, and the instrumentation here is incredibly sublime (look no further than the album centerpiece “When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You?”, which bursts with rich saxophone above a tender bongo beat), but gosh, thematically and lyrically, the album gives such loser energy that it made me cringe so bad. some of the sarcasm is fun and biting, sure, but overall the majority of the lyrics are underbaked and overly trite. all of it gets better towards the end — “Everybody Needs Love” is a turning point for the record lyrically, that sees Gaye delve deeper than his spite — but by that point a lot of what makes the album good is lost in its length and annoying self-pitying. i know that Gaye has many more revered records, and thank all for that, because i do not think i’ll be revisiting this one.

"It's me against the world"-era Kanye but also disco.

It’s a long one but a good one. 3.5 stars.

7.5/10 trouvait qui manquait une touche que les autres Marvin Gaye. Tout de même très apprécié

marvin, what the fuck are you talking about? best tracks: here my dear, is that enough, I met a little girl.

I love the way this album blends together. It's more like one constant stream than 13 individual songs. As a concept album, the subject matter of divorce is a little, erm, odd. It must have been a particularly painful divorce to stretch to a double album. The album covers is bonkers. Coked up Marv at his best.

It's sad that this album became popular because of Marvin's death. I don't know if it's his best album. It's fine.

Musically, the album showcases Gaye's knack for blending soul, funk, and R&B elements. The production is skillful and the arrangements are often lush and intricate. Tracks like "A Funky Space Reincarnation" and "Is That Enough" incorporate captivating grooves and infectious melodies that highlight Gaye's musical prowess. However, despite these notable strengths, Here, My Dear is not without its flaws. The album's lengthy runtime can feel overwhelming at times, with some tracks feeling repetitive or overstaying their welcome. Additionally, while the personal nature of the album's subject matter is compelling, it can also limit the album's relatability for listeners who may not connect with Gaye's specific experiences. Furthermore, the album's narrative structure and flow can feel disjointed, with abrupt transitions between tracks that disrupt the overall listening experience. This lack of cohesion prevents the album from fully immersing the listener in its intended emotional journey.

Just a little too slow and long for me. Each song drags on and never pulls me in.

While I recognize the artistry of Gaye and his legacy, the genre and the length made this a bit of a dull affair

Some of it is quite good but it's overly long and there's 3 versions of the same song.

Mr smooth’s break up album, I liked this and deserving of being on the list. But come the end of it dragged a bit. Not quiet making my rotation list, might come back to it if I ever get a divorce.

Oh heavenly... I love Mr. Gaye's voice. This album makes me feel like I'm watching the boring, (aka the formative) scenes in the beginning of Boyz n the Hood before everything gets wild. This has a unique vibe and sound, great for scene setting and nostalgia but not something that I'd actively listen to.

Following "What's Going On" just 8 albums later, our second dose of Marvin Gaye is actually more appealing to me musically. It never hits the heights of "What's Going On" or "Mercy, Mercy Me," but the album is overall more even and less gospel-y. Not nearly the cultural impact, though.

similar vibes to the last one. Great voice, cool as fuck. Just not an album I would sit and listen to. If I was at a party and this was just playing in the background I'd be all for it but not noteworthy when listening alone from start to finish

Nice and smooth. Subject matter is sad though, mostly about falling out of love and divorce. But Marvin makes anything sound like lovin'.

Smooth

Call it the Divorce Album. It's not Marvin's best but there are some interesting and chill tracks on here. His voice is just superb even with the bitterness that permeates this album. Decent but not a classic.

Usually don’t listen to this genre of music, but I enjoy the chill, soulful vibes of Gaye’s voice. More of a fan of the songs with slower arrangements. The bass playing slaps so hard.

I enjoyed this but it was pretty strange, with bitter lyrics over really smooth music. Big fan of sparrow and Anna’s song. Didn’t like the less structured songs that were just complaining about his divorce.

I was enjoying this, but then I kind of drifted off and forgot I was listening to it. Smoky bar background music. Er, three stars, probably.

Eh it's what I expected

I really enjoyed reading about this album and the lyrics were hilarious, but not likely one I'll be putting on repeat.

Get the story. Lyrically strong, but not his best work. Agree with general critical statements. Doesn't touch his best stuff by a long way.

Interesting subject matter and sound, just nothing that would warrant a second listen to the whole thing in its entirety.

An odd choice.. I’d have gone with What’s Going On.

Pretty unique soul/rb/pop. Enjoyable but doesn’t have me coming back for more

I’ve never listened to much Marvin Gaye. I know the super famous stuff like Let’s Get It On, and I Heard It Through The Grapevine, but beyond that it think I’m somewhat clueless. I’m excited to give him a real chance today, so let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Anger, Sparrow This is a little difficult to review. I can certainly see why people love this, as he has an excellent voice, the music is good, and the narrative of a relationship breakdown is interesting. However, for some reason, the songs just didn’t really click for me personally. Despite being able to recognise the talent on this album, I still highly doubt I’d be coming back to listen to this again. If you love this album, I totally see why. But it’s just not for me.

Kinda gay hahaha But seriously, enjoyed a few songs but it did go on for a bit Fave track - When did you stop loving me

His voice and groove is undeniable, but this is the purest form of divorce core I've ever heard. Not a happy listen

Funk driving album

Ik kan dit zeker waarderen maar 5 kwartier van die aalgladde muziek is echt teveel.

Prima hoor, maar wel een beetje een medley.

There are parts of this double album where one track nicely flows into the next ("When Did You Stop Loving Me" - "Anger" - "Is That Enough" on the first side. Or, on the last one, "A Funky Space Reincarnation", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You" and "Falling In Love Again"). "Time To Get It Together" is an enticing, quite groovy cut as well. Unfortunately, everything else sounds like aimless filler to me. I get that huge fans of Marvin Gaye can feel moved by his somewhat vulnerable vocal performance, here inspired by the painful subject matter driving this whole project along. But frankly, those other songs definitely sound subpar compared to Gaye's more striking songs in his repertoire. To put it in a nutshell, here is a blatant case of a double LP that would have been far more convincing if its performer/musician had stuck to a single disc instead. And I don't think such missed opportunities can be considered as "essential". Number of albums left to review or just listen to: less than 700, I've temporarily lost count here Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: approximately a half so far Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: a quarter Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): the last quarter (including this one)

Alright, Marvin Gaye is legend. Dude has some amazing songs. But this doesn't really scratch that soul itch for me. It's late enough in the 70s that good soul has been replaced with smooth jazz. Compare this to \"Let's Get it On\" and you can hear the soul slipping away. Still... better than a kick in the balls.

Notes - Marvin gaye’s 15th album - A divorce album - Midtempo soul/funk - Marvin Gaye is another artist that I’ve heard the big hits of but never gone deeper - A lot of the writing of this album was done by improvising multiple takes until something stuck - Very personal and direct lyrics - There’s not a lot of room for subtlety here but that’s kind of a cool aspect - Performed really poorly critically and commercially compared to his other albums Fav - Anger - Fun groove and interesting melody choices OR - Is that enough - Love the vocal delivery and guitar parts, such a deep groove Least fav - When did you stop loving me (instrumental) - Less good version of the earlier instance of this song 3/5

Good

The story behind this album is pretty interesting. The bitterness comes through in a bunch of the songs. There is some really good soul/R&B with great instrumentation. There is some filler here too. Not unusal on a double album.

hatar album covern annars bra

Maldin gaye

Not his best work, although Marvin is Marvin so there are plenty great songs throughout

I enjoyed it but there wasn't any amazing tracks like on "What's Going On" for me that really really grabbed me. 3.5 down to 3 I suppose. Great stuff overall though.

At several points it stops being sexy and veers into naff. Its an era where Marvin fancied himself just a bit too much.

looked at the genius page before listening to the album, seems like a heartfelt album groovy first song funk is always great to hear the bass be hittin angaaa i think this girl might have been too possessive, might be wrong tho martin, that's more than a minute, but it's fine i'm happy waiting

"My father, he needs love" is a tough line to hear from him

Marvin Gaye can elevate any subject through sheer talent which is exactly what he does here. Incredibly boring subject matter, but because it's Marvin singing you don't mind listening.

There's a lot to take in here - a very raw album with some great grooves but not as refined or memorable as some more iconic Gaye records. Also, A Funky Space Reincarnation is a great song but feels woefully out of place with the rest of the album

Not as good as "Whats going on". I guess an album about your divorce is helpful to yourself. But I found it quite boring. The only exception was "Funky Space Reincarnation" it was the funkiest track on the album

Pretty long and boring, but good for family breakfast. 3

It was an okay album for me

its giving boy band and idk why???!!

It’s pretty good - it is Marvin Gaye after all - and obviously deeply personal. But it falls well short of Marvin Gaye at his best.

Hyvä muttei paras! 3/5

Hieno levy, vaikkei artistin parhaita. Vahva 3.

Marvin pistää menee! Ei lemppari artistilta, mut 3/5

Did people think Marvin Gaye was cheesy in 1978? I guess only the first track is kinda cheesy. It’s difficult to listen to. The rest of the songs are good just because of Marvin’s talent, but the topics are a bit depressing. A whole album about the breakdown of a marriage is a bit much after just getting engaged myself. The one good thing about this is it’s very easy listening and has none of his hits which are the only ones I’m familiar with. That’s also the downside. No songs that are really anything special or recognizable.

Mixed feelings on this one. Made for pretty good background music though.

Haven't ever gone down the Marvin Gaye rabbithole but this was funkier than I was expecting. the man has vocal chops but I didn't really expect to be shoulder-shimmying so much to an album about an acrimonious divorce. definitely going to be giving this a 2nd listen.

didn't like as much as the other album we listened to from him

Good, but not my favorite album of his.

Clearly in pain, this album was hard to listen to.

I recently listened to 'Let's get it on' so can't help but compare it to this album. I don't like Here,my dear as much. I miss the sexiness from the get it on album. This one feels more sleek, more soulful but ultimately not my thing. (Best listened to in hot weather.) Having said that, it is very good musically. There are still good songs on this. 'Anna's song' was my favourite track. Pretty solid. The rest seemed to blend into each other and didn't stand out.

I can hear the quality in his music and understand why people enjoy his music. I really like his voice and the way he build up this album, but it’s not something I would put on myself. I enjoyed it and it deserves a place in this list.

I can appreciate the talent but this is not my thing. I hate all the smooth talking bits and the music just feels sleazy to me. Probably my prejudice of the 70s!

My problem with soul is present here but it’s Marvin

This is a lot of Marvin Gaye

This is essentially a breakup album. The music is competent, but the subject matter is really limited to this one theme. 3/5

Soul

It's not really my vibe, and it was a bit much in one listen, but I can appreciate it. It's got a gentle funky vibe, and damn has he got some smoooth vocals! I think I'd appreciate it more in smaller doses. 3

True babymaker

모든 세포가 살아나는 1분55초경 애나를 향한 절규

Yes, I know that it is a "contractual obligations" album (of a sort—settlement for a failed marriage, rather than rounding up a stupid seven-album deal. But then, since the ex-spouse to-be in question was actually the big sister of Mr Gaye's record label boss, there is an overlap, no?) ...but still, and "A Funky Space Reincarnation Aside", it feels like it was phoned in from Bruges. Flip side to this is that Mr Gaye's offcuts score higher than the entire oeuvre of some of his counterparts. So...

I never got the appeal of 'break-up albums'. I get that it may be a therapeutic release for the artist, but it's really a toss-up as to whether it will translate to the listener, since every relationship and hence every break-up is a unique and personal thing. In this case, as in many others, I believe it doesn't work. So we're stuck listening to Marvin airing his grievances and pitying himself and whatnot. Do his smooth, sultry vocals and subtle, groovy instrumentation rescue the work? Somewhat. But there are already 2 excellent albums by him on this list, I think this one sorta taints the man's legacy.

Not as great as I was hoping for so 3*

It was OK. I think there are better Marvin Gaye albums.

'Is That Enough' is an absolute great song, but for the rest it meanders a bit too much for me

I mean definitely very groovy, and a very pleasant sound to have on but i feel like none of the songs really went anywhere, and weren’t very memorable high 3

This album contains some of Gaye's most personal and heartfelt lyrics. It's a shame the music is so comparatively underwhelming. Still, it's worthwhile as a snapshot of a tumultuous moment in Gaye's life and career.

Wasnt bad. Very jazzy but felt very boring and didnt bring anything new to the table. Not as great or influential as other Marvin gaye albums but at least it was listenable.

This has got to be the most mid Marvin Gaye album. While it is smooth, every song is stylistically identical which made it pretty boring to me.

bit long but overall fine

Kind of washed over me but I liked the sounds

It's a Marvin Gaye record. Good soul/R&B. Amazing voice. Social commentary. Good stuff

Far from Martin Gaye's best. 3/5

This comes across as one of the first double albums that I don't think is bad because it is a double album at all. That being said, since it was so symphonic and consistent, it did lead to it being a lot of the same in the song to song experience, which did detract from the enjoyment for me.

You can really sense the late 70s early 80s vibe of this album from production to instrumentation. This album was solidly okay.

Great and everlasting voice. Unfortunately not always the best songwriting on this album. But still a great musician!

Probably sounded quite novel when it was released. Struggled to tell songs apar.

Smooth emotional soul. Nothing too standout to me. Easy listening. This level of softness isn't right for me. Enjoyable listen but it's almost background music.

much of the same

Don't listen to Marvin Gaye that much. I am excited to dive into an artist I'm not familiar with. Excited for this one. I liked When did you stop loving me, When did I stop loving you. It was okay 4/10

Solid Marvin Gaye album. It’s classic R&B: you can’t go wrong.

Was good

Nice and chilled, great for background music

I think it's fair to say that between Marvin Gaye and Barry White, they're probably responsible for a large portion of babies around the world - indirectly. Even if you're not in the mood, you will be by the end of this record. Filth!

Wow, this album was so long. I liked some songs

Typische Marvin Gaye muziek, ook wel te klasseren als slaapkamermuziek. Leuk in z'n context, minder leuk erbuiten

Good album, just not that into the sound of it rn

Q. What does SHARK eat for breakfast? A. Children

Wow. Talk about catharsis. I was not particularly digging the first half of this two-album set. Marvin Gaye is unquestionably in a special, elite league as a vocalist. I marvel at how effortless his delivery is — though he also went for some moments of vocal strain in places on this album. But the opening five tracks were like him singing his sad diary in real time with a divorce (I later read a little about the album and that's pretty much what we're hearing). So, from an artistic, "I'm leaving everything out here on the field" perspective, this is pretty bold and probably groundbreaking when released. But I didn't find it made for a great listen, and I was thinking, "this is the kind of material you might regret having released five years after the fact." Things shifted after that with "Everybody Needs Love" and "Time To Get It Together," and I started feeling differently about the album. Still, it's a little hit and miss, "Sparrow" was a low point, but as the second half of the album wasn't so literally glued to his day-to-day airing of grievances, I thought the material was stronger. It's an uneven record, in my estimation, and the hyper-focus on his personal upheaval at the expense of songwriting on half the material makes this a three in my book.

Better than i thought it would be.

This may be sacrilege, but I'm just not wild about most 60s/70s R&B. Probably the same way my kids cringe every time I play "my" music in the car.

It was just ok. Not really distinguishable from any other r&b/soul from that era. A little disappointing actually.

Not his best work, but you can feel the talent and energy

Bitterness never sounded so sweet! It’s not my favorite Marvin Gaye album, but it’s still a Marvin Gaye album, and you can never go wrong with that.

Easy listening, not groundbreaking

25th July 2022 Listened in the morning and afternoon while in the house in Berrias. Afternoon by the river. Gaye does jazz with lovely results. 3.5 if I could.

Not bad. Seems like standard gaye stuff

Liked it, but didn't love it. Some songs were very good though. I liked Anger a lot, and Is That Enough? 3/5

Is That Enough and Anger were cool but I wasn't blown away by this. Fairly enjoyable but a little too cheesy for my taste.

Some good songs, but this feels better as background music rather than active listening. A few tracks feel unnecessary. Sparrow is a tune that oozes cool.

Liked this one, nice music to chill out to for sure. Three stars because I don't see myself listening to this album again, but respect for making an entire album complaining about your ex wife lol.

fun and groovy

this album isn't bad, it's just not for me. i'm not really into ballads, and that holds consistently across the decades. great voice, heavy lyrics, solid performances all around fave: "when did you stop loving me, when did i stop loving you". reminds me of "options" by pedro the lion. i'm sure this song is a direct influence stellar album art

Nice

It’s not the greatest Marvin Gaye but it still had some good tracks on it. Also kinda tiring since this had similar sexy vibes to the last album I got, just in different eras

- Soothing and calming. - Nothing to spectacular but it doesn't need to be also. - Brought a good message to a lot of the songs containing ideas like just loving each other in the world. - Some of the songs sounded like they were ramping up to more and just never reached it. - Good background music. - Songs were typically all good the just length of the songs made the songs worse typically. - Some songs could've been longer, and some could've been a lot shorter. - Songs became repetitive and boring as they went longer. - Overall mostly soothing and calming with a nice saxophone but also boring and not amazing. Even though most songs were to long or short and became boring it was still good music just not something I'd listen to on a daily basis. Good album though along with most songs containing a good message for the world.

Marvin sings the same about marriage breakup as he does about the state of the world and sexy time. Fine as background but got bored and put the News Quiz on.

There's a fine line between romantic and soppy... I'm not sure where this album falls. It was ok

chill, typical gaye vibe, without hits tho, enjoyable

Not my style, but super chill and good.

"Here, My Dear" is quite the left turn from Marvin Gaye's earlier work. It's framed around his divorce from first wife Anna Gordy (originally intended to be knocked out so she could claim royalties) and sees him laying his cards on the table... for 73 minutes. Right from the off (an opening line of "I guess I'll have to say this album is dedicated to you"), "Here, My Dear" is a deeply personal album for Gaye. Every song is either addressed to Gordy or shows Gaye looking inward to assess where things went wrong in his marriage. The lyrics, though, are oddly non-specific. They're vague enough to speak to just about anybody in a failing relationship, without detail, sharpness or much poeticism (who can't relate to the memories of "love after dark and picnics in parks"?) Conceptually and musically, though, this album is nothing short of compelling. Largely dismissed on release, it apparently gained a new wave of respect and praise in the wake of Gaye's tragic death in 1984. It's easy to see how people might flock to "Here, My Dear" as a misunderstood masterpiece: it's certainly more ambitious in scope than Gaye's other releases. At times, the music calls back to Gaye's classic work: "Here, My Dear" is a tender doo-wop ballad, "Falling in Love Again" regains the optimism of "Let's Get It On". At others it draws from funk and disco breaking out at the time, with the strutting urgency of "Anger" and the bloated but fun "A Funky Space Reincarnation". At others it sounds like a touchstone for the nu-soul movement of the 90s (Maxwell and D'Angelo surely pulled a lot of tricks from this book). "Everybody Needs Love" is one of my highlights: a lovely spiritual take on love which emerges as the most positive song on the record despite the bitterness eating away at its core. If "Here, My Dear" doesn't hit straight away, it's down to the sheer volume of material: great as it is, three versions of "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" is surely not necessary. Most tracks are over five minutes and many don't need to be so long. As self-critical as Gaye is here, it's also a shame that Gordy's version of events will never be enshrined like this. A quick internet search is enough to reveal Gaye's adulterous and abusive tendencies, somewhat undermining the peaceful messages espoused in this record. I might not have been particularly engaged by this album at first, but even with the above reservations taken into account, many of these songs have the grace and craft to transcend the ugly and bitter circumstances they arose from.

I feel like I was transported to an elevator; a sexy, sexy elevator.

solid 3 or 4. its smooth but a little forgettable. i'm in a pretty low stress place though.

La musica e il sound sono belli e intriganti, la voce molto suadente, calda e bella. Manca qualcosa però.

Not bad. Interesting backstory, but less interesting music.

Not the best of Marvin but enjoyed it!

ha! gaye!

I did not know of this album before. It is something. Sometimes you hear a work is "intensely personal" but this is more like "uncomfortably personal" or even "embarrassingly personal." It was hard to get over the shock at first. All I could hear was a Troy McClure-type voice announcing, "Including such divorce classics as, 'When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You?' 'Anger' and 'You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You.'" Could this be real? Has the word "please" ever been rhymed with "attorney fees" in any other song? And let's throw in a sci-fi love song in the middle there for good measure. It's funny, though, that when I had it playing a second time and wasn't paying attention to the lyrics about violating marriage vows, weaponizing child custody, and such, I found that I liked a lot of the music and found it pretty engaging. I liked "When Did You Stop Loving Me" (the instrumental is nice), "Anger," "Is That Enough," "Time to Get it Together"...and well, "A Funky Space Reincarnation" is a pretty amazing piece of work all the way around. That's a pretty good chunk of the album where I really liked the music. I definitely understand why this was an album to hear, and I've gone through a few stages in my appreciation of it (or fascination with it). Whatever rating I end up giving it isn't going to feel quite right.

I didn't really connect to this album. The music was listenable, and there was a theme running through giving a focused experience. Nonetheless, it was easy for me to detach during the listen because the theme was not appealing to me, I guess.

This one was interesting. Definitely benefits a lot from the context of the album and surrounding circumstances.

nije mi ovo njegovo najbolje izdanje

Kuhanje juhe sa noklicama, vani puše jebački vjetar, g točka vino fino izloženo na kuhinjskom stolu. Taman za ovaj album, samo je problem kaj sam sam. 3.5. Is That Enough je jebena stvar.

Have long known the story behind the album. Knew less about the post-script but it's nice that they eventually got along. It's a lot better than I had been led to believe, even as it leans slightly into being a more 1980s sounding soul album. I was under the assumption that it was a much-panned album but looks like has been re-appraised in recent years. Too long though, and the songs are generally too long as well. Would have been better as a single rather than a double.

3/5 for me, this one. Leans pretty heavily into the breakup theme, gets a little wearing after an hour and a quarter. Irritated me that he had three versions of the same song, too. But, it's beautiful, soulful singing with a shitload of emotion. A pleasant listen that is gentle from a pure musical perspective, but harder work from an emotional perspective. I think we'll have better Marvin Gaye albums to come.

Soul. Se me ha hecho bola. Pero bueno, ni fu ni fa.

Seems meandering on the first listen

Smooth

The concept is better than the execution of the album. The songs are tragic and heartbreaking at times, but I struggled to stay invested in the story throughout the whole album. Perhaps it simply needs more listens, and I definitely see myself coming back to this album because it was still a pretty nice listen. 6/10

Nice enough for my first Gaye album. The sort of thing my wife and I could probably listen to together.

Slick. Great voice. 7/10

need to relisten

This is painful. Right from the title, which is what Gaye said to his wife when turning over the agreed upon 50% of the royalties of this album which was negotiated to end the divorce proceedings she brought against him. He'd fallen behind on child support and his spending habits and the long legal proceedings left him broke. Oh yeah, that wife was also the sister of Motown / TAMLA records executive Berry Gordy. Marvin Gaye is a tough listen, his vocal range is spot on. The smooth R&B sound he evolved into from his earlier Northern Soul fame lost some fans as well. Combining the hard R&B and the personal lyrics make this a heart rendingly good album. 3.5/5.

Songs were okay but nothing special for me an average album

Jamais écouter, je connais seulement lets get it on pis what going on de cover. C'etait bon, je devrais essayer d'écouter plus de musique de ce genre

Decent background music. Smooth jazz

Smooth. My top pick is the semi-instrumental of 'When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You' - some great sax

Beautiful album, great voice

Break up albums are usually a massive red flag for me. Only a 'being famous is weally weally hard' album is more of a warning. However, this album does something new with the form (I'd previously thought the Weeknd had started this trend, but was 35 years late!) It is icy, spooky soul music. Rather than comforting, it creeps you out. It's not perfect, without any real hooks, it is a disconcerting experience, and I got tired towards the end of it. But it was a new one on me, and one that tried something new, fairly effectively.

One of the worst album covers ever it has to be said. This definitely feels like Marvin was trying to stick it to the corporate guys and put out an album that contained absolutely zero potential chart hits. It was OK to listen to in the background.

The music and the vocals are pretty good, but the album is too long, so it gets repetitive.

3.6 + Good but kind of a slog. It’s definitely ballsy for Marvin Gaye to have themed an album around his divorce - don’t know of other artists who’ve done that. The same sumptuous arrangements and buttery vocals are here. Songs like “Anger” give a window into his complex emotional state. Despite these strengths, this record is too far deep into his discography for my taste.

More sad than horny

Overall, this album (and Marvin Gaye's music in general) sounds a bit too sleazy for my taste. I did enjoy the more funky tracks, though.

I'm don't have much to say about this album. It's fun, but this "romantic funky" R&B is not exactly a style that I love. The Wikipedia page about the album is worth it because the album's background is pretty more interesting than the album itself.

Let's feel each other's ass and razzmatazz 😉

Smooth as silk crème. Top tracks: when did I stop loving you, when did you stop loving me, Here, my dear,

Mellow music with undercurrent of anger. MG is always smooth, but goddamn his music is just the definition of same-ness.

Meget livsnydelse igen ;)

Fløde. Lidt ensidigt. Lange numre. Meget uh, yeah, ah, baby

6/10

Not my favorite MG wax but is ok.

Slower, mood music. Time and place for it. Let's "Marvin Gaye and get it on" as the kids say

I've suggested a few times that Dua Lipa is the Marvin Gaye of our times. This needed a little more of that half melted chocolate ooze.

same jam over and over

Did you also feel like touching your penis?

Sense estar a l'alçada dels seus millors moments, 'Here, My Dear', un altre d'aquells discos de separació històrics, sobreviu millor el temps del que la seva fama presuposa. Soul suau, punyent, melangiós, taciturn en ocasions, suggestiu en unes altres. Molt llarg i s'ha d'estar en disposició adequada a la seva escolta, però si tot conflueix, resulta en una estona memorable

It was aite, some of the songs dragged on

i feel like if i were to describe romance as a sound, the start of this album would come close. some songs on it are more jazz/ funky but they arent executed as well

not as smooth as his previous albums

It’s a decent album. Funky.

I liked it. Thought it was great sound. Background music that you dont need to pay too much attention to in order to understand. Liked the added funk of it all.

Enjoyable, but probably needs another listen to get full appreciation. Many songs seemed very similar. Really enjoyed “A Funky Space Reincarnstion”.

The Album was a concept about his failed marriage. Sorry about that... (5/10) FT: When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You

So, this wasn't what I expected. I had read about this great \"divorce settlement\" album, that was supposedly a lost masterpiece. Often, I find that wreaks of hipster-obscurantism (cf. the Beach Boys's Vegetables), where \"unrecognised masterpiece\" often equates to self-indulgent, un-edited piffle from a flailing artiste. So, my expectations for Marvin Gaye's double album commercial and (contemporaneously) critical flop, meditating on his divorce would be... flabby, self-indulgent and painful. But, surprisingly, while it has aspects of all those attributes, it does stand up. It is a largely mid-tempo funk/soul album, with touches of disco (unsurprisingly for the era). It is unhurried, with extended soloing (including some, ahem, marginally competent keyboard solos from Mr Gaye himself), but well recorded, with some great playing from his backing band (uncredited. Who ARE they? LA based Motown regulars?). It is certainly not a phoned-in contractual obligation album (Van Morrison could learn a lesson from this). I could see myself listening to this again. It's not \"What's going on?\", but a pretty solid album from a great artist. For once, the hipster revisionism has, actually, winnowed some grain from the chaff. (The one song that is really out of place was the single, \"A Funky Space Reincarnation\",, which is delightfully bonkers.)

i don't care how good the music is, it's fucking sad for you if you're out here writing love songs about your now-ended marriage, to fulfill a contractual obligation to your ex-wife, while you're already remarried. holy shit dude call a shrink or something, i'm gonna listen to one of the other 15 marvin gaye albums

Ja goed maar niet wow

It's 1978, and Marvin Gaye is BACK! After the thoughtful "What's Going On?" and the sexual "Let's Get It On", Gaye gives us the buttersweet "Here, My Dear". It's a divorce album. Funny side note, we're having a bit of a year for divorce albums. Country star Kacey Musgraves, R&B megahit Adele, uh....Kanye West went through a divorce. But he never went made Donda a divorce album. It doesn't matter, the point is that there's a wide array of emotions to explore on a divorce album. Definitively different from a mere breakup album because they're more "adult" for a lack of better words. There's legality involved! There's lawyers for this sort of thing! It's serious stuff. Marvin Gaye is doing the thing he does best on this album: reflection. He wants to explore every emotion, every moment, every facet of his divorce to delivery a truly multi-dimensional album. It's also a double album, so you're getting many dimensions whether you like it or not. It's a pretty mellow album. You get some funky danceable stuff in there, but a lot of it is musing on a topic for about 5 minutes at a time, which might overstay it's welcome a bit. When Marvin Gaye muses, he really stays musing for a while. Specifically the song "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You", already 6 minutes long, gets an instrumental reprise (that's not really all that instrumental) to close out side 3 and then pops up again as a reprise (though only 40 seconds long) to close the album. Man up a lot of stock into that song, huh? It's good. It's not his best, but it's certainly never bad. Of the double albums on this list though, I think this might be one of the weaker ones (but nothing will ever be worse than Space Ritual).

Thought this would be better.

Pretty good

ehhhhh. ZZZZzzzzzzz. ehhhhh 2.6. I enjoy a little more upbeat Marvin

There are some really good tracks here but too much weird stuff for me.

Like a companion piece to What's going on - perhaps a bit dated for 1978? Pleasant musically, painful lyrically. A small number of "essential" tracks. A low 3 out of 5

Soulful and smoother than smooth. Perhaps too smooth at times? Anyhow, this is excellent, quiet storm, late night music.

soulful and funky. good stuff

6/10. A good listen, good vibes, though the songs sound the same and gets a bit repetitive

Refreshing country music...worth a listen

I haven’t heard a lot of Marvin other than “What’s Going On” but this is another great album. I am more likely to listen to more of his stuff. I really like the sax and keys through this album.

Other than the 4 kids I conceived in the last 24 hours listening to this album I could go the rest of my life and not listen to Marvin Gaye again

Smooth, sounds like what you expect from Marvin Gaye, 7/10

Yeah fine. Couple of nice moments

I like Marvin Gaye but I'm not a fan of this album.

Not really my thing. Good for late evening, winding down, drinking scotch. It's def got its place.

I was not familiar with any of the songs, but I don't have any kids so that makes sense.

it was okay. kind of boring and weird ?

C'était ultra sexuel, de souvenir.

Interesting album by Marvin Gaye. An acrimonious divorce leads to some soulful and painfully honest songs.

Liquid smooth. Some real low stakes stuff from Marvin here. Takes care of his business at walking pace. At once admirable but just didn’t get me up outta my seat. Doesn’t hit the lofty heights of What’s Going On for my milky dollar. This album probably deserves a more thoughtful response. What can I say? 1001albums, you’ve created a monster. And that monster is me.

false

eh

Alright Marvin, let’s see what you’ve got. Oh wow, this is smooth. It all just sounds so easy, riding those grooves. Then listening to it with the above info (that this was recorded in the wake of a messy divorce) you can actually hear the heartbreak, the questions, the reflections in the lyrics. I liked it. Not so convinced by the artwork, though.

In the past, me and Marv have not got along (barring a very obvious song or two) but this may have turned the tables. Maybe it's the bit of knowledge I have about the album's creation myth*, maybe it's just that it's beautifully lazy in the kind of way that makes it sound like Gaye's guard is really down. Either way, I boogied. *As I understand it, Gaye was getting divorced and his wife was due a lot of future album royalties, so he set out to make the worst album he could, preparing next to nothing, in the hope the album would flop. However, when he got into the studio he couldn't stop himself making great music. Moral of the story no one needed: by and large, great musicians are A-holes.

fabuleux quel dommage que monsieur se soit cru plus malin que tout le monde a faire un album de 37h

Liked this album…. Another easy listening

I've been enjoying the soul music on the list, It's not a genre I'd heard much before. This one isn't as good as the Isaac Hayes though

As with everyone, definitely looked forward to this. As this is only the 3rd full album that I'm reviewing on here, I'm starting to see how hard it is to rate fairly with only 24 hours. As always, those sexy vibes flow through this album, wah wahing away in the first and title track. I like the vibe of this album (as with most Marvin) but I'm going to have to give a middle 3 here as I haven't listened to it enough really. Feel like I'll regret this in the future but this is the harsh reality of the daily ratings.

false

It grew on me as I listened to it (3 times).

Grand

Definitely the best of R&B . But wished the album was one with a few of his greatest hits🎼 “What’s Going On, Sexual Healing, I heard it through the 🍇” and about 10 more. Album generator missed the mark again. Marvin Gaye lives on through his words of love and living! “Ain’t nothing Like the Real Thing!”

Not one I've heard before and I enjoyed it. Not a patch on What's Going On but then, what is?

Not bad, forgot it was on at times but not bad.

It's not often that I rlly want to listen to a 73 minute album about divorce. Sounded okay but got pretty repetitive. 5/10

It was a solid album, but I feel like as his 15th studio album, it wasn't as innovative as some of his older stuff. I also found the song "I Met a Little Girl" problematic.

Obvi a great musician, but this album was very monotone and super long!

Buena voz de artista americano. Cierto toque blues. Para los muy entusiastas del género. He notado un estilo muy definido, pero un tanto monótono. No es mi estilo

7

Entretenido. No es mi estilo de música pero suena muy bien y como melodia de fondo es genial.

Only liked some songs

pretty groovy, however was kinda depressing

3 düdelt wsl immer noch vor sich hin

Hier stehe ich wieder vor dem selben Problem: ich steh nicht auf Soul. Eigentlich sprechen mich wenige Genres an, die nicht ein leichtes Bluten im Gehörgang auslösen. Nichtsdestotrotz war ich natürlich so happy, dieses Album anzuhören. Ein Album, das man nicht nebenzu hören kann, da es keinerlei Unterschied zwischen den Songs gibt. Immer dieselbe rauchige Stimmung. Wäre ich Vanilla, wärs sicherlich was für sexy times, aber leider nein. Trotzdem sicherlich ein solides Album. Höre ich mir trotzdem nicht mehr an.

Pretty good, not his best though.

It was okay. Better than most of the other albums we’ve heard.

It's a good album, not my favorite type of music, but quality stuff for sure. 3 stars.

Brutally honest lyrics and packaging that leaves little confusion about *exactly* what this album is about. I have no doubt repeated listens would draw out more details, but a double-album worth of mid-tempo R&B started to overstay its welcome for me.

It was aight, not my style, but appreciate the music.

No song really grabbed me, but it was nice and smooth

My man Marvin needs to sort out his love life, the first half of the album felt like he was just whinging about marriage. Second half was more fun and sax filled, loved the Funky Space Reincarnation. Album cover is pretty suspect too

Enjoyed parts, music is good but an hour and half of Marvin complaining about his ex wife was just too much

6

It was fine. It's Marvin Gaye, so it's always enjoyable. Interesting to read that he was going through a divorce at the time. The music is more dark because of it. But it was certainly good.

he's got a great voice but wanted some more funk or drums in there. got bored quickly.

hard from start to finish

At first I wasn't that bothered by this, but it got better.

erinnert mich an Debbie Mama sagt live klingt es vermutlich besser

Needs another listen

Ihan kunneltavaa kamaa ja ukko osaa laulaa

Klart är att Marvin Gaye förtjänar sin plats på denna listan.

I am Gay for Gaye

Smooth and sexy, but not terribly remarkable. Might go back.

Not my thing

Ok. Not great, not bad

Connor: not quite as strong as "What's Going On?", but a few decent grooves. I particularly like the song *Anger*, but overall this genre isn't my favourite

After listening to this album, I'm convinced the critics and the audience got it right when it came out. It is a fairly meh album. Not bad, but not great either. I'm not convinced it is essential to anyone's listening experience. Marvin has a great voice but HERE, MY DEAR is way too long and the song arrangements and the endless navel gazing of the subject matter make it a tedious experience than doesn't seem all that revelatory. This is post death acclaim that doesn't deserve it.

Eh, I'm not convinced. Goes on for too long with the same subject matter and similar enough instrumentation to my ears that I couldn't really get into it. As far as divorced dad music goes, I'll stick to Creed and Nickelback.

A 74-minute album about Marvin Gaye’s divorce from Anna Gordy is a bit much. I can appreciate turning something that personal and ugly into music, but by the end I felt like I’d accidentally been copied on 14 months of correspondence between their divorce attorneys. There are moments where the bitterness makes for interesting songwriting but there’s only so much resentment, money fighting, and relationship autopsy I need in one sitting. Musically, a lot of it settles into the same laid-back groove too, which makes 74 minutes feel even longer. What’s Going On was incredible, so I know how good Marvin Gaye can be when everything comes together. Coincidentally, Anna Gordy has a songwriting credit on that album. This one is certainly more personal, but personal doesn’t automatically mean interesting for an hour and fourteen minutes.

I found this quite dull actually. I’ve been familiar with What’s Goin’ On for years but never heard any other Marvin Gaye albums. This never seemed to really get going. Everything is played excellently, but none of the songs stood out. I’m sure it would benefit from more listens, but then so could a lot of albums on this list. I was erring on 3, but I’m going 2. A high 2, but still a 2.

meh

Marvin evidently has a lot of feelings about his divorce, and from my perspective, it's just straight up groveling for over an hour. Since the theme doesn't change at all from song to song, it begins to feel quite a bit one-note. Like, we get it, you're upset your wife left you and you can't (or won't) understand why, where did the love go, et cetera et cetera. Usually I like Marvin Gaye too, so this was a bit of a letdown. 2.5/5 Favorite tracks: Time To Get It Together, You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You

Ich werde mit Soul nicht warm. Schon gar nicht, wenn das so ein furchtbares Rumgesülze ist. Die instrumentalen und funkigen Parts sind okay.

Fast nerviger Wiederholungsbeat der 70er. Es wäre Zeit für einen Stilwechsel gewesen. Die hat der selbstverliebte Interpret verpasst.

Nothing special to me except for a couple of songs; sorry.

This was very long, checked how far I was through after a few tracks and it was not very far at all. After I checked the tracks seemed to get longer and longer, until I was checking multiple times to confirm it was indeed the same song. Bad sign I was so aware of this. Felt like that level of experimentation some very famous popular artists do at the point they think everything they do is amazing. Meandering, not very interesting. Not a Marvin fan by any means but I can appreciate why people like him, and none of what that is seemed to be on show here. So yeah, not for me and not very good. 1.5.

Not for me Marvin, although I did learn that he was killed by his father, who was also called Marvin Gaye, so there is that. It's not bad butt any means, just not for me. Very long too 1.5

Music for smashing, that's about it. Otherwise, it's pretty boring stuff.

Not prime Marvin by any means. A bit self indulgent and lacking in truly memorable songs.