Marvin Gaye - Collected (MOVLP1818) 2 LP Set

Motown Records released the first Marvin Gaye record in 1961 "(I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over", a single intended for (radio) promotion from the singer's debut album. This was followed up by the officially released "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide" a week later. Gaye scored his first real hit with "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" in 1962, which he had co-written himself, joking about his alleged stubbornness. He found his own unique style with the single released at the end of the year: "Hitch Hike". The foundations were now laid for an enormous series of chart successes: "Pride And Joy", "Can I Get A Witness", "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)" and "Ain't That Peculiar" are all Motown classics from 1963-1965 which are still being regularly played today after all these years. The duets he recorded with Kim Weston ("It Takes Two") and especially Tammi Terrell were certainly at least as good.

He scored his biggest ever hit with "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" in 1968. "What's Going On" from the same titled album became a number 1 hit in the USA and the album was received as a masterpiece everywhere and is now regarded as one of the most important records in pop history. In 1973, the artistically and commercially very successful, "Let's Get It On" album was mainly a musical ode to Marvin's love for his new muse Janis Hunter. The success enjoyed by "Sexual Healing" and the album which was released at the end of 1982, travelled with him. Suddenly Gaye, who had started to increasingly be forgotten about, was a celebrated star again and this was certainly a position the singer revelled in.

1. (I'm Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over
2. Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide
3. Hitch Hike
4. Pride And Joy
5. Can I Get A Witness
6. Once Upon A Time
7. Stubborn Kind Of Fellow
8. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
9. It Takes Two
10. I'll Be Doggone
11. Ain't That Peculiar
12. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
13. I Heard It Through The Grapevine
14. Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing
15. You're All I Need To Get By
16. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
17. What's Going On
18. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
19. Inner City Blue (Make Me Wanna Holler)
20. Trouble Man
21. Let's Get It On
22. You Are Everything
23. Distant Lover
24. I Want You
25. Got To Give Up
26. Heavy Love Affair
27. Sexual Healing
28. Sanctified Lady