Marvin Gaye: Moods Of Marvin Gaye - 1966
This would be Marvin Gaye's last album on his own, with no duet partner, for two years. He started his (comparative) sabbatical on a high, though, as there is some fine material on here. All in wonderful stereo too.
I'll Be Doggone is an uptempo Smokey Robinson number enhanced by Marv Tarplin's unique guitar sound. Indeed, Robinson later said that he exclaimed "I'll be doggone" when hearing one of his riffs. He duly created a catchy song around it. It is one of Marvin's Gaye's most infectious earlier hits. It got to number one of the r 'n' b charts, deservedly so too.
Marvin returned to Holland-Dozier-Holland instead of Smokey Robinson for the lively, catchy pop of Little Darling (I Need You). It has those loud female backing vocals that typified many Northern Soul hits. Charting averagely, it is enjoyable and nicely saxophone-enhanced but it lacks a certain special quality.
Marvin was back with Smokey Robinson again on Take This Heart Of Mine. It is another lively little number with that intrinsic Smokey boppiness. The song has a slightly punchier alternative mix but neither were hits. Compared to the success of The Four Tops and The Supremes, however, Marvin remained mystifyingly unsuccessful (comparatively). He didn't get taken on the multi-artist Motown tours of the UK, much to his disappointment. Marvin's time would come, it just wasn't quite yet. Amazing to think that at this time he was Motown 2nd division, though, isn't it?
Hey Diddle Diddle is a Gaye-penned number that is also uptempo and attractive. Gaye would not release another solo single (not a duet) for over a year, however. One More Heartache is an excellent, uptempo Marvin Gaye song, enhanced by some fine saxophone mid-song, it kicks groovy ass from the outset. Written by Smokey Robinson, it is a rhythmic cousin to his Ain't That Peculiar, also a hit for Gaye and coming right up....
After the comparative failure of self-penned Pretty Little Baby (included as an extra track on this album), Marvin turned to I'll Be Doggone composer Smokey Robinson once more and scored a hit with the pretty damn irresistible, bubbly and bouncy Ain't That Peculiar. Southside Johnny covered the song on his 1988 solo album, Slow Dance. This and I'll Be Doggone made for two absolute killer singles, didn't they? One More Heartache wasn't far behind either.
Marvin always liked a late-night crooner and he delivers one here on Night Life, a number that starts off as an atmospheric torch song but also has a huge, brassy chorus and blaring saxophone solo. I actually prefer the smokey, quieter passages, as the louder bits come over a tad incongruous. You've Been A Long Time Coming is a Holland-Dozier-Holland ballad with sumptuously deep bassline and Marvin's unique tenor and falsetto vocals soaring high above the melody.
Your Unchanging Love was very similar to How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You), particularly on the piano lines. Berry Gordy chose this over I Heard It Through The Grapevine in a Motown quality control meeting, unbelievably. Good old Berry, huh? He had history for that sort of thing. It is a good song, though, I have to admit.
You're the One For Me is a ballad, but one with a muscular, bass backing, something I always like. I Worry 'Bout You is classic supper club crooning fare, ladies and gentlemen, as indeed is the cover of Frank Sinatra's One For My Baby (And One More For The Road). Marvin loved doing this sort of thing and you can tell. It makes for a nice variety on the album.
Here are the extra tracks -
When I Had Your Love has a distinctive, Chinese-influenced keyboard riff that is almost clichéd. Why the Chinese thing is not clear. What is obvious, though, is it is an attractive Robinson song once more. This, and its 'a' side One More Heartache were another excellent pair of songs. Neither are that well-known anymore these days, so they qualify as hidden gems in my book.
Pretty Little Baby started life as a Christmas song, Purple Snowflakes. Marvin Gaye re-arranged it most attractively. It has a mature-sounding melody to it. I'll Take Care Of You sounds like an early/mid-sixties song. It didn't appear anywhere else apart from as the 'b' side to Unchanging Love.
