The Very Best of Marvin Gaye [Motown 2001]

by Marvin Gaye

Overview

Frankly, there are enough different Marvin Gaye best-of compilations that are on the market, or have been on the market, that fans should be forgiven if they couldn't quite muster a great deal of enthusiasm for yet another one at the time of this release. On its own terms, this double disc is a very good survey of Gaye's most popular songs, starting with his first hit single in the early 1960s ("Stubborn Kind of Fellow") and going all the way up to "Sexual Healing," also including his big duet hits with Tammi Terrell. It's a good starting point for those who want a little more than a standard single-disc Gaye best-of, or one that spans his entire career instead of just some of it. Nevertheless, the 1995 Anthology release is a better deal from every standpoint, including more songs (47 to The Very Best Of's 34). It also has some good early hits that do not appear on The Very Best Of, such as "One More Heartache," "Try It Baby," and "Baby Don't You Do It," not to mention his 1964 duet hit with Mary Wells, "What's the Matter With You Baby" (though it doesn't have "Sexual Healing"). Those that are willing to spend just a little more time or money on their purchase should consider alternatives, whether Anthology or the more comprehensive The Master box set. Of course, there's always a catch that might cause dedicated fans to hesitate passing this by entirely, namely two rare tracks. One's a previously unreleased stereo mix of the spiritual "His Eye Is on the Sparrow." The other, more interesting find is the previously unreleased 1972 track "Where Are We Going?," a fair but not great track in the same vein as material from the What's Going On album, but poppier; the song was also done by Donald Byrd on his Black Byrd record. ~ Richie Unterberger

Product Details

Release Date:	07/17/2001
Label:	Hip-O / Motown / Universal
UPC:	0044001436727
Rank:	48182

Tracks

Disc 1

1. Stubborn Kind of Fellow
2. Hitch Hike
3. Pride and Joy
4. Can I Get a Witness
5. You're a Wonderful One
6. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)
7. I'll Be Doggone
8. Ain't That Peculiar
9. It Takes Two
10. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
11. Your Precious Love
12. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You
13. Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
14. You're All I Need to Get By
15. You
16. I Heard It Through the Grapevine
17. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby
18. That's the Way Love Is
19. His Eye Is on the Sparrow

Disc 2

20. What's Going On
21. Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)
22. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
23. You're the Man, Pts. 1-2
24. Where Are We Going?
25. Trouble Man
26. Let's Get It On
27. Come Get to This
28. Distant Lover
29. I Want You
30. Got to Give It Up
31. Anger
32. Ego Trippin Out
33. Praise
34. Sexual Healing

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Marvin Gaye   Primary Artist
Kim Weston   Primary Artist
The Vandellas   Primary Artist
Tammi Terrell   Primary Artist
Diana Ross   Primary Artist
Mary Wells   Primary Artist
Rene Hall   Conductor
Gene Page   Conductor
Paul Riser   Conductor
David Van De Pitte   Conductor
Wade Marcus   Conductor

Technical Credits

Delta Ashby   Composer
Robert Gordy   Composer
Leon Ware   Composer
Valerie Simpson   Composer
Robert Rogers   Composer
Warren "Pete" Moore   Composer
Marvin Gaye   Composer
Jeffrey Bowen   Composer
Vernon Bullock   Composer
Odell Brown   Composer
Renaldo Benson   Composer
Al Cleveland   Composer
Brian Holland   Composer
George Gordy   Composer
Norman Whitfield   Composer
Sandra Greene   Composer
Kenny Stover   Composer
Ivory Joe Hunter   Composer
Ishmael Butler   Composer
Gloria Jones   Composer
James Nyx   Composer
David Ritz   Composer
Johnny Bristol   Composer
Smokey Robinson   Composer
Marilyn McLeod   Composer
Marvin Tarplin   Composer
Mary Ann Vieira   Composer
Nickolas Ashford   Composer
Arthur Ross   Composer
Mel Bolton   Composer
Delores Wilkinson   Composer
Frank Wilson   Composer
James Nyx, Jr.   Composer
Ezra Bolton   Composer
Jack Coga   Composer
Edward Gordon   Composer
Fuller B. Gordy   Composer
Kenneth Stover   Composer
Gwen Gordy Fuqua   Composer
Sandra Elaine Greene   Composer
Traditional   Composer
Terry Johnson   Composer
Sylvia May   Composer
Pam Sawyer   Composer
Berry Gordy, Jr.   Composer
Sylvia Moy   Composer
Ivy Jo Hunter   Composer
Craig Irving   Composer
Jack Goga   Composer
Lamont Dozier   Composer
Clarence Paul   Composer
Barney Ales   Composer
Barrett Strong   Composer
Larry Mizell   Composer
Gwen Fuqua   Composer
Anna Gordy Gaye   Composer
Maurice King   Arranger,Orchestration
Harvey Fuqua   Composer
Marcus Gordon   Composer
William "Mickey" Stevenson   Composer
William Robinson   Composer
Warren Moore   Composer
Ed Townsend   Composer
Elgie Stover   Composer
Eddie Holland   Composer
Janie Bradford   Composer
Edward Townsend   Composer
Ronald White   Composer