Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It on

Marvin Gaye's 1973 album, Let's Get It On, is a marvel of sexual blandishment every bit the artistic equal of, say, John Donne's best seduction poems. The difference, though, is that the poetry here isn't in the verse--which gets a trifle clichéd--but in the supple pulse of the grooves and in the aching need of Gaye's sensual voice. The marvelous title track, a No. 1 hit, riffs on the earlier hook of Gaye's "What's Going On" to reach a more primal climax, and everything else here--a steamy swirl of sax, strings, and backing voices--is sexy, beautiful, and simply sublime. --David Cantwell Amazon.com

Let's Get It On!

After the amazing 1971 album "What's Going On" where Marvin focused on the problems in society and trying to find relief by gospel inspired songs about faith and spirituality, He defenitely changed direction with the successor "Let's Get It On" which is a seductive and lustful plea to make love, incase the album title wasn't straight forward enough. It's infact completely diffrent from "What's Going On" and that is also the beauty of it. Instead of stomping on the same ground, Marvin creates the most seductive album in history, Prince, Keith Sweat and R. Kelly are excused but this album takes the price. From song 1-8 and all way through the album we have the same concept of brilliant and truly unforgettable romantic and sexual love songs.

The original plan was the record an album with simular message to "What's Going On", Marvin made the sountrack to the film "Trouble Man" but wanted to make another political album right after. Some songs had been recorded for a new album but it went slow and dropping a great sequal to an award winning album was difficult. A man called Kenny Stover wrote a politican song called "Let's Get It On" but when Gaye's songwriting partner Ed Townsend heard he thought it would be better suited for a love song between a man and woman "getting it on" and he and Marvin re-wrote the lyrics. Poor Stover never got songwriting credits, but this was the start for a groundbrealking concept album about love, sensuality and romance. The title track peaked at #1 on the pop charts and the album became the most selling in the history of Motown, at this point. Let's take a closer look at the songs.

It all starts with the title track, which is a plea for sexual liberation. Coming from a strict religious home where his father was a pastor and back in the early 70's when this album was released, it wasn't as obvious as it may be today to release such song, Infact there weren't many songs as daring and straightforward as "Let's Get It On" on radio in 1973. And in my oppinion this is the ultimate love theme. The passion and energy that Marvin delivers on this song is second to none and it's a wonderful song aswell. "Please Stay (Don't Go Away)" is another touching song full of emotion where Marvin pleas to a woman to stay after spending a romantic night together. A beautiful romantic ballad called "If I Should Die Tonight" probably takes the price for emotion. On the hook he sings "If I should die tonight love Darlin'/ though it be far before my time/ I won't die blue/ 'Cause I've known you". "Keep Gettin' It On" which is a sequel to the title track is next up. It features the same music and same theme, just some diffrent lyrics. The first 4 songs were part of side 1 that were written and produced by Gaye and Townsend.

Side 2 was produced by Gaye and have slower songs with diffrent arrangements and less energy but still with a lot of sensuality and romance. "Come Get to This" the second single of the album deals with the return of an old love. It reached #21 on the pop charts and feature a funky band backing him. On "Distant Lover" the theme is the reverse, Marvin calling out for a lover that is miles away leaving him with emptyness and pain. Some say it was a tribute to his friend and singing partner Tammi Terrell that died in 1970. This is the slowest song of the album starting with a slow falsetto singing and ending with emotional wail. The next song is the most straightforward and sexual. "You Sure Love to Ball" is no typo, that's the original title. The song deals with a man that dedicates all his time for his lover. The dreamy arrangements here perfectly match the seductive singing and lyrics which is tender pillow talk. The last song "Just to Keep You Satisfied" is also very slow but also sad. It was written several years prior by him and his wife Anna Gordy and recorded for other artists as a dedication from a caring husband to his wife. But when Marvin re-recorded it his marriage with Gordy was going towards the end so he changed the arrangements making it more somber and depressing.

Overall, This is a classic album. Not only that it was recorded by a legendary singer but also cause it's a wonderful concept album promoting love, sensuality and emotion. The themes and straight forward lyrics were ahead of it's time when it came out in 1973, making it a remarkable album to look back at over 30 years later. But it's also an album about liberation, from family and from a strict society. Marvin fulfilled that, but it would eventually be the argument of his secular lifestyle that started the brawl with his father in 1984 that led to his death. However, as far as this album goes and the emotion and energy in his muic he's still very much alive today. Often emulated, never imitated. Classic.


August 17, 2007

Hugely disappointing followup to What's Going On

After Marvin released a visionary, transcendent, lovely R&B masterpiece with What's Going On, an album that touched on every issue you could imagine, Marvin turned from Motown's resident seer to Pervo Deluxe, cranking out an entire album that's about one thing, and it's sure not the world and its ills. And there's more padding here than in the asylum I've had to call home ever since the dread Ice Cream Social incident (which I'd explain if it weren't for that government man over there with the suitcase of Franklins telling me I hush up about it) - the songs are all quite similar, musically and lyrically. There's even a reprise of the title song, called Keep Gettin' it On, that's not welcome at all.
Now this is still Marvin Gaye, and he still can make some very good songs - the best of course being the title track: solid drumming, great overdubbed vocals, subtle strings... classic song. So is Come Get to This, nice sax part even if the beat is a bit wearing. While I prefer the live version, this take on the aching Distant Lover's no slouch either, and as far as sex jams go they don't get much better than You Sure Love to Ball. The three songs I have yet to bring up - If I Should Die Tonight, Just to Keep You Satisfied, Please Stay (Once You've Gone Away) are just sheer fillers, nothing else. And no Funk Brothers? That's a problem.
Let's Get It On is an okay album, but I prefer his more personal works (What's Going On; Here My Dear) hugely. June 27, 2007

Marvin the Prophet of Romance...

What can be said about "Lets get it on." The word Masterpiece, is far overused when describing many cd's of yesteryear. Yet, soon after dropping the awe inspiring & inspirational masterpiece "whats going on". Marvin came back out with yet another jewel...Im 27, so at no time will I act as if I was there when either albums were first released. But what will be said, is that through my most trying times of heart break, feelings of lose, and the weight of the world on my shoulders. Marvins music has gotten me thru. From the first cut of "lets get it on," past the rugged bluesy "If I should die tonight" way past "Distant Lover." "Lets..." Doesnt fail to motivate you into something. Even if that something, is just laying back, and embracing lifes irony. Id suggest that you purchase this one, just for "distant lover" and "Just to keep you satisfied" Where over a haunting beat, marvin does what he does, and wrenches every line from the depths of his soul, to tell the story of heartbreak.....At best, Marvin Gaye can be looked toward for all your romantic needs on this one. He'll help you get a woman in bed, by whispering how the lord wanted yall to "get it on" And he'll be there, once that young lady opts to get it on with another-thru "Distant lover"......Buy it now! April 3, 2007

Legendary sensual grooves from a music icon revisited. (3.5 stars)

The day I bought this album, I ran into a friend at the record store and I asked her whether or not she had ever heard it, and what she thought. She replied, "It's o.k.". I thought surely she must be missing something, but after listening to this album for over a year, I pretty much feel the same way. There are certain things that I really appreciate about Marvin Gaye--mainly the fact that he is a stellar vocalist with a unique gift that often makes his interpretations of material especially moving. Also, at times he can be an absolutely brilliant composer ("Trouble Man" with it's huge shifts in dynamics and multi-layered arrangement is nothing short of pure genius). But this album, I must say, is highly overrated, even by most "music" critics, and that's a pretty impressive feat for an R&B album; most "music" critics have a blatant, strong, obvious, no shame and no qualms about it "Rock" bias. The brilliant title track shows the potential for what this album could have been, but unfortunately, much of this album amounts to little more than pedestrian, insipid R&B. I will grant that its singular focus provides a cohesive force of sorts that makes the album work well as a concept, but in this case, it unfortunately also seems to contribute to the major problems with some of the material. This album is quite smooth and many consider it the epitome of quiet storm R&B, but it can also be pretty bland and it has very little in the way of musical invention. It's obvious by the time that you get to the second (well, maybe third) song that the Funk Brothers did not participate in this project, but I'll go into detail about why that's so significant in a minute. Marvin's voice is amazing throughout this album, but almost every song is in the same key, at the same tempo, with the same vapid tonal center. The musicianship is slick and professional but almost completely devoid of any heart or character. The musicians probably bare some responsibility for this, but I must say after listening to this album, that a few of the compositions are so banal that I don't know that much else could have been done with them. The most obvious exception here is the title track, which really is a masterpiece. Some of the other material also has some pretty interesting things going on musically (like "Come get to this" with its bass drum and tambourine syncopated perfectly forming the backbone of the rhythm section). But unfortunately, much of the other material does not live up to the same standard, and a few songs are so insubstantial that they are barely a song at all ("If I should die tonight", "Just to keep you satisfied"). I sometimes see this album compared to "What's Going On" which is a pretty absurd comparison as far as I'm concerned. "What's Going On" is one of the greatest albums that I've ever heard, and that can be largely credited to the involvement of the Funk Brothers, who are probably the single most influential group of Pop musicians of all time. The mind-blowingly brilliant bassist James Jamerson in particular is just as much the star of that album as Marvin. Their stellar musicianship, musical invention, and rich, passionate, and distinct playing are truly missed here on this project. Some of the material here is still really good, and part of my criticism is due to the fact that both Gaye and this album have such legendary reputations, just to put things into perspective. Too much of this album here is just way too mediocre for it to be considered great as a whole. But, the album is still worth at least one spin and the title track and a few others still make it worth buying if you can find it for a decent price. July 3, 2006

Soul Supreme

Let's Get It On is only a notch below What's Going on making it among the essential Soul recordings of all-time. Often heralded as the quintessential bedroom record Let's Get It On is much more than that. The suite is inspired by his dying love for his wife Anna and his starting passion for Janis, his new flame. If I Should Die Tonight alledgedly only got his convincing take after Marvin laid eyes on Janis for the very first time. Marvin was in his thirties at the time, Janis not yet of legal age.

Marvin Gaye was a terrible perfectionist and a troubled soul. That shows on this album in a good sense. The songwriting is inspired, the music almost divine. Yet in spite of the lush and sexy arrangements the record is never easy on the ear once you decide to dive deeper into it. The title song suddenly appears to be a strange combination of courting and celebration of God and love, the latter often interchangeable in Marvin's world. This combination of themes suddenly gives the album unsuspected depth. While at first glance it does seem to be simply a bedroom suite the album turns out to be about the destructive and redeeming quality of relationships. Let's is a frank album of longing, ache and guilt. Distant lover is as much about fresh love just out of reach as it is about distant love suddenly emotionally out of reach. The closing track Just To Keep You Satisfied, deals with alienation even more explicitly. Ironically the tune is written in collaboration with his wife and sounds as a goodbye note. Satisfied is at the same time filled tender memories and poisoned love. Marvin and Anna would divorce not long after the release of the album.

The deluxe edition, available elsewhere, does more justice to the album than the deluxe What's Going On did. Where the latter was essentially the same album three times, a rough mix, the final master and a live version. The deluxe Let's shows us the process Marvin went through to get to this album. After What's Going On Marvin was plagued by a writers block. Marvin tried different approaches to a new album, quickly disbanding them all. There are Jazzy outings with Herbie Hancock on piano, first sketches of a second political record and even some material where Marvin chose to put himself under the guidance of a producer again. Almost all of this material is really on the deluxe edition is unreleased and worth while, yet it never reaches the brilliance of the final album. Marvin found his muse in Janis. Sadly it was the last time he would truly shine. The follow-up I Want You is a fine effort but never reaches the heights Let's Get It On did.
April 25, 2006

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