148. Marvin Gaye: “Mr Sandman”
The resounding failure of this single, Marvin Gaye’s worst Motown release, and the rethinking of basic concepts which resulted, should be widely celebrated by all music fans worldwide.
Category Archives: Marvin Gaye
79. Marvin Gaye: “Never Let You Go (Sha Lu Bop)”
While Marvin doesn’t sound quite as bored as he did on the A-side, he’s still only giving this about fifty per cent, tops. The song really calls for a forceful, full-on delivery to mask its pilfering and lack of lyrical content, but he sounds most un-Gayelike: flat, perfunctory, almost limp; going through the motions. (4)
78. Marvin Gaye: “Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide”
Both sides claimed a victory, but to the modern, objective listener, the first round of the match between MOR and R&B for Marvin Gaye’s musical soul ends with honours even. At zero. (2)
77. Marvin Gay: “Witchcraft”
It seems to have confused audiences, because very little press or radio play was garnered by this promo single, and the album sank on release. Still, if audiences in 1961 were confused by this, they must have been veritably baffled by what happened a mere five days later.
76. Marvin Gay: “(I’m Afraid) The Masquerade Is Over”
As a single, it’s OK. As a historical document, a crossroads, a glimpse into some alternate timeline, it’s fascinating. As a Marvin Gaye record, it’s not exactly one of the classics. But whatever the outcome, he’d laid down a marker as One To Watch.
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