"Anna's Song" is a song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye

Marvin Gaye

Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....

 as part of his 1978 album, Here, My Dear

Here, My Dear

Here, My Dear is a studio double album by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released December 15, 1978 on Tamla Records. Recording sessions for the album took place at Marvin's Room in Hollywood, California from 1976 to 1977. A deeply personal and controversial album, Here, My Dear is notable for...

. Recorded during the midst of Marvin and estranged wife Anna

Anna Gordy Gaye

Anna Gordy Gaye is an American songwriter and composer, known as the elder sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy and the first wife of soul legend Marvin Gaye, who used their troubled marriage as the focal point of his critically acclaimed 1978 effort, Here, My Dear, an album from which Gordy...

 going through an acrimonious divorce, the song autobiographically depicted several parts of Marvin and Anna's past including one lyric that hints at his first hit single, "Stubborn Kind of Fellow

Stubborn Kind of Fellow

"Stubborn Kind of Fellow" is a 1962 single by Marvin Gaye, released on the Motown subsidiary Tamla. The single was historic in many ways for the Washington, D.C.-bred singer and former Moonglows member, for it was the first major hit record for the singer on Motown after three failed singles and an...

" where Gaye says "What's it, husband, makes you so stubborn?". A memorable part of the song for Marvin's fans includes a verse where Marvin's vocals rise when singing Anna's name. Unlike most of the songs on the album with the exception of "Sparrow", this song was recorded in a jazz

Jazz

Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...

y atmosphere.

Personnel

• All vocals, keyboards and synthesizers by Marvin Gaye
  Marvin Gaye
  Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
  
  
• Guitars by Wali Ali and Gordon Banks
  Gordon Banks (musician)
  Gordon Banks , aka Gordon 'Guitar' Banks, is an American guitarist, producer, writer and musical director. He was voted one of the top 100 guitarists in America in 1985.Banks played an important part in Marvin Gaye's later years...
  
  
• Bass by Frank Blair