Here, My Dear
Encyclopedia
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 chronicling Gaye's ill-fated first marriage to Anna Gordy
. Here, My Dear was initially a commercial failure, while receiving some critical favor from music writers. However, critical recognition of the album has improved significantly following further examinations by critics and compact disc
-reissue
s. In 2003, the album was ranked number 462 on Rolling Stone
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
.
, had become estranged and was far from being repaired. Marvin and Anna often accused each other of infidelity
over the years before his relationship with Janis Hunter
. Shortly after Marvin and Janis welcomed the second of their two children, Frankie, in November 1975, Anna filed for divorce. At this time, Marvin was running low on money because of an extravagant spending habit to support his lifestyle which included, among other things, a fleet of cars, several homes in and outside the country, and an increasing cocaine
habit. Marvin's spending habits had made it impossible for the singer to pay Anna money for alimony
and child support
for the couple's only son, Marvin III. Marvin's attorney Curtis Shaw came up with a solution to Marvin to give half the royalties he would earn from his next project to Anna. After agreeing to the deal, the singer went into his recording studio in an effort to give Motown a "lazy, bad" album starting sessions in the spring of 1976. However, as Marvin set on making the "lazy" album, the singer's deep emotions and bittersweet feelings for his soon-to-be former wife took over the music.
Songs included in the album didn't just deal with the singer's troubling marriage ("I Met a Little Girl", "Anna's Song", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You") but with other deep issues including anger management ("Anger"), Jesus ("Everybody Needs Love", "Time to Get It Together"), solace ("Sparrow"), space (the loosely funky "A Funky Space Reincarnation") and new love ("Falling In Love", the one song dedicated to Marvin's new wife, Janis). An Allmusic reviewer later wrote of the music:
The project was worked on for a year and was initially held back by Marvin, fearing that the project was too personal to be released. However, because of Motown's demands for Marvin to put out an album, as he had often delayed releases and it had been over two years since his last record, the sensually erotic I Want You, the singer decided to put out the album as promised in December 1978.
magazine, later recanted that decision. In 1994, the album was re-released due to increased attention on Marvin's life to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the singer's untimely death, and reached number-one on Billboards R&B catalog chart. The original album peaked at number four R&B and number twenty-six pop becoming Gaye's lowest-charting studio album of the 1970s. Initial response to the album was mixed, as most critics described it as weird. However, Gaye's lyrical honesty over the laid back disco grooves of Here, My Dear was praised by many. Robert Christgau
, of The Village Voice
, wrote of the album:
The album was re-evaluated in the years following its original release, and is today seen as a landmark in Gaye's career. It was voted one of the greatest albums in music history by Mojo Magazine (1995) and Rolling Stone
magazine's critics poll (500 Greatest Albums of All-Time) (2003), among others. This reassessment was influenced by the album's subsequent re-release. On February 15, 2008, Hip-O Select reissued Here, My Dear as a two-disc Expanded Edition including a song cut from the original album, "Ain't It Funny How Things Turn Around", which was remixed by funk
legend Bootsy Collins
. Disc two featured remastered and alternate versions of the songs from the album remixed by contemporary soul
producers such as Salaam Remi
, Questlove, Prince Paul
, DJ Smash
and others.
Side two
Side three
Side four
Disc one (bonus track)
Disc two (Hear, My Dear Sessions 1976-78)
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
double album
Double album
A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....
by soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
musician 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....
, 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 chronicling Gaye's ill-fated first marriage to Anna Gordy
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...
. Here, My Dear was initially a commercial failure, while receiving some critical favor from music writers. However, critical recognition of the album has improved significantly following further examinations by critics and compact disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
-reissue
Reissue
A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
s. In 2003, the album was ranked number 462 on Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time
The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time
"The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time" is the title of a 2003 special issue of American magazine Rolling Stone, and a related book published in 2005.Related news articles:...
.
Conception
By 1976, the relationship between Marvin Gaye and his first wife, Anna GordyAnna 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...
, had become estranged and was far from being repaired. Marvin and Anna often accused each other of infidelity
Infidelity
In many intimate relationships in many cultures there is usually an express or implied expectation of exclusivity, especially in sexual matters. Infidelity most commonly refers to a breach of the expectation of sexual exclusivity.Infidelity can occur in relation to physical intimacy and/or...
over the years before his relationship with Janis Hunter
Janis Gaye
Janis Gaye is best known as the second wife of American musician Marvin Gaye.-Biography:...
. Shortly after Marvin and Janis welcomed the second of their two children, Frankie, in November 1975, Anna filed for divorce. At this time, Marvin was running low on money because of an extravagant spending habit to support his lifestyle which included, among other things, a fleet of cars, several homes in and outside the country, and an increasing cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
habit. Marvin's spending habits had made it impossible for the singer to pay Anna money for alimony
Alimony
Alimony is a U.S. term denoting a legal obligation to provide financial support to one's spouse from the other spouse after marital separation or from the ex-spouse upon divorce...
and child support
Child support
In family law and public policy, child support is an ongoing, periodic payment made by a parent for the financial benefit of a child following the end of a marriage or other relationship...
for the couple's only son, Marvin III. Marvin's attorney Curtis Shaw came up with a solution to Marvin to give half the royalties he would earn from his next project to Anna. After agreeing to the deal, the singer went into his recording studio in an effort to give Motown a "lazy, bad" album starting sessions in the spring of 1976. However, as Marvin set on making the "lazy" album, the singer's deep emotions and bittersweet feelings for his soon-to-be former wife took over the music.
Songs included in the album didn't just deal with the singer's troubling marriage ("I Met a Little Girl", "Anna's Song", "You Can Leave, But It's Going To Cost You") but with other deep issues including anger management ("Anger"), Jesus ("Everybody Needs Love", "Time to Get It Together"), solace ("Sparrow"), space (the loosely funky "A Funky Space Reincarnation") and new love ("Falling In Love", the one song dedicated to Marvin's new wife, Janis). An Allmusic reviewer later wrote of the music:
The project was worked on for a year and was initially held back by Marvin, fearing that the project was too personal to be released. However, because of Motown's demands for Marvin to put out an album, as he had often delayed releases and it had been over two years since his last record, the sensually erotic I Want You, the singer decided to put out the album as promised in December 1978.
Release and reception
When Here, My Dear was released in the end of 1978, it was panned by consumers and critics alike, who called the album "bizarre" and "un-commercial". The album's lack of success angered Gaye to the point that he refused to promote it any further. Motown stopped promoting Here, My Dear in early 1979, by which point Gaye had gone into self-imposed exile. Around the same time, Marvin's relationship with second wife, Janis, had also fallen apart and the couple separated sometime in 1979. Upon hearing the album, a visibly upset Anna Gordy considered suing Marvin for invasion of privacy but, according to PeoplePeople (magazine)
In 1998, the magazine introduced a version targeted at teens called Teen People. However, on July 27, 2006, the company announced it would shut down publication of Teen People immediately. The last issue to be released was scheduled for September 2006. Subscribers to this magazine received...
magazine, later recanted that decision. In 1994, the album was re-released due to increased attention on Marvin's life to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the singer's untimely death, and reached number-one on Billboards R&B catalog chart. The original album peaked at number four R&B and number twenty-six pop becoming Gaye's lowest-charting studio album of the 1970s. Initial response to the album was mixed, as most critics described it as weird. However, Gaye's lyrical honesty over the laid back disco grooves of Here, My Dear was praised by many. Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
, of The Village Voice
The Village Voice
The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...
, wrote of the album:
The album was re-evaluated in the years following its original release, and is today seen as a landmark in Gaye's career. It was voted one of the greatest albums in music history by Mojo Magazine (1995) and Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's critics poll (500 Greatest Albums of All-Time) (2003), among others. This reassessment was influenced by the album's subsequent re-release. On February 15, 2008, Hip-O Select reissued Here, My Dear as a two-disc Expanded Edition including a song cut from the original album, "Ain't It Funny How Things Turn Around", which was remixed by funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
legend Bootsy Collins
Bootsy Collins
William Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
. Disc two featured remastered and alternate versions of the songs from the album remixed by contemporary soul
Soul music
Soul music is a music genre originating in the United States combining elements of gospel music and rhythm and blues. According to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, soul is "music that arose out of the black experience in America through the transmutation of gospel and rhythm & blues into a form of...
producers such as Salaam Remi
Salaam Remi
Salaam Remi Gibbs, better known as Salaam Remi, is a hip hop producer and keyboard player, known for his association with Nas, Amy Winehouse, and his reggae-tinged approach to production...
, Questlove, Prince Paul
Prince Paul
Paul Huston, better known by the stage name Prince Paul, is an American disc jockey and hip-hop record producer. He was also a founding member of the Gravediggaz where he used the name The Undertaker.- Biography :...
, DJ Smash
DJ Smash
DJ Smash aka Smash Hunter is a DJ, music producer, remixer and project consultant.- Background :...
and others.
Original LP
Side one- "Here, My DearHere, My Dear (song)"Here, My Dear" is a song written, composed and produced by American soul singer Marvin Gaye, issued on the album of the same name in 1978. The song was a sort of introduction to the deeply confessional and post-divorce concept that gave a chronological look back at the tempestuous marriage between...
" – 2:48 - "I Met a Little GirlI Met a Little Girl"I Met a Little Girl" is a song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye for his Here, My Dear album. Recorded at his studio in 1976, the song chronicles the growth and demise of Gaye's marriage to his first wife Anna...
" – 5:03 - "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving YouWhen Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You"When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" is a 1978 song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye for his Here, My Dear album.The song was a six minute long opus that has been considered the centerpiece of the Here, My Dear album as Gaye mentions the demise of his marriage to Anna Gaye.As if...
" – 6:17 - "AngerAnger (song)"Anger" is a 1979 single released by singer Marvin Gaye recorded in 1978 for the album, Here, My Dear. The song was issued in 1979 as a single in Canada but failed to chart there. The song discussed mental anguish and pain over bitterness and talks specifically of angry confrontation, in Marvin's...
" (Delta Ashby, Gaye) – 4:04
Side two
- "Is That EnoughIs That Enough"Is That Enough" is a 1977 song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye. Recorded shortly after a day in court with Anna, the usually moody singer pondered around his recording studio before getting his band together to record this song in which Marvin attacked Anna for using her monetary gain...
" – 7:47 - "Everybody Needs LoveEverybody Needs Love (Marvin Gaye song)"Everybody Needs Love" is a 1977 song recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye and issued on the singer's confessional 1978 album, Here, My Dear. Though most of the songs on the album were based on a mostly antagonist view of Marvin's first wife, Anna Gaye, few songs like this stood out which...
" (Ed TownsendEd TownsendEdward Benjamin 'Ed' Townsend was an American attorney, songwriter, and producer. He was best known for performing his composition, "For Your Love," a rhythm and blues doo wop classic, and as the co-writer of "Let's Get It On" with Marvin Gaye.-Biography:Although he was born in Fayetteville,...
, Gaye) – 5:48 - "Time to Get It TogetherTime to Get It Together"Time to Get It Together" is a 1976 song recorded by Marvin Gaye and issued on Marvin's 1978 album, Here, My Dear. Much like "Everybody Needs Love", "Anger" and "A Funky Space Reincarnation", among others, this song doesn't discuss the demise of Marvin's marriage to Anna Gordy Gaye...
" – 3:55
Side three
- "SparrowSparrow (song)Another song with the same name, written by Graham Lyle and Benny Gallagher, was recorded by McGuinness Flint and Mary Hopkin in the early 1970s....
" (Ed Townsend, Gaye) – 6:12 - "Anna's SongAnna's Song"Anna's Song" is a song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye as part of his 1978 album, Here, My Dear. Recorded during the midst of Marvin and estranged wife Anna going through an acrimonious divorce, the song autobiographically depicted several parts of Marvin and Anna's past including one lyric that...
" – 5:56 - "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Instrumental)When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You"When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" is a 1978 song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye for his Here, My Dear album.The song was a six minute long opus that has been considered the centerpiece of the Here, My Dear album as Gaye mentions the demise of his marriage to Anna Gaye.As if...
" – 6:03
Side four
- "A Funky Space ReincarnationA Funky Space Reincarnation"A Funky Space Reincarnation" is a 1978 funk single recorded and released in 1979 by Marvin Gaye on the Tamla label.In this song, he described a parallel universe where in the future, he's a captain of a "space bed" and he meets a woman that reminds him of his first wife, Anna.He then tells the...
" – 8:18 - "You Can Leave, but It's Going to Cost YouYou Can Leave, but It's Going to Cost You"You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You" is a funk-styled song recorded by Marvin Gaye and featured on his Here, My Dear album, when released in 1978...
" – 5:32 - "Falling in Love AgainFalling in Love Again (Marvin Gaye song)"Falling in Love Again" is a 1977 song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye and issued on his 1978 album, Here, My Dear album. The song was another track on the personal album that didn't discuss the demise of his first marriage. Instead of Anna Gaye, the song talked of the other woman in Marvin's life...
" – 4:39 - "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You (Reprise)When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You"When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" is a 1978 song recorded by singer Marvin Gaye for his Here, My Dear album.The song was a six minute long opus that has been considered the centerpiece of the Here, My Dear album as Gaye mentions the demise of his marriage to Anna Gaye.As if...
" – 0:47
2007 expanded edition
Bonus material for the 2007 Hip-O Select Expanded Edition, with first disc of the original album with bonus tracks and second disc of recordings from the sessions for Here, My Dear.Disc one (bonus track)
- "Ain't It Funny (How Things Turn Around)" alternate mix - 4:04
- Mix produced by Bootsy CollinsBootsy CollinsWilliam Earl "Bootsy" Collins is an American funk bassist, singer, and songwriter.Rising to prominence with James Brown in the late 1960s, and with Parliament-Funkadelic in the '70s, Collins's driving bass guitar and humorous vocals established him as one of the leading names in funk...
- Mix produced by Bootsy Collins
Disc two (Hear, My Dear Sessions 1976-78)
- "Here, My Dear" alternate mix – 2:50
- Mix produced and engineered by Mocean Walker
- "I Met a Little Girl" alternate version – 5:04
- Mix produced by Easy Mo Bee
- "When Did You Stop Loving Me, When Did I Stop Loving You" alternate version – 6:57
- Mix produced by Leon Ware and Gerry "The Gov" Brown
- "Anger" alternate extended mix – 5:53
- Mix produced by Marcus Miller
- "Is That Enough?" (Instrumental) alternate version – 4:06
- Mix produced by Montez Payton
- "Everybody Needs Love" alternate version – 6:09
- Mix produced and engineered by Prince Paul
- "Time to Get It Together" alternate extended mix – 6:20
- Remix by Wayne "DJ Smash" Hunter
- "Sparrow" alternate version – 6:08
- Mixed and engineered by the Randy Watson Experience
- "Anna's Song" (Instrumental) alternate version – 6:08
- Mix produced and engineered by John Rhone
- "A Funky Space Reincarnation" alternate extended mix – 9:10
- Mix produced by John Morales and Paul Simpson
- "You Can Leave, But It's Going to Cost You" alternate extended mix – 6:43
- Mix produced and engineered by John Rhone
- "Falling in Love Again" alternate version – 6:26
- ReMix produced by SALAAMREMI.COM
- "A Funky Space Reincarnation" (Instrumental) (Original 12-Inch) - 8:19
Album
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Pop Albums Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
26 |
| 1979 | Black Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums is a chart published by Billboard magazine that ranks R&B and hip hop albums based on sales compiled by Nielsen SoundScan. The name of the chart was changed from Top R&B Albums in 1999... |
4 |
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | "A Funky Space Reincarnation A Funky Space Reincarnation "A Funky Space Reincarnation" is a 1978 funk single recorded and released in 1979 by Marvin Gaye on the Tamla label.In this song, he described a parallel universe where in the future, he's a captain of a "space bed" and he meets a woman that reminds him of his first wife, Anna.He then tells the... " |
Black Singles | 23 |
Personnel
- Marvin Gaye - vocals, synthesizer, drums
- Charles Owens - tenor saxophone
- Wally Ali - guitar
- Gordon BanksGordon 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...
- guitar - Frank Blair - bass
- Elmira Collins - percussion
- Ernie Fields, Jr.Ernie Fields, Jr.Ernie Fields, Jr. is a baritone saxophonist and session musician.Son of notable musician Ernie Fields, he has worked with blues, soul and funk artists including B. B...
- alto saxophone - Fernando Harkness - tenor saxophone
- Gary Jones - percussion
- Nolan Andrew Smith - trumpet
- Bugsy Wilcox - drums
- David RitzDavid RitzDavid Ritz is an American author, most of whose books are biographies of soul music and R&B legends such as Ray Charles, Smokey Robinson, Aretha Franklin, Marvin Gaye, and Janet Jackson. On four occasions, his co-authored autobiographies of musicians have been awarded the Ralph J...
- liner notes - Michael Bryant - illustrations