Marvin Gaye & His Women

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Choice entree's featuring Marvin Gaye and his duet darlings, Mary Wells, Kim Weston, Tammi Terrell and Diana Ross. Marvin's efforts with Diana Ross have only two representatives, but they both sizzle. "You're a Special Part of Me" and "My Mistake" had the potential to enter the Top Ten but neither did, though both made inroads on the charts. The former is an uptempo, lavish production with a driving beat. The latter is a lovely, deceivingly fast testimonial, Gaye's and Ross' voices jell like gelatin on the delightful romp. Mary Wells, Gaye's first partner, teams with him for two songs, the two-sided hit they enjoyed, "Once Upon a Time," a floating, moody ballad, and the rollicking "What's the Matter With You Baby." Kim Weston fares better, four of her waxings with Marvin made the cut. Everyone's down with "It's Take Two," but are you familiar with the yearning, silky smooth "I Want You Round," or the melodic proclamation of bliss, "It's Got to Be a Miracle (This Thing Called Love)"? Twelve of the 21 tracks are Marvin & Tammi sides. All of their big, beloved hits are included: "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "Your Precious Love," "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" and "You're All I Need to Get By." The others are an interesting mix, from the jubilant "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You," to the shamelessly, sentimental "If This World Was Mine," a contemporary classic that also ran up the charts for Luther Vandross. "Little Ole Boy, Little Ole Girl," an obscure song first recorded by Loe & Joe on Harvey Records, is updated nicely by the photogenic duo. The only clunker is Ashford & Simpson's "Onion Song," an energetic concoction that preaches harmony between people; nice message, but couldn't they have called it something else? That aside, this is a legitimate winner and makes a lovely, much played addition to your CD collection. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide