Customer Reviews

Let's Get It On [Deluxe Edition]

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

5 stars for the amazing original album, and another 4 stars for the bonus material. This disc is absolutely LOADED!
Anyone who has heard the original work (tracks 1-8 on the first disc) knows that this is a MUST OWN album. The album is older than I am, but it still moves me every time I listen to it. It is the most amazing piece of work that I have ever heard from an artist - soul or otherwise. While most critics recognize "What's Going On" as Marvin's masterpiece - I disagree. The only track that he ever laid down that you could feel his emotion on more is I Heard it Through the Grapevine. Imagine that kind of emotion on an entire album.
Since I do have such strong feelings for the original, I jumped at the opportunity to hear the alternative takes, and other bonus tracks from this period from The Man.
Fans will not be disappointed. Listening to the alternative takes, it is easy to see why he chose the versions he did - not that I had questioned any on the original. They are still very interesting, and worth a listen. The rest of the bonus material is fantastic. The instrumentals have a very jazzy feel to them, and are a joy to listen to. For me, the highlight of the bonus material was the demo version of Symphony. On it, you can hear the beginnings of "What's Going On".... AMAZING!
The only portion of the two disc set I could have done without are the tracks from other artists, where Marvin was producing. I buy Marvin's disc to hear him - not hear his production. That being said, they are interesting tracks - and do offer a nice comparison of how wonderfully Marvin was able to express his emotion through a speaker as opposed to other artists of his time - or any time for that matter.
If you are only interested in the original work, and are not a huge fan, I still believe that this album has enough to offer for the extra price.
This should be in EVERYONE'S CD collection!
A masterpiece!

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 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 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.

Marvin's "Let's Get it On" album is, by all definitions, a classic. Who hasn't heard the title track? Personally, my one complaint with this particular album is that a few of the songs don't seem to go anywhere, but the pleasure of hearing Marvin's voice is more than enough to make up for that.

After you've listened to any of his albums enough, you start to feel like you've got a personal relationship with him, because his voice is so honest and expressive, and this album is certainly no exception. But what makes this deluxe edition so great, in my opinion, is the inclusion of all the bonus tracks, and included among those are a number of absolutely killer instrumentals. His earlier "Trouble Man" album (which is one of those "hidden treasures," if you ask me) proved that Marvin was no fool when it came to cooking up a fine instrumental, but the ones on the deluxe edition of "Let's Get it On" blow that album out of the water, if you ask me. They're full, they're funky, and they're exuberant.

We all know Marvin for his voice, but if he'd ever released an album of instrumentals of the quality we see on here, I think it'd be ranked among his best. For me, at least, they're worth the price of admission alone, and that's discounting all the other bonus tracks.

These "deluxe editions" of albums that've been coming out over the past few months for the most part tend to be absolutely excellent in terms of sound quality, liner notes, and the sheer volume of music you get. This version of "Let's Get it On" is no exception. If you don't mind the somewhat steep price, and you're a fan of Marvin, by all means buy this album. If you're new to Marvin, it might be better to buy just the album itself (as well as his other classics such as the inimitable "What's Going On" and his heartfelt "Here, My Dear"). If you like them, then shell out for the more completist "deluxe editions."

I have just about everything Marvin Gaye has ever released from The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye to Let's Get it On (deluxe edition) and I still never get tired of hearing this man sing.

As well reconized as Marvin Gaye is world wide, I still think he is underrated. I say this because this man was the biggest selling artist in Motown history with mega hits like What's Going On, Let's Get It On and Got to Give it Up and if they were giving Grammy's out in 1968, I Heard it Through the Grapevine would have definitely gotten some nominations, yet he didn't win his first Grammy until he was with Columbia Records for the song Sexual Healing. Let's Get it On is a prime example of that. That was and still is one of the greatest songs not just as far as R&B is concerned but pop, rock, country and whatever other musical category out there, selling well over 4 million copies back in 1973 and is still selling.

I like everything on this two cd set and I especially like the Just to Keep you Satisfied version done by the Originals and I Love You Secretly done by the Miracles. I say this because we all know how great a singer Marvin Gaye is but to hear other singers and singing groups perform his music is fascinating to listen to. You actually hear him singing with the Originals in (Just to Keep You Satisfied) and you can hear his influence strongly in the Miracles(I Love You Secretly). I also liked the original demo of Let's Get it On. Alot people including myself didn't know that there was a different version of that song until now. The Let's Get it On song as we have all grown to love and appreciate was totally improvised. He actually recorded the first version before he met his second wife to be Janis Hunter but once she walked into his life, he resung the song with a passion unlike none before or since for that matter.

As far as the demos and alternate versions, I like them all. It shows you the progression and work leading up to the final product. We as fans take for granite the work that it takes to put together a final album but with this cd it takes us into the studio and makes us feel like a part of the sessions. I read one persons review and they wondered why they wait 30 some odd years to release material and thought it was just a way to make money. My answer is I am glad that they do because hearing new music from Marvin Gaye makes me appeciate him even more and gives me something to always look forward to plus if you read anything about Marvin Gaye, you know he was a perfectionist and would have never allowed them to release it while he was alive.

If you only like the commercial hits of Marvin Gaye you might not enjoy this cd but if you are a true fan like myself, get this cd and get it fast. Also get the What's Going On Deluxe Edition, it is a great cd as well. Marvin Gaye is the best artist ever and that includes rythym and blues, rock, pop, country, jazz, folk, easy listening, new wave, techno, heavy metal, hip hop, etc.

In addition to the classic album itself, over an hour and a half of bonus material from the same period. In a few cases ("If I Should Die Tonight"), the demos and alternate takes are superior to the originals. In all cases, the restless genius of Marvin Gaye as a composer, producer, session player, and shaper of spectacular orchestration is on full display. One of the greatest soul singers ever was so much more than that.
And, at time when we are being bombarded with war ..., Marvin Gaye reminds us that to have peace we must end the misery of poverty that billions of people in the world live every day ("The World is Rated X," "You're the Man").

This album is a true masterpiece of soul music created by the unique Marvin Gaye. The songs one by one are superb; not only are they perfectly orchestrated (thanks to the great session musicians of Motown) but they are performed with true emotion from the master.

Moreover, the quality of this Deluxe Edition is really high. The sound is crystal clear, the package is very well put together and the 2nd disc has a lot of gems.

This is one CD that you will listen to on and on and will never get bored of!

After the success of What's Going On, Marvin Gaye moved away from social issues to issues of the flesh. Let's Get It On finds him singing about sex, not just about the physical pleasure one gets, but on a spiritual level. The title track is almost sermon like in its delivery where Mr. Gaye dispenses with all pleasantries and asks his lover to get it on. He not only feels good, but he feels sanctified. The song has a silky sound that matches Mr. Gaye's smooth vocals. The rest of the album finds Mr. Gaye searching for a love that will help him find that balance between the real and spiritual ecstasy he so desperately craves. The remastered package includes multiple takes and demos of the tracks, some of which are excellent and others are filler, but coupled with the original album it makes for a superior listening experience.

I had no idea of some of the songs on this particular deluxe edition. There are a few songs that I love. Symphony(undubbed) is clearly my favorite. I listened to the 1985 version for the Dream of a Lifetime album and thats clearly a song they should have left as it original. This original cut of it is outstanding! What I do love more than anything is that the tapes were rolling before they start recording and you can hear them "goofing off". Great CD.

This album was as raw soul as you could possibly get. Marvin really layed it down on this one. "Let's Get It On" is still that deal and will stand the test of time.

Although Let's Get It On lacks the revolutionary circumstances of its predessor What's Going On, in terms of spirituality, intensity and lyrical content. Nonetheless Let's Get It On is one of the most passionate, as well as the most sexy albums in the history of popular music.
What makes this deluxe edition so great is the insight view of the way Marvin and his colloborateurs put their music together, beautiful tracks like `Where Are We Going'and `Symphony'are really worth listening to. As always, the essays are fantastic I haven't found a better created deluxe set yet. I hope there are still more to come.