In Our Lifetime: Expanded Love Man Edition [Extra tracks, Limited Edition, Import]

Marvin Gaye | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 19, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 1981
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Extra tracks, Limited Edition, Import
• Label: Hip-O Select / Universal
• ASIN: B000MRA844
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #260,043 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars +1/2 -- Gaye's 1981 Motown swansong restored to original vision, August 30, 2007

By 

hyperbolium (Earth, USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Our Lifetime: Expanded Love Man Edition (Audio CD)

This 1981 album has a storied history. At the end of the '70s Gaye conceived his next release to be a party record entitled "Love Man." The single "Ego Tripping Out" failed to connect, and while relocated to Europe (to avoid the IRS) he reconceived the album as something more spiritual. The resulting "In Our Lifetime" was an LP that Gaye believed Motown had compromised with unauthorized edits and remixes, and retitled without the trailing question mark. It spelled the end Gaye's recording association with Motown. He moved on to find further success at Columbia (particularly with "Sexual Healing"), and left his Motown swansong to founder.

Though he'd given up on the idea of a straightforward party record, his songs retained some celebratory style, with lyrics deepened by explorations of faith, sexuality and philosophy. Having gotten his first divorce (from Anna Gordy) out of his system with 1978's "Here, My Dear," and despite financial and drug problems, Gaye still sounded remarkably positive. He pondered his musical history on "Life is for Learning," teed up the subject matter of "Sexual Healing" with "Funk Me," contrasted good and evil with a biblical touch on "Love Me Now or Leave Me Later," and mumbled his way through the unfinished (by Gaye's measure) "Far Cry."

Hip-O's deluxe 2-CD reissue tells much of album's convoluted history. The original single of "Ego Tripping Out" is included, along with the original Motown-directed line-up of "In Our Lifetime" on disc one. Also featured are an unedited version of the album track "Far Cry" and the instrumental of "Ego Tripping Out." Disc two tells the other half of the story. Here is the track order and the mixes that Gaye intended, plus a number of tracks from the aborted "Love Man" sessions. The latter tracks fit surprisingly well with the album material, suggesting that Gaye's vision for "Love Man" wasn't all that different, at least musically, from what he eventually recorded.

The differences between the two versions of the album are both subtle and obvious. Track lengths are different, and the mixes on Gaye's album have a more buoyant vibe. "Love Party" is a good example; the album version is flat, while the original Gaye mix is bright and features a lively doubled vocal. "Funk Me" is also radically changed, with the album mixed smooth and soulful while the Gaye version is funky. Motown's version may be a good album, but you can quickly hear why Gaye felt they hadn't released the album he recorded. Now you can hear both, the album you remember, and the album Gaye intended you to hear. 4-1/2 stars, if allowed fractional ratings. [©2007 hyperbolium dot com]

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Funk Me, Funk Me, Funk Me!!!!!!!!!!!!!, June 29, 2007

By 

Louis C. Banks "Bobby Welms" (TX USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Our Lifetime: Expanded Love Man Edition (Audio CD)

About time! It is here! I have been waiting for a long time (17 years to be exact) to get my hands on this album! I purchased this set and man! This dude had some good tracks that were going to blow out parties. I love the album versions of Ego Trippin Out! (I always had a lot like diamonds and a yacht, check out this here 450SLC baby!)Funk me is different on the love man album. Funk Me, Funk Me, Funk Me is slower and has a different rhythm and beat. But the song is jamming!Funk me, Funk me BABY! I was lead to believe that Funk Me, Funk Me, Funk Me was exactly like the in our lifetime version. (It's not) He says in a verse on Dance N' Be Happy(Cold Blooded lovers, waiting for the night. Exploring my treasures you got me so uptight, your(Janis) the fault that I'm feeling all insane, once we were happy then the devil came ooh baby, ooh baby. First you make believe your mine. Ooh baby, ooh baby then you make me feel like dying. Oooh ooh.
It is cool to hear the alternate versions of the songs from in our lifetime. It allows me to see deeper into his mind at that time. Some of the songs are directed at Janis on this album. He was in pain and he had a hard time letting go. Now these tracks would have made it big in the disco back then. Good music from an untouchable artist! He says in the song A Lover's Plea (if God can forgive me then why can't you? (Janis)). Over all, this is a worth the money set! Beautiful music which has now seen the light of day! Love Man!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Never thought i would see this, July 2, 2007

By 

Trevor Bordage (Vancouver,B.C.) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In Our Lifetime: Expanded Love Man Edition (Audio CD)

This has to be one of my favorite lp's by Marvin and to think it now out in the Love Man Expanded Edition.Disc 2 is the favorite with me because of the different mix of the lp that was done in September of 1980.The released mix was done 2 months later.Heavy Love Affair which is the best song on the lp is a full minute longer and this version is alot looser sounding.The Love Man lp is a joy as most of the songs are reworked in to the song that would later become the In Our Lifetime lp.All n' all this is a must have package for one of the most overlooked lps in Marvins catalog.