Customer Reviews

When I'm Alone I Cry

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Clearly this was the type of music Marvin wanted to record. As evidenced by his solo debut with Motown, 'The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye', he recorded an album full of standards. That album was a failure(in my opinion because of the flat instrumentation) which forced him to record RnB because of Berry Gordy's persistence. Marvin's next album, 'That Stubborn Kinda Fellow' was RnB and had several hits that gave him some popularity. He then recorded a 2nd album of standards called 'Hello Broadway', which I have not heard.

In the same year, 1964, he released another album of standards called 'When I'm Alone I Cry', which to me, is an amazing effort. The production and orchestrations are very well put together and blend beautifully with Marvin's soft voice. You can really feel his emotions.

This CD contains both the stereo and mono versions of each song. It's hard to choose a favorite song, but the three that stand out the most to me are: I Was Telling Her About You, the title track, and If My Heart Could Sing. If you were a fan of Billie Holiday's 'Lady in Satin' and/or Frank Sinatra's 'In The Wee Small Hours', I would definitely recommend this album to you. Those two other albums are definitive classics in history, but somehow this one got lost in the mix. This kind of music is really great and something about the softness in Marvin's voice makes it so special to me, truly unique.

The only drawback is that it's out of print so it'll be hard to find and also expensive. It was a must have for me, and one of the only albums I haven't heard of his 'til now. I think it's one his very best though. Others looking to hear this type of music from Marvin should check out his tribute CD to Nat King Cole, which came out two years after this one. That CD is good too and is still available very cheap.

With the recent trend of pop stars covering standards, you'll be stunned by Marvin Gaye's interpretations of these Tin Pan Alley classics. Everybody it seems is hopping onboard this trend. Carly Simone put out Torch about eight years ago. Harry Nilsson recorded A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night. And Rod Stewart was so smitten with the bug he put out three albums of standards. Not only does Mr Gaye have the impecable voice inflection and pharsing to pull this off, the accompaniment here is almost flawless in creating the appropriate mood to make this a full fledged tour de force by one of pop music's greatest song stylists. When I'm Alone I Cry is a unique entry in the cannon of recorded works by the inimitable Marvin Gaye. Long out-of-print and not easy to find, seek out this wonderful recording. Turn out the lights and listen as Marvin Gaye pours his heart out!

It is really hard to loose with Marvin Gaye. His was a soulful, beautiful, melodic voice and he does not disappoint on this album. Marvin's inspirations were Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra etc and he was very much interested in going after that market before he came unto his own in R&B (and I'm ecstatic that he did). This album is Marvin's attempt to capture that audience. I would encourage people however when listening to this album to try to resist the temptation to hear the Marvin of "What's Going On" and "Let's Get It On." Just be in the moment and listen and appreciate the music of this style for what it is. I absolutely enjoy hearing Marvin's smooth, silky, sweet, voice blend in perfectly with the instruments as he lands every note with perfect pitch and tonality. This is a true treasure for students of Marvin Gaye's artistry.

Give this early recording of Marvin a try. I promise you will hear him like you never have before. You will end up wearing out your cd and then searching like a mad person trying to find another copy, as they are rare and hard to come by.

Don't just buy this as a collector's item. The reviews I read about this album had me a little dismayed at the possibility of the songs not sounding up to par. I disagree greatly with the naysayers. They perhaps were listening on a terrible set of equipment.

This album is a melancholy masterpiece. Tempered with melodies to soothe your soul. If you've been hypnotized by an industry only to like the Sexual Healing and Let's Get It On(s) of Marvin Gaye, then you'll probably have to retrain your ears a little. Listen and hear the music he loved for himself.

Enjoy for yourself masterpieces such as I Was Telling Her About You, I'll Be Around, and my personal favorite, You've Changed.

I previously had I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face on The Marvin Gaye Collection, which takes you on a musical journey through every beautiful aspect of Marvin's conscience.