The Archive

Hand picked records important to the history of Soul Strut.

 - Here, My Dear

  • Marvin Gaye

    Here, My Dear LP (1978)

    Tamla

Ranked #92 in the Soul Strut 200

In the late 1970s, soul superstar Marvin Gaye was spending way more than he was bringing in thanks to an expensive cocaine habit.  His first marriage to Berry Gordy's sister fell apart and he was falling behind in child support and alimony.  It was decided by the courts that he would use the proceeds from his next album to help recover his debt.  Overrun with apathy, Gaye initially sought out to record a spiteful stinker.  Instead, 1978's Here My Dear was a therapeutic exorcism of past relationship demons.  An album where he bared his heart and soul to 2 inch tape. A far cry from Let's Get it On,  Here My Dear is a meandering double album of dark soul and smooth mid-tempo 70s funk that proved too overwhelming for his fanbase at the time.  Songs like "Is That Enough", "A Funky Space Reincarnation", and "Time To Get It Together" helped catapult this record to cult status with record aficiniados. By 2007, it was touted as a soul masterpiece getting a deluxe CD reissue.


Related Threads

SOUL STRUT 100: #92 - MARVIN GAYE - HERE, MY DEAR

HERE, MY DEAR FINALLY GETS THE DELUXE TREATMENT

SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT HERE, MY DEAR COVERS



Suggested Music