Day 370: Marvin Gaye – I Want You

I had a bit of bad luck, my laptop somehow broke a pretty key component yesterday seemingly out of nowhere. It’s still working but I don’t think for too much longer, so there’s a chance future posts might not be as well formatted until I get a chance to replace it. Anyway, that’s not getting in the way of my Saturday night, I thought I’d get ready for the evening with a little bit of saucy Marvin Gaye. I covered him already on day 251 so I’ll skip the background information, you can go back and read it here.

Album cover courtesy of Tamla

I Want You was released in 1976 as Marvin Gaye’s thirteenth studio album. It follows the theme that he’d established during his previous release Let’s Get It On of erotic songs following the sexual liberation he’d experienced after getting a divorce and untangling the sexual repression that was drilled into him from his conservative christian upbringing. It was also a bit of a variation from his usual soulful sound into something more synth-heavy and disco-inspired.

Unfortunately, though, it’s not something I view as his finest work – granted, maybe I didn’t listen to it under the right circumstances, but it just faded completely into the background for me. It does seem like an album that’s meant to be put on when you’re getting busy, and I guess for that purpose you don’t want something that stands out or commands your attention, but  for casual pre-dinner listening, it’s just not that notable.

Also, this is very much a topic that I wouldn’t really need to opine on, but here goes nothing: I don’t mind a bit of ladies moaning in things like pure disco where it seems like it’s all a bit camp and tongue in cheek, but there’s something a bit off-putting if it sounds too earnest or like it’s genuinely trying to make me randy. I mostly just start thinking about my soundproofing and turn it down for the sake of the neighbours, lest they think I’m watching adult entertainment through a speaker like some sort of a psychopath. I guess it’s par for the course for what’s essentially an album for those activities and maybe I’m getting prudish with age, but I just think you can build that sort of atmosphere with a bit more subtlety.

Eh, it was fine. Maybe for another occasion, but it’s just not that remarkable to have on when you’re by yourself, so I’m giving I Want You a conservative 7/10.