The Very Best Of

Frankly, there are enough different Marvin Gaye best-of compilations that are on the market, or have been on the market, that fans should be forgiven if they couldn't quite muster a great deal of enthusiasm for yet another one at the time of this release. On its own terms, this double disc is a very good survey of Gaye's most popular songs, starting with his first hit single in the early 1960s ("Stubborn Kind of Fellow") and going all the way up to "Sexual Healing," also including his big duet hits with Tammi Terrell. It's a good starting point for those who want a little more than a standard single-disc Gaye best-of, or one that spans his entire career instead of just some of it. Nevertheless, the 1995 Anthology release is a better deal from every standpoint, including more songs (47 to The Very Best Of's 34). It also has some good early hits that do not appear on The Very Best Of, such as "One More Heartache," "Try It Baby," and "Baby Don't You Do It," not to mention his 1964 duet hit with Mary Wells, "What's the Matter With You Baby" (though it doesn't have "Sexual Healing"). Those that are willing to spend just a little more time or money on their purchase should consider alternatives, whether Anthology or the more comprehensive The Master box set. Of course, there's always a catch that might cause dedicated fans to hesitate passing this by entirely, namely two rare tracks. One's a previously unreleased stereo mix of the spiritual "His Eye Is on the Sparrow." The other, more interesting find is the previously unreleased 1972 track "Where Are We Going?," a fair but not great track in the same vein as material from the What's Going On album, but poppier; the song was also done by Donald Byrd on his Black Byrd record. (www.allmusic.com)

CD 1:
1. Stubborn Kind of Fellow [Single Version (Mono)]
2. Hitch Hike [Single Version (Mono)]
3. Pride and Joy [Album Version (Mono)]
4. Can I Get a Witness [Album Version (Stereo)]
5. You're a Wonderful One [Album Version (Stereo)]
6. How Sweet It is (To Be Loved By You) [Album Version (Stereo)]
7. I'll Be Doggone [Juke Box Single Version (Stereo)]
8. Ain't That Peculiar [Juke Box Single Version (Stereo)]
9. It Takes Two [Single Version]
10. Ain't No Mountain High Enough
11. Your Precious Love
12. If I Could Build My Whole World Around You
13. Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing
14. You're All I Need To Get By
15. You [Album Version (Stereo)]
16. I Heard It Through the Grapevine [Album Version (Stereo)]
17. Too Busy Thinking About My Baby [Album Version (Stereo)]
18. That's the Way Love is [Album Version (Stereo)]
19. His Eye is On the Sparrow [Stereo Mix] - (Stereo Mix, previously unreleased)
20. Umg Sequence V1 T20

CD 2:
1. What's Going On
2. Mercy Mercy Me (the Ecology)
3. Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)
4. You're the Man - Pts. I & Ii [Single Version]
5. Where Are We Going? - (previously unreleased)
6. Trouble Man [Trouble Man/Soundtrack Version]
7. Let's Get It On
8. Come Get to This
9. Distant Lover [Live (1974 Oakland-Alameda Coliseum)]
10. I Want You [Single Version]
11. Got To Give It Up
12. Anger
13. Ego Tripping Out
14. Praise
15. Sexual Healing [Single Version - Clean Version]