Search - Marvin Gaye :: Dream of a Lifetime

Not a fitting epitaph, but decent songs nonetheless

Glenn Nippert | Alpharetta, Georgia United States | 07/22/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Critically, this album has been bashed, thrashed and rehashed over the years.Considering it was made out of the unreleased, remaining scraps of his last recording sessions, I think it is a decent posthumous affair, better than say John Lennon's "Milk and Honey". I would go as far as to say that "Sanctified Lady" is one of his best jams, done in the funky style of "Sexual Healing" or "Got To Give It Up". Also of note, "Ain't It Funny(How Things Turn Around), which is a catchy tune that I play a lot and could have been written about his recent commercial comeback with the Midnight Love album. I also like "Savage In The Sack" and "Masochistic Beauty". I think, obviously, if Marvin had lived, these sessions would be more polished and stronger material along the lines of "Sanctified Lady" would have come along and lifted this album to the level of Midnight Love, but I feel it is pure musical snobbery to turn up your nose at these recordings, as many have for years, when actually they are quite good, and let's face it, Marvin's s#*t was other people's diamonds."

This is Marvin's worst release to date

Henry Cooper | Atlanta, GA | 01/21/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"People would say that this is not the right album that Marvin 'cuz it's too phony or corny or whatever. I would say it's good just even tho there at least 5 songs I'm feelin which were fantasic. The other ones are okay on my handout right here. This goes to show why Motown and Columbia put it out here 'cuz he never wanted them to released. The fact that Marvin was being a lil hard on himself before he originally passed. The best song to date (which is off the compilation album "The Soulful Sound of Marvin Gaye") is "My Madness" which deals with depression and loneliness. It's full of desire, loss, depression, anger, and other varieities as well. First "Sanctified Lady" (probably known as "Santcifed P***y) was doing good on the R&B Charts in '85 just right after he died and it eventually failed on the Top 100 b/c of a lack of support. Nobody wanted to believe in that record it wasn't Marvin put out. I believe it's good tho. Can't say I hate it. But it goes to tell you if u read the book from David Ritz which he wrote out about Marvin. Think that'll help u.



Anyway I would love to give it 3.5 stars (C+) even tho it's not a classic to date y'know."

Marvin Gaye in rarest form....candid and somewhat uncensored

A. Pack | Portland, OR | 07/08/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Music critics often dismiss this album as being uneven, unpolished and unfocused as the songs were pulled from the can and some of the material sound more like demos than polished tracks. I think, though that they're so hung up on mechanics that they're missing the point...

I especially dig this release and give this album four stars, because I believe that this album, unploished though it may be, gives you rare candid insight into the mind and heart of Marvin Gaye -- the man. Some of the tracks were songs meant to be released for his next album, while others were songs that remained in the can....but they all seem to show a deeper and perhaps somewhat tortured side of Marvin that you didn't see in earlier releases (not even Here, My Dear).

You hear the spiritual side, (Life's Opera, Dream of a Lifetime), the scandalous, yet humourous side (Masochistic Beauty, Savage in the Sack, Santified Lady), and the tortured, emotional side(those would be his Motown tracks, It's Madness and Symphony). My only complaint about this release is that the producers censored some of the content and took away from the genuineness of the material (e.g. Savage in the Sack was originally meant to be called "Them Niggers are Savages in the Sack" and Sanctified Lady was to be "Santified Pussy" clearly both were overdubbed for political correctness.).

Be it as it may, this album should have been a greater classic than allowed...because it showcased the man...the true genius and mind of Marvin Gaye"