Together/ Take Two Twice The FUN!
C. A. Moore | Memphis, TN USA | 09/14/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Marvin Gaye recorded with several female vocalists during his distinquished career at Motown Records. During the 1960s and 1970s, Gaye recorded with Oma Page, Valerie Simpson, Diana Ross and Tammi Terrell, who is regarded by many fans and critics to be Gaye's best and most complimentary duet partner. But this disc from the British branch of Motown highlights Marvin Gaye collaborating with two of his first female singing partners: the late Mary Wells and Kim Weston. Combined on one disc, this collection of tunes reveals Gaye at his most soulful best crooning in tandem with two female vocalists who brought out the best in his musical style. During the early 1960s, Mary Wells was Motown Record's first superstar. She'd recorded a respectable string of hits when the decision was made to pair her with Gaye, who by 1964, was beginning his own streak of hit records. No doubt inspired by the success of other successful duetting vocalists including Dinah Washington and Brook Benton and Ray Charles and Betty Carter, Motown Records paired its top female singer with its top male vocalist. The result was "TOGETHER," a rare treat for fans of both singers. The cover sported the two young vocalists gazing romantically into each others' eyes. Wells' Cleopatra styled hairdo contrasted nicely with Gaye's All-American, Boy-Next-Door image. The musical sounds they made were just as complimentary. The disc begins with their hit single "Once Upon A Time," a lilting, cha-cha ballad that's further distiguished by mellow vibe work courtesy of musician Dave Hamilton. The single reached the pop Top 20, but was hurt from larger sales when the nation's top R&B jocks flipped it, preferring its B-Side, "What's The Matter With You Baby," which had a more rocking and soulful beat. To capitalize on the hit single, Motown producers quickly crafted a showcase album for the two singers. "TOGETHER" found Gaye and Wells swinging on such jazz and pop standards as "Deed I Do," "Until I Met You," "You Came A Long Way From St. Louis," "Squeeze Me," "The Late, Late Show" and "(I Love You) For Sentimental Reasons." On most of the songs, Gaye sounded hip, jazzy and aggressive, while Wells often cooed and responded to Gaye's belting with a lot of soul. She allowed her partner set the pace which gave him freedom to improvise and play with his phrasings. Gaye, a natural vocal talent, brought out the best in Wells, making her sound a bit more confident and hip (in the jazz sense of the word) than she probably really was. Afterall, Wells wasn't even 21 years old when this album was recorded. Listen to the playful interplay between the two singers on the swinging "The Late, Late Show" where the musicians and the mood becomes so energized, Gaye unleashes a soulful squall right out of Brother Ray Charles' handbook. Fans were robbed of further "Marvin and Mary" duets when she left Motown for what she hoped would be a more successful financial deal at 20th Century Records. It was not to be, but that's another story. Fortunately, Motown didn't give up on the duet idea, and in 1965, it next paired Gaye with singer Kim Weston. Weston, a fiery vocalist, excelled at sophisticated and adult blues and pop tunes, which were often created for her by her then-husband Mickey Stevenson. Weston had travelled with Gaye as a supporting act in his entertainment revue. It was on the road where a musical rapport between the two singers was established. "TAKE TWO" is even better than "Together" and featured a substantial hit in "It Takes Two," which has since become a pop standard and a staple in the nightclub acts of many female/male duets including Donny and Marie Osmond and Marilyn McCoo and Billy Davis Jr. On "TAKE TWO" Marvin and Kim tackle a variety of material, including Motown compositions such as "It's Got to be A Miracle," "I Want You 'Round," the bouncy "Baby Say Yes," "What Good Am I Without You," and "Baby, I Need Your Loving."Marvin and Kim also covered standards including "Secret Love," and "Till There Was You," from "The Music Man." Unlike Wells, Weston was an expressive singer with a smokey and often husky tone. But she could belt with the best of them because her roots were in the church - in gospel music. And where Mary Wells had cooed seductively to Gaye, allowing him to shine on their duets, Weston often challenged him, sometimes matching him note for note. This caused Gaye to sing with a bit more soulful grit than he usually did and occasionally made some of the duets sound more like a battle or a test of lung power. Still, the outcome was often satisfying with both singers giving their all-out best. But eventually, once again, Gaye found himself without a singing partner when Weston and her hubby Stevenson were enticed to leave Motown for a deal at MGM. "It Takes Two" rose in popularity on the nation's pop charts in early 1967, but Weston had left the label. During a performance on "American Bandstand" Gaye was forced to sing his hit with an oversized rag doll. Luckily, Gaye would continue to find success with female singing partners. After Weston and Wells, he would record a string of memorable love duets with Tammi Terrell, who as stated earlier is widely regarded as his best partner. However, this disc captures Gaye singing with two of his earliest partners from the 1960s and serves as a warm-up for the Gaye & Terrell partnership that would come later in the decade."
Lost but Now Found.............FINALLY!!!!!!!!
R. Carter | St. Louis, Missouri United States | 06/24/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Man i cant tell you what feelings i got when i saw that these two records are NOW one. Together with Mary Wells was a nice cd with the fun play between the two and its motown at its best in the early 60's.....My favorites are "Whats the matter with my baby, You came a long way from St. Louis and "I love you for sentimental reasons. Its nice to here nice wholesome singing from 2 great talents of the motown era. Finally with the Take Two......i was a mere child when i stumbled across this great album, i love Marvin Gaye, I was even more impressed with this female voice who i say just blew me away and til this day Kim Weston is a sleeping giant WHY OH WHY this woman never got her due is beyond me. When i discovered that this was on cd i jumped on it and its in rotation as i write this, my favorites on this cd is "I want you round" sung so sweetly and of course "It Takes Two", Just an all around good cd for anyone with a fetish for Marvin and Kim, no disrespect to Tammi Terrell but Kim was my favorite duet partner of all his ladies.........Also for more Kim and Marvin just check out "Marvin Gaye Collection" WOW......What a pair.....These two just compliment each other and give each other a vocal workout.............the interplay is just phenomenal........i saw Kim Weston in concert a few years ago here in St. Louis and lets just say that she still has the powerful voice and all its glory.......Brenda Holloway was on the bill and she too was just great another one of those sleeping giants that i love so much. I just have a love for all the under dogs of motown that has what it takes but was never giving proper due in their hey day.........but at any rate i give 5 stars............Rare Diamond indeed!"
Two classic duet albums
Peter Durward Harris | Leicester England | 08/06/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Marvin recorded plenty of duets in his time with a variety of female singers including Diana Ross and Tammi Terrell. This twofer is made up of duets with Mary Wells and Kim Weston.The first album, Together, was recorded with Mary Wells and released in 1964. The only single from the album, Once upon a time, made the top twenty in America but missed the charts in Britain. Among the other songs here are interesting duet versions of the classic songs Deed I do and I love you for sentimental reasons.The second album, Take two, was recorded with Kim Weston and released in 1967. It includes both sides of their 1964 USA-only single (What good am I without you b/w I want you round) and ten new tracks. One single, It takes two, was released in 1967 and made the top twenty on both sides of the Atlantic. Among the other songs on this album is a cover of Baby I need your loving, first recorded by label mates the Four Tops, for whom it was a huge hit in America, although it was the Fourmost who had the British hit with that song.While these are both great albums, Marvin recorded even better albums with Tammi Terrell. If you haven't got any of those duets, you should consider buying them first, although you will likely still buy this anyway if you are a fan of sixties Motown."
Track Listings (22) - Disc #1