Dayum!!, Marvin does it again, I mean just to think that he was going to act hateful against Anna (his exwife) and record a garbage set...he couldn't do it, "Here My Dear" turned out to be a real life relationship masterpiece on wax. Never before has anybody been so direct with their family business than Marvin Gaye...this is like a book! My favorite line is "I was a fool from the start, fooling around with my mind instead of my heart". Wow, what else can I say...

One listen to Here My Dear and you will never view music the same way again. I had heard about this so called dud of a Marvin Gaye album by from reading a magazine article on Marvin's Leagacy. The author of the feature called this a " whinefest put to music" and one of the worse albums Marvin ever recorded. I guess it just goes to show that some people have no idea what true art is. The story behind the album has been well documented, in 1978 Marvin was ordered to give all the proceeds as well as his advance for this album to his first wife Anna Gordy as part of a unique divorce settlement.At first Marvin was going to produce in his terms "a quickie record, nothing that would be any good" but that was soon forgotten about as the tape started rolling. What we see here on this album is a man dangerously close to the edge who is able to somehow to transform all the negative influences and struggles around him into something that is utterly breathtaking! From the first notes of the doo wop influenced Here My Dear you know immediately that this cd is unlike anything you are used to hearing from Mr. Gaye. Throughout the album Marvin touches on every bitter and depressing subject pertaining to the disolvement of his relationship with Anna and you feel every painful, anguished moment. Songs like Time to get it together really let you in on Marvin's tortured mindstate with his admission of drug abuse, hooker obsession and overall decent into decandance. You feel for Marvin as his multi-layered vocals all express hopelessness in in astoundingly beautiful way. By the time you near the end of record Marvin has fallen in love again but his tone is not one of optimisim it's more like here we go again, letting you know his previous wounds have not healed and they probably never will no matter how hard or beautifly he tries to sing them away.When this album was released it was widely trashed after all the world was in the theroes of disco and did not have time for an album as powerful and honest as Here My Dear but the great thing about time is that everything has it's day in the sun and as more Marvin Gaye fans have discovered this is MPG's best collection of music he ever put down.Don't buy this cd expecting smooth love songs and the spirituality of Marvin's most well known works, you'll be disappointed if that's what you're after but if you are looking to experience music with a feeling a real feeling then you must pick this up!

Never thought that an album would be able to replace Drive-By Truckers' Decoration Day with that title, but was I wrong. For better and worse, I admittedly don't know much of Marvin's material outside of the 2-disc Motown anthology and "Sexual Healing," but I cannot imagine him assembling a better album than Here, My Dear. Bitter, remorseful, venomous, loving, looking backward, moving forward, no pity party...just sweet, sweet cathartic listening for anyone who has ever gone through a messy or unanticipated divorce.

Marvin Gaye in this recording laid his soul bare for all to experience. This album went largely unappreciated and that's too bad. Once you start on the journey Marvin takes you on, you'll find yourself taking a side in this drama between he and his wife Anna and seeing him come out on the other side with his finding new love. For the serious Marvin fan this is a must have.

Here My Dear is an astounding piece of work. As an album, it is masterfully crafted. The variations of tones, melodies, and rhythms create a full musical experience that very few albums can equal.

The album begins humbly with a introduction to his story of his first marriage. We then get treated with the sweet story of his encounter with the love of life, and the first years of his marriage. As the album continues, the marriage and relationship fall apart and the music and lyrics and Marvin Gaye's incredible delivery show just how turbulent things would get. He goes through the anger that arose, the divorce courts, and the haunting memories that come to haunt him. But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel that shows that he has recovered from the relationship and can find another love. However, the reoccurring theme of "When did you stop loving me..." reveals that the wound will never really heal and always could happen again. The album on whole carries a wonderful cohesion that keeps you from skipping any song. You'll just want to hear all the parts of the story from beginning to end.

Music-wise, this is a simply a stellar sophisticated album. There are many layers and developments with each song. For any music-lover there is much to chew on for EVERY song. First two listens through, you'll just get a glimpse of the amazing song craft. Later, you'll hear the little nuances and addition of instruments and the careful developments. The way "When did you stop loving me..." shows how regrets, and past events culminate in a piercing frustration of a lover who's still wondering "What went wrong?" "Is that enough?" shows the heavy beating down of the courts and selfish lover who wants to rob Gaye of everything. "Sing little Sparrow" shows just why Marvin is singing all this, and the painful memories that need to be vented.

Overall, one of the best albums by one of the greatest musicians.