Marvin Gaye Live!

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Professional reviews
Marvin Gaye Live!

Studio album by Marvin Gaye
Released	June 19, 1974
Recorded	Oakland Coliseum January 4, 1974
Genre	Soul
Length	43:41
Label	Tamla
Producer(s)	Marvin Gaye
All Music Guide link
Marvin Gaye chronology
Diana & Marvin (1973)	Marvin Gaye Live! (1974)	I Want You (1976)

Marvin Gaye Live! was the second live album released by Marvin Gaye in 1974.

At the time of the recording Marvin Gaye was on the height of his career, having sold over ten million singles and five million albums respectively, between 1971 and 1973. Marvin Gaye Live!, which was finally recorded at the Oakland Coliseum on a previously rescheduled date on January 4, 1974, was significant for many reasons: it marked the singer's official return to the stage after a four-year sabbatical (although he performed on May 1, 1972 after his place of birth Washington D.C. officially proclaimed "Marvin Gaye Day") following the untimely death of fellow soul singer and beloved duet partner Tammi Terrell in 1970; Gaye still hadn't recovered from his stage fright, which was now more apparent as he was starting to take cocaine to dim the fright; and it proved that despite his age (he was 34 years old at the time of the concert) and after spending a 15-year career, he was still the delight of many a female fan, who cheered him on and screamed loudly as he sung through a bevy of songs.

It was noted that when Gaye arrived, he would have his younger brother, singer Frankie Gaye, come onstage to accept cheers as if Frankie was indeed Marvin - in fact the two brothers looked alike - and when Marvin appeared in his trademark sparkled kufi and sparkled blue jean outfit, many were confused. Nevertheless, Gaye commanded the stage even through his fright and the only jitters showed when he was trying to discuss a song.

Commercially the album was another big success and prove that Marvin couldn't do anything wrong during the first half of the 1970's in terms of his public appeal. The live recording hit the No. 1 spot on August 31, 1974 on the Billboard R&B charts for two weeks as well as Billboard's Pop album charts top ten at #8. The album, though, is most famous for capturing the moment when Gaye gave a slower, soulful version of his doo-wop ballad, "Distant Lover" to frenzied screams and cheers. The live version of "Distant Lover" also became a single release in late September of 1974 hitting the R&B Top 20 and Pop top 30, respectively. The performance soon became a Gaye trademark onstage and the singer continued to perform the song in the similar way until his last concert in 1983.