Trouble Man (album)

Trouble Man is a soundtrack album by American soul singer Marvin Gaye, released on December 8, 1972, on Motown-subsidiary label Tamla Records. As the soundtrack to the 1972 blaxploitation film of the same name, the Trouble Man soundtrack was a more contemporary move for Gaye, following his landmark politically charged album What's Going On.

History

Recording

Following the success of What's Going On, Marvin Gaye had not only won creative control but a renewed $1 million contract with Motown subsidiary Tamla had made the musician then the most profitable R&B artist of all time.

Signing the contract in early 1972, Gaye sought to take advantage of his opportunities. Bolstered by the successes of film soundtracks such as Shaft and Superfly, Motown offered the musician a chance to compose his own film soundtrack after winning rights to produce the crime thriller, Trouble Man.

Unlike Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield, who mixed social commentary with sexual songs in their respective soundtracks, Gaye chose to focus primarily on the film's character, "Mister T", producing and composing both the film's score while entirely producing the film's soundtrack, which was recorded at Motown Studios (or "Hitsville West") in Hollywood.

Following the closing of Detroit's Hitsville USA studios in 1972, Motown had primarily moved its location to Los Angeles, where Gaye also relocated where he recorded the Trouble Man album. Gaye invited several musicians, including some from the Funk Brothers and musicians from Hamilton Bohannon's band.

Gaye would compose five different versions of the title track, including an alternate vocal version, which was used primarily for the film's intro. The alternate version featured Gaye double-tracking two lead vocal parts into one, bringing his falsetto vocals with his tenor on top of the falsetto. The single version, which was also featured on the soundtrack, would feature a single lead vocal take. The other three versions were put on the album as instrumentals with Gaye providing synthesizer keyboards while saxophone solos (and occasionally guitar) accompany him.

The only other songs in which Gaye vocalized harmonies or perform lead vocals included "Poor Abbey Walsh", "Cleo's Apartment", "Life is a Gamble", "Don't Mess with Mister T" and "There Goes Mister T".

Reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Robert Christgau	(C) link
MusicHound	link
Rolling Stone	(mixed) 3/01/73

Bolstered by the hit success of the title track, which returned Gaye to a blues format, the album followed in December where it reached the Billboard 200 top 20, peaking at #12.

It would become Gaye's only soundtrack and film score. Critics gave the album favorable reviews while sometimes comparing Gaye's soundtrack efforts to that of Hayes' and Mayfield's. Following this, other R&B musicians would produce soundtracks of their own, including James Brown, Barry White and fellow Motown act, Willie Hutch.

Track listing

All songs written by Marvin Gaye except where indicated.

"Main Theme From Trouble Man (2)" – 2:30
"'T' Plays It Cool" – 4:27
"Poor Abbey Walsh" – 4:13
"The Break In (Police Shoot Big)" – 1:57
"Cleo's Apartment" – 2:10
"Trouble Man" – 3:49
"Theme From Trouble Man" – 2:01
"'T' Stands For Trouble" – 4:48
"Main Theme From Trouble Man (1)" (Gaye/Dale Oehler) – 3:52
"Life is a Gamble" – 2:32
"Deep in It" – 1:25
"Don't Mess with Mister 'T'" – 3:04
"There Goes Mister 'T'" – 1:37

Personnel

Musicians

Marvin Gaye: vocals, drums, keyboards, piano, synthesizers
Trevor Lawrence: alto, tenor and baritone saxophone
Dale Oehler: horns
Eli Fountain: alto saxophone
Marty Montgomery: soprano saxophone
Gene Page: strings
Bob Ragland: piano, strings
James Anthony Carmichael: horns

Additional personnel

Composed, written and produced by Marvin Gaye
Arranged by Dale Oehler, Marvin Gaye, Gene Page, Jack Hayes, J.J. Johnson, Bob Ragland and Leo Shunker

v t e Marvin Gaye

Studio albums	The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye (1961) That Stubborn Kinda Fellow (1962) When I'm Alone I Cry (1964) Hello Broadway (1964) How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You (1965) A Tribute to the Great Nat "King" Cole (1965) Moods of Marvin Gaye (1966) In the Groove/I Heard It Through the Grapevine! (1968) M.P.G. (1969) That's the Way Love Is (1970) What's Going On (1971) Trouble Man (1972) Let's Get It On (1973) I Want You (1976) Here, My Dear (1978) In Our Lifetime (1981) Midnight Love (1982)

Posthumous compilations	Dream of a Lifetime (1985) Romantically Yours (1986) Vulnerable (1997)

Duet albums	Together (with Mary Wells, 1964) Take Two (with Kim Weston, 1966) United (with Tammi Terrell, 1967) You're All I Need (with Tammi Terrell, 1968) Easy (with Tammi Terrell, 1969) Diana & Marvin (with Diana Ross, 1973)

Compilations	Greatest Hits (1964) Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1967) Marvin Gaye and His Girls (1969) Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Greatest Hits (1970) Super Hits (1970) Anthology (1974) Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits (1976) Motown Remembers Marvin Gaye: Never Before Released Masters (1986) The Marvin Gaye Collection (1990) The Norman Whitfield Sessions (1994) Love Starved Heart: Rare and Unreleased (1994) The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (1994) The Master (1961–1984) (1995) Marvin Gaye: The Love Songs (2000) The Complete Duets (2001) The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (2001)

Live albums	Marvin Gaye Recorded Live on Stage (1963) Marvin Gaye Live! (1974) Live at the London Palladium (1977) Marvin Gaye at the Copa (2005)

US/UK Top Ten singles	"Pride and Joy" "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" "I'll Be Doggone" "Ain't That Peculiar" "Your Precious Love" "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You" "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" "You're All I Need to Get By" "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" "That's the Way Love Is" "Abraham, Martin & John" "The Onion Song" "What's Going On" "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" "Trouble Man" "Let's Get It On" "You Are Everything" "Got to Give It Up" "Sexual Healing"

Family	Marvin Gay, Sr. (father) Alberta Gay (mother) Anna Gordy Gaye (first wife) Denise Gordy (son's birth mother) Nona Gaye (daughter) Frankie Gaye (brother) Gordon Banks (brother-in-law)

Related topics	Discography Songs Albums Songs by Marvin Gaye Albums produced by Marvin Gaye Songs in memory Songs produced by Marvin Gaye Personal life Death Tributes Harvey Fuqua Tammi Terrell Leon Ware Marvin's Room Marvin Is 60: A Tribute Album

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