Friday 15 April 2011

Marvin Gaye - In Our Lifetime (1981)


"In Our Lifetime" was Marvin Gaye's last release with Motown. Recorded in L.A., Honolulu and London, the album was the end product of his re-work of the "Love Man" album, and a return to the serious, concept style of "What's Going On." The album cover, designed by Neil Breeden, visually depicts both the inner turmoil Gaye had been going through the past few years (two marriage break-ups, the loss of fans when "Here, My Dear" bombed), and his worries/questions about religion, peace, war, ecology, pollution, and particularly the nuclear issue. The break up with Motown came when the label released their own re-edit of the album, based on a rough mix received from bassist Frank Blair, without Marvin's okay. Sales of "In Our Lifetime" were poor despite critical acclaim, and the album was all but forgotten until being released on CD in 1994. In 2007, a limited edition, double CD was released with three "versions" of the album: the Motown version, Marvin's own Odyssey Studios mix, and the unreleased "Love Man" recordings.

Album info. at Discogs:

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