Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Revisiting "That's The Way Love Is"

 


"What's Going On" was still over a year away when "That's The Way Love Is" was released just as 1969 became 1970.  The title track was a Top Ten hit a few months earlier, and though half the record is cover versions, it is those covers that make this record.

Just the idea that someone would attempt The Young Rascals' "Groovin'" is enough to give me the twitch. That record landed in my Top 20 of all time. But the arrangement here by Gaye and the Motown gang, is something to behold. 

I'm sure many can take or leave Sir Paul's "Yesterday," but regardless, you can't deny it made history. I think Marvin's version might be definitive. It's also a strong argument for Marvin Gaye being the best vocalist of all time, at least until I get over how good this record is.

Gaye also handles a few songs that were hits for The Temptations. "Cloud Nine" fails to take off the way The Temps versions does. But, "I Wish It Would Rain," another song that made my Top 100, though not "better" than the original is definitely epic in its own right.

Almost all of "That's The Way Love Is" is fantastic, and though I'm loath to admit it, that includes "Abraham, Martin & John." I mean, if anyone is going to sell schmaltz, it's Marvin Gaye.

I know there are some of you who are less than impressed with "What's Going On" and that's okay. (It really isn't, but I'm over it. Almost.) Maybe "That's The Way Love Is" is more in your Marvin wheelhouse. Give it a whirl, if you haven't in some time.









14 comments:

Michael Giltz said...

I listened to the album the last time you touted it and it really is terrific. I still rank What's Going On and Let's Get It On as his two masterpieces. But this album is very good indeed. I gave it *** 1/2 out of ****...in part due to Abraham, Martin and John. :)

Anonymous said...

There isn't a bum note on That's The Way Love Is. These three covers are superb. Thanks for the reminder to spin this one more often.

- Paul in DK

steve simels said...

All things considered, I think he was the single most gifted person at Motown.

tlooney said...

Bingo! I've long believed this was one of Marvin's best albums. In fact, this one and M.P.G. (his previous album) are on equal ground for me, sort of like how Rubber Soul and Revolver are to the Beatles canon. Marvin's version of Yesterday is not only the best version of that song, it is the best cover of a Beatles song by anyone! More people need to know about this amazing album!

soundsource said...

Pretty cool version of wish it "Wish It Would Rain". This may be a stretch but it's almost like a rock band cover version at that speeded up tempo. Of course you would have to replace the very funky bass, but still pretty cool

Mr. Baez said...

I agree, this is no doubt the best version of Yesterday. Just mind blowing!

soundsource said...

On the other hand Groovin' has got a stone funky groove not the poppy feel of the Rascals (poppy in a good way). All told thanks for the heads up to these versions.
ps haven't forgotten Yesterday it ain't half bad either, lol

Christine said...

That voice!

Michael Giltz said...

Does Stevie Wonder count as Motown since he's technically Tamla? It would be a close call between him and Marvin Gaye.

Anonymous said...

As a kid in the Sixties, I never owned any non-compilation Motown albums. But I had all the Greatest Hits releases by pretty much the entire roster. Got the multi-disc anthologies in the Seventies along with some studio efforts by Marvin, the Temps and, of course, Stevie Wonder. When Motown started issuing those quality twofers in the early 2000,s, I picked up scads of them by mulltiple artists at the local one-stop. Among these were twofers of Gaye's Moods Of/In the Groove and M.P.G./That's the Way Love Is. I can honestly say I never heard any of the album tracks before, other than the hits. I was surprised at the quality of what I thought would be throwaway covers. For the most part, very enjoyable.

VR

Anonymous said...

Johnny Nash's "Groovin" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFMDDSv46ZM

i'm ambivalent about that period of Motown when they incorporated rock/psychedlia in their arrangements, mostly due to The Temptations greatest hits vol. 2. by the time i got to side 2 i was thinking, "this is a little much."

Sal Nunziato said...

VR,
Those twofers were wildly popular when I had the shop. And like you, it took some time for me to realize there were a number of really solid non-comp Motown releases, especially from 1967 on.

pmac said...

For several years following that release by Gaye. many of the high school marching bands in NO played a version of That's the Way Love Is during the Carnival parade season. Fantastic record.

Anonymous said...

Another vote for the awesomeness of Gaye's "Yesterday." To me, it vies with Stevie's "We Can Work It Out" as the all-time Beatles cover.

Bruce H