Album Review: Marvin Gaye & Mary Wells — Together

One of the things Motown singer Marvin Gaye was most known for was his work within vocal duos. Before his socially-conscious What’s Going On era, Gaye concentrated on a more pop-friendly brand of r&b. But his work with Mary Wells, Kim Weston and Tammi Terrell are all important parts of his musical legacy.

And it was the first of those pairings, Together with Wells, where Gaye truly got his biggest break. Prior to the release of Together, he had recorded and released four albums for Motown; none charted. He had managed for Top Ten singles on the r&b chart, with one of those making it into the U.S. Top Ten.

“Once Upon a Time is a lilting, gentle track; subtlety is its primary virtue. It’s tasteful in the extreme, though somel isteners may expect a seeping string interlude, thankfully there isn’t one. A lovely marimba solo enlivens the track, but the alternating vocals are at its center.

“Deed I Do” is a swinging pop number with some soulful background vocals. And “Until I Met You (Corner Pocket) is a rousing, jazzy cut that feels like a throwback. “Together” is more effective, dleivering a soulful character and dialing back the slickness just a bit. “(I Love You) for Sentimental Reasons” is a bit on the syrupy side, but it’s still appealing.

The brassy “The Late Late Show” brings some welcome energy to the set, with a bouncy give-and-take vocal. “After the Lights Go Down Low” is a slice of big band blues. Wells and Gaye even harmonize a bit. “Squeeze Me” continues on the blues tip; it’s a deep-cut treat. “What’s the Matter with You Baby” has a Brill Building pop flavor, Motown style. Another relatively big production number, “You Came a Long Way From St. Louis” closes the record I nstyle.

Motown thought a duo album would be an effective way to boost Gaye’s career, and they were right: the album scored positive reviews, and its single, “Once Upon a Time” b/w “What the Matter With Yyou Baby” was that rare success: both its a- and b-sides charted separately. That chart action helped pave the way for Marvin Gaye’s future successes.

As a duo, however, Gaye and Wells never capitalized on the success of Together. By the time of its release in April 1964, Mary Wells had left Motown (on the sage advice of her husband/manager); her subsequent career did not flourish.

Together received its first reissue in 1981; Motown reissued it on CD and vinyl in 2015; some CD reissues featured bonus tracks that are (arguably) superior to the core songs. The new monaural 2024 reissue is pressed on 140g vinyl in limited edition.