"Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By" is a duet released in 1969 on the

Tamla Motown Records is an American record label owned by the Universal Music Group. It was founded by Berry Gordy Jr. as Tamla Records on June 7, 1958, and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation on April 14, 1960. Its name, a portmanteau of ''moto ...

label by singers Marvin Gaye and

Tammi Terrell Tammi Terrell (born Thomasina Winifred Montgomery; April 29, 1945 – March 16, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter, widely known as a star singer for Motown Records during the 1960s, notably for a series of duets with singer Marvin Gaye. ...

. The first release off the duo's third album, '' Easy'', it has been hugely debated whether or not an ailing Terrell, who was dying from a

brain tumor A brain tumor occurs when abnormal cells form within the brain. There are two main types of tumors: malignant tumors and benign (non-cancerous) tumors. These can be further classified as primary tumors, which start within the brain, and seconda ...

, was on the track or if the song's co-writer,

Valerie Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

, subbed for Terrell. In his biography, ''Divided Soul: The Life of Marvin Gaye'', Marvin said Tammi was too ill to record, but Motown pushed for another Marvin/Tammi record. Marvin refused, calling it inhuman, until the label convinced him the album would cover for Terrell and her family, so Gaye and Simpson sung as if it were a Gaye/Terrell duet. However, in Terrell's sister Ludie Montgomery's book, ''My Sister Tommie: The Real Tammi Terrell'', Simpson reportedly denied she took part in the song saying Terrell was assisted to the studio to record her part. Whatever the reason, the song became an international top forty hit for the duo reaching number thirty on the pop chart and number twenty-six on the UK pop singles chart. '' Cash Box'' praised the song's "belting rhythmic accompaniment, loverly lyric and the twosome's distinctive impact." The recording was featured in the film '' The Boys in the Band''.

Personnel

*All vocals by Marvin Gaye and

*Produced and written by

Ashford & Simpson Ashford & Simpson were an American husband-and-wife songwriting-production team and recording duo of Nickolas Ashford (May 4, 1941 – August 22, 2011) and Valerie Simpson (born August 26, 1946). Ashford was born in Fairfield, South Carolina, ...

*Instrumentation by

The Funk Brothers The Funk Brothers were a group of Detroit-based session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972. Its members are considered among the most successful groups of stud ...

References

1969 singles Marvin Gaye songs Tammi Terrell songs Songs written by Nickolas Ashford Songs written by Valerie Simpson Male–female vocal duets 1969 songs Song recordings produced by Ashford & Simpson Tamla Records singles {{1960s-single-stub

Personnel

Further reading

References