''I Want You'' is the fourteenth studio album by American

soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest atte ...

singer and songwriter Marvin Gaye. It was released on March 16, 1976, by the Motown Records-subsidiary label Tamla. Gaye recorded the album during 1975 and 1976 at his studio Marvin's Room in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...

and at Motown's Detroit-based Hitsville West studio. The album has often been noted by critics for producer

Leon Ware Leon Ware (February 16, 1940 – February 23, 2017) was an American songwriter, producer, composer, and singer. Besides a solo career as a performer, Ware was best known for producing hits for other artists including Michael Jackson, Quincy ...

's cinematic, downtempo sound, the erotic themes in his and Gaye's songwriting, and the singer's prominent use of the synthesizer. The album's cover artwork adapts neo-mannerist artist

Ernie Barnes Ernest Eugene Barnes Jr. (July 15, 1938 – April 27, 2009) was an American artist, well known for his unique style of elongated characters and movement. He was also a professional football player, actor and author. Early life Childhood E ...

's famous painting ''The Sugar Shack'' (1971). ''I Want You'' consisted of Gaye's first recorded studio material since his highly successful and well-received album ''

Let's Get It On ''Let's Get It On'' is the thirteenth studio album by American soul singer, songwriter, and producer Marvin Gaye. It was released on August 28, 1973, by the Motown subsidiary label Tamla Records on LP. Recording sessions for the album took pla ...

'' (1973). While it marked a change in musical direction for Gaye, departing from his trademark Motown and doo-wop-influenced sound for funky, light- disco soul, the album maintained and expanded on his previous work's sexual themes. Following a mixed response from critics at the time of its release, ''I Want You'' has earned retrospective recognition from writers and music critics as one of Gaye's most controversial works and influential to such musical styles as disco,

quiet storm Quiet storm is a radio format and genre of R&B, performed in a smooth, romantic, jazz-influenced style. It was named after the title song on Smokey Robinson's 1975 album '' A Quiet Storm''. The radio format was pioneered in 1976 by Melvin Li ...

, R&B, and

neo soul Neo soul (sometimes called progressive soul) is a genre of popular music. As a term, it was coined by music industry entrepreneur Kedar Massenburg during the late 1990s to market and describe a style of music that emerged from soul and contempo ...

Background

By 1975, Marvin Gaye had come off of the commercial and critical success of his landmark studio album ''

'' (1973), its successful supporting tour following the album's release, and ''

Diana & Marvin ''Diana & Marvin'' is a duets album by American soul musicians Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, released October 26, 1973 on Motown. Recording sessions for the album took place between 1971 and 1973 at Motown Recording Studios in Hollywood, Californi ...

'' (1973), a duet project with Diana Ross. However, similar to the conception and recording of ''Let's Get It On'', Gaye had struggled to come up with an album as an appropriate follow-up. And much like ''Let's Get It On'' Gaye reached for outside help, this time seeking the assistance of

, a singer and songwriter who had found previous success writing hits for fellow Motown alum, including pop singer

Michael Jackson Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...

and the rhythm and blues group

The Miracles The Miracles (also known as Smokey Robinson and the Miracles from 1965 to 1972) were an American vocal group that was the first successful recording act for Berry Gordy's Motown Records, and one of the most important and most influential group ...

.Ritz (2003), pp. 2–3. Ware had been working on songs for his own album which he would later issue under the title '' Musical Massage'', a collection of erotic singles Ware had composed with a variety of writers, including Jacqueline Hillard and Arthur "T-Boy" Ross, brother of Diana Ross. When Motown CEO

Berry Gordy Berry Gordy III (born November 28, 1929), known professionally as Berry Gordy Jr., is a retired American record executive, record producer, songwriter, film producer and television producer. He is best known as the founder of the Motown record l ...

paid a visit to Ware, the songwriter was more than happy to play Gordy his selection of tracks. After hearing a preliminary mix of the songs however, Gordy figured that Ware should let Gaye handle his material. While the majority of the album's songs were conceived by Ware, ''I Want You'' was transformed into a biographical centerpiece for Gaye, who was then in a volatile marriage with

Anna Gordy Anna Ruby Gaye (née Gordy; January 28, 1922 – January 31, 2014) was an American businesswoman, composer and songwriter. An elder sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy, she became a record executive in the mid-to-late 1950s distributing records ...

, sister to Berry Gordy, and also in a long-standing affair with Janis Hunter, who would later become the mother of his two youngest children. Gaye and Hunter were introduced to each other by producer

Ed Townsend Edward Benjamin 'Ed' Townsend (April 16, 1929 – August 13, 2003) was an American singer, songwriter, producer and attorney. He performed and composed "For Your Love", a rhythm and blues doo wop classic, and co-wrote "Let's Get It On" with Marvi ...

in 1973 at Hitsville West, while Townsend and Gaye were recording ''Let's Get It On''. Hunter was 17 years old while Gaye was seventeen years her senior at the time Townsend introduced them. In his book ''Mercy, Mercy Me: The Art, Loves, and Demons of Marvin Gaye'', the author and music writer

Michael Eric Dyson Michael Eric Dyson (born October 23, 1958) is an American academic, author, ordained minister, and radio host. He is a professor in the College of Arts and Science and in the Divinity School at Vanderbilt University. Described by Michael A. Fletch ...

elaborated on the relationship between ''I Want You'' and Gaye's affair with Hunter: Though it was often hinted that ''Let's Get It On'' was the album Gaye had dedicated to her, Marvin has stated that this album was dedicated to Hunter, who is believed to have been in the studio when he recorded it. According to music critics, her presence may have increased the emotion in Ware's and Gaye's conception of ''I Want You''. From Gaye's first recordings of ''I Want You'' to the album's release in 1976, Hunter and Gaye married and divorced in the span of three short years. Having gone mostly silent since the years of Gaye's death, Janis broke her silence in 2013 by releasing a book titled, ''After the Dance: My Life with Marvin Gaye'' where she recalls her turbulent and often violent relationship with Marvin.

Recording and production

ARP Odyssey Mk I, with Roland JX-3P (top)

Gaye and Ware recorded and mixed the album at Gaye's newly christened " Marvin's Room Studio", located on

Sunset Boulevard Sunset Boulevard is a boulevard in the central and western part of Los Angeles, California, that stretches from the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades east to Figueroa Street in Downtown Los Angeles. It is a major thoroughfare in ...

, and at Motown Recording Studios. The recording sessions took place throughout 1975 and 1976.Ritz (2003) Much like Gaye's previous studio effort ''Let's Get It On'', ''I Want You'' featured Gaye's contribution of background vocals and heavy multi-tracking. Gaye's vocalizing style was in classic doo-wop tradition accompanied by the low

tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...

of string arrangements and other instrumentation was provided 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 ...

.Dyson (2005), p. 171. Gaye's albums, and especially ''I Want You'', have been influential on modern soul music and contemporary R&B.Ritz (2003), pp. 8–10.

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...

Artists and Repertoire Artists and repertoire ( colloquially abbreviated to A&R) is the division of a record label or music publishing company that is responsible for talent scouting and overseeing the artistic development of recording artists (singers, instrumental ...

executive Gary Harris, who later assisted

singer D'Angelo in recording his debut album ''

Brown Sugar Brown sugar is unrefined or partially refined soft sugar. Brown Sugar may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Brown Sugar'' (1922 film), a 1922 British silent film directed by Fred Paul * ''Brown Sugar'' (1931 film), a 1931 ...

'' (1995), later commented on Gaye's significant artistry on ''I Want You'' and its opening title track. In an interview with writer Michael Eric Dyson, Harris comments on another popular track from the album "Soon I'll Be Loving You Again": Another significant feature of the recording sessions for ''I Want You'' was Gaye's use of the synthesizer in his music. During the time of recording, the instrument had entered its modern period of use and had been included in the music of such popular acts as Stevie Wonder and

Led Zeppelin Led Zeppelin were an English rock band formed in London in 1968. The group comprised vocalist Robert Plant, guitarist Jimmy Page, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham. With a heavy, guitar-driven sound, they are ci ...

. For the instrumental version of " After the Dance", Gaye implemented it for a more spacey sound than his previous recordings had featured. Other recordings from these sessions to feature Gaye's synthesizer were later featured on the deluxe edition re-release of ''I Want You''.

Artwork

The original ''The Sugar Shack'' painting, which was later used for the front album cover of ''I Want You'', was painted and released by neo-mannerist artist

in 1971.Ernie Barnes Interview ( 英語 )
. Soul Museum: Ernie Barnes. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. In 1976, Barnes redesigned the painting for use by television producer Norman Lear for the opening credits of '' Good Times'', his hit

CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...

sitcom that ran from 1974 to 1979. ''The Sugar Shack'' portrays a cultural image of a shack full of black people dancing. ''The Sugar Shack'' was painted by Barnes in his signature post-mannerist style, using serpentine lines, elongation of the human figure, clarity of line, unusual spatial relationships, painted frames, and distinctive color palettes. This style of technique and composition is similar to the mannerist style of 16th-century artists such as Michelangelo and

Raphael Raffaello Sanzio da Urbino, better known as Raphael (; or ; March 28 or April 6, 1483April 6, 1520), was an Italian painter and architect of the High Renaissance. His work is admired for its clarity of form, ease of composition, and visual a ...

, which has led Barnes to be credited as the founder of the Neo-Mannerism movement.Ernie Barnes Limited Edition Prints
. The Collection Shop Inc. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. Art critic Frank Getlein later called ''The Sugar Shack'' a "stunning demonstration of the fusion of Neo-Mannerism and Genre painting that Barnes alone has perfected and practices", and went on to say: ''The Sugar Shack'' has been known to art critics for embodying the style of art composition known as "Black Romantic", which, according to Natalie Hopkinson of ''

The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...

'', is the "visual-art equivalent of the Chitlin' Circuit."Neal, Mark Anthony
Review: ''I Want You''

PopMatters ''PopMatters'' is an international online magazine of cultural criticism that covers aspects of popular culture. ''PopMatters'' publishes reviews, interviews, and essays on cultural products and expressions in areas such as music, television, fi ...

. Retrieved on 2009-08-01. According to Barnes, he created the original version after reflecting upon his childhood, during which he was not "able to go to a dance."Oakland Tribune - Top Black Painter Exhibits in Oakland - August 14, 2002
. oaklandtribune.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. In an interview with SoulMuseum.net, Barnes was asked whether there were any messages he was attempting to express through the painting. He stated "'Sugar Shack' is a recall of a childhood experience. It was the first time my innocence met with the sins of dance. The painting transmits rhythm so the experience is re-created in the person viewing it. To show that African-Americans utilize rhythm as a way of resolving physical tension" Gaye was introduced to Barnes by colleague Barbara Hunter, which led to him buying eight Barnes originals, including ''The Sugar Shack''. After Gaye asked him for permission to use the painting as an album cover, Barnes then augmented the painting by adding references to Gaye's album, including banners hanging from the ceiling of the shack promoting the album's singles. Since the initial wide acclaim for ''The Sugar Shack'', Barnes has gained further recognition from art critics as one of the best black painters of his time and was cited by the ''

Oakland Tribune The ''Oakland Tribune'' is a weekly newspaper published in Oakland, California, by the Bay Area News Group (BANG), a subsidiary of MediaNews Group. Founded in 1874, the ''Tribune'' rose to become an influential daily newspaper. With the declin ...

'' as the " Picasso of the black art world." The original piece was later purchased by actor and comedian Eddie Murphy.

Release and reception

''I Want You'' was released March 16, 1976 in the United States on the Motown-subsidiary label

Tamla Records 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 ...

. While not as successful sales-wise as Gaye's previous landmark albums '' What's Going On'' and ''

'', ''I Want You'' sold in excess of 1 million copies in the United States with help mostly coming from its first single " I Want You". The single topped the ''Billboard'' Soul Singles chart, quickly becoming Marvin Gaye's eleventh number-one hit on that chart, while peaking at number fifteen on the ''Billboard'' Pop Singles chart. The album's second single, the

track " After the Dance (Vocal)", charted modestly, peaking at #14 on the Soul Singles chart and #74 on the Pop Singles chart, while another single release version of the song, a double

A-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record company ...

d vinyl record for

dance club Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoire ...

s and

discothèque A nightclub (music club, discothèque, disco club, or simply club) is an entertainment venue during nighttime comprising a dance floor, lightshow, and a stage for live music or a disc jockey (DJ) who plays recorded music. Nightclubs gener ...

s, hit the top ten of the ''Billboard'' Disco Singles chart. The song became a staple of dance clubs and discothèques during the late 1970s. "After the Dance" was hailed as one of Gaye's signature songs during the late 1970s and was later described by Gaye-biographer

David Ritz David Ritz (born December 2, 1943 in New York City) is an American author. He has written novels, biographies, magazine articles, and over a hundred liner notes for artists such as Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, and Nat King Cole. He has coauthore ...

as "emblematic for the final chapter of his career." ''I Want You'' became his fourth album to reach the top ten of the ''Billboard'' 200 chart and his fifth number-one album on the Soul Albums chart. Despite its chart success, ''I Want You'' received mixed reviews from music critics at the time of its release. It has been noted by music writers that the critical reception of disco music in general had been poor and ill-considered, which may have caused the slightly disco-styled ''I Want You'' to suffer critically, in comparison to Gaye's previous albums. ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the U ...

'' writer Dennis Hunt called the album "disappointing" and "only partially commendable".Hunt, Dennis.
Review: ''I Want You''
. ''

'': E22. April 9, 1976. ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

''s

Vince Aletti Vince Aletti (born 1945) is a curator, writer, and photography critic. Career Music industry Aletti was a contributing writer for ''Rolling Stone'' from 1970 to 1989. He was the first person to write about disco in an article published by the m ...

criticized Leon Ware's production for being too low- key, and perceived that Gaye lacks the certain passion in his lyricism and singing from his previous records.Aletti, Vince
Review: ''I Want You''
''

''. Retrieved on 2009-08-01. Aletti compared the album to Gaye's previous work, writing that "Gaye seems determined to take over as soul's master philosopher in the bedroom, a position that requires little but an affectation of constant, rather jaded horniness. The pose has already been established in ''Let's Get It On'', on which Gaye was hot, tender, aggressive, soothing and casually raunchy—the modern lover with all his contradictions. ''I Want You'' continues in the same vein but with only the faintest traces of the robust passion that shot through and sustained the earlier album ... one expects something with a little more substance and spirit. But there's no fire here, only a well-concealed pilot light." Cliff White of ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' called the album "almost a

voyeur Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature. The term comes from the French ''voir'' which means "to see". ...

's delight", and was not favorable of Gaye's sensual themes, stating "Although getting down, getting mellow, and getting it on are paramount considerations in the privacy of my own home, I don't particularly want to be party to someone else's night life. Not on record anyway ... Like peeking through the windows of the Gaye residence in the wee wee hours. Perhaps that's your kick, but personally I find it a mite frustrating."White, Cliff.
Review: I Want You''
. ''

'': May 8, 1976. White also criticized the album's sound, describing the songs as "all expressions of the same mood. Sensual, satisfied, and spaced out", and calling ''I Want You'' "simply the explorative aftermath of ''Let's Get It On''. The sweet nuthin's of a drowsy, sweat-streaked lover." Robert Christgau of ''

The Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture paper, known for being the country's first alternative newspaper, alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf (publisher), Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Mailer, th ...

'' wrote favorably of the album's sound quality. However, he criticized the lyrical content, as well as Ware's involvement in songwriting, stating "was it Ware who instructed Marvin to eliminate all depth and power from his voice? I mean, if you're into insisting on sex it's in bad taste to whine about it."

Legacy and influence

After critical re-examination of the album, ''I Want You'' has been recognized by writers and music writers as one of Marvin Gaye's most controversial and influential works and, much like its predecessor ''Let's Get It On'', has served as a major influence on the

and

contemporary R&B Contemporary R&B (or simply R&B) is a popular music genre that combines rhythm and blues with elements of pop, soul, funk, hip hop, and electronic music. The genre features a distinctive record production style, drum machine-backed rhy ...

genres. Its standing has also improved among critics following an expanded edition release of the album on July 29, 2003, which featured extensive liner notes and photography by Ryan Null. Following that release,

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...

praised Gaye's different direction in music and the

eroticism Eroticism () is a quality that causes sexual feelings, as well as a philosophical contemplation concerning the aesthetics of sexual desire, sensuality, and romantic love. That quality may be found in any form of artwork, including painting, sc ...

portrayed in Leon Ware's smooth-tempo production and Gaye's intimate lyricism. Reviewer Thom Jurek wrote: Such musicians as

Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...

, Robert Palmer and Madonna have stated they were influenced by ''I Want You'', while songs from the album have been sampled by such hip hop artists as

EPMD EPMD is an American hip hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is a concatenation of the members' names "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members: emcees Erick Sermon ("E" a.k.a. ...

Mary J. Blige Mary Jane Blige ( ; born January 11, 1971) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Often referred to as the " Queen of Hip-Hop Soul" and " Queen of R&B", Blige has won nine Grammy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, four American Music Award ...

, who sampled the title track for her hit song " Be Happy".TheBreaks.com album samples - Search results: I Want You
TheBreaks.com. Retrieved on 2008-08-29. The careers of

and R&B musicians including D'Angelo,

Musiq Soulchild Taalib Hassan Johnson (born September 16, 1977), better known by the stage name Musiq Soulchild or simply Musiq (pronounced "music") is an American singer and songwriter whose style blends R&B, funk, blues, jazz, and gospel influences fused w ...

R. Kelly Robert Sylvester Kelly (born January 8, 1967) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and sex offender convicted of racketeering and multiple sex offenses. During his recording career, Kelly sold over 75 million records worldwi ...

, Maxwell (particularly on '' Urban Hang Suite''),

Sade Sade may refer to: People * Marquis de Sade (1740–1814), French aristocrat, writer, and libertine * Sade (singer) (born 1959, Helen Folasade Adu), British Nigerian musician and lead singer of the eponymous band * Sade Baderinwa (born 1969), WAB ...

, and

Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...

show the influence of the soulful sound and equally romantic and erotic lyrics of ''I Want You'', ''Let's Get It On'' and Leon Ware's ''Musical Massage''.Musical Massage: Review
PopMatters. Retrieved on 2009-03-31. According to one critic, Ware's arrangements "solidified the suite-like theme for the album." Much like ''Let's Get It On'',

slow jam A slow jam is music with rhythm and blues and soul influences. Slow jams are commonly R&B ballads or downtempo songs, and are mostly soft-sounding with heavily emotional or romantic lyrical content. The earliest known use of the term is the 1983 ...

music, as well as modern soul and the

genre, are now viewed by critics to have been engendered by ''I Want You'' and by Gaye. Following the release of ''I Want You'', Ware released ''Musical Massage'' (1976), which received little mainstream notice. Despite this, ''Musical Massage'', Ware's second studio album, became a

cult hit A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. A ...

among soul music fans who were intrigued by ''I Want You'' and songs from that album's producer. Critical recognition of Ware's album later improved, being cited by

as "the perfect mix of soul, light funk, jazz, and what was about to become the rhythmic foundation for disco." allmusic ((( Musical Massage > Overview ))) All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2008-08-29.

Track listing

* Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–11 on digital reissues.

Deluxe edition

In 2003, ''I Want You'' was reissued by Motown as a two- disc expanded edition release, featuring 24-bit

digital remastering Remaster refers to changing the quality of the sound or of the image, or both, of previously created recordings, either audiophonic, cinematic, or videographic. The terms digital remastering and digitally remastered are also used. Mastering A ...

of the original album's recordings, previously unissued material, and a 24-page booklet, which contains the original LP

liner notes Liner notes (also sleeve notes or album notes) are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets that come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for cassettes. Origin Liner notes are desc ...

by Marvin Gaye, as well as comprehensive essays by writers including

. ;Original LP (Disc one) # "I Want You" (vocal) – 4:36 # "Come Live with Me Angel" – 6:30 # "After the Dance" (instrumental) – 4:25 # "Feel All My Love Inside" – 3:23 # "I Wanna Be Where You Are" – 1:17 # "I Want You" (intro jam) – 0:19 # "All the Way Around" – 3:50 # "Since I Had You" – 4:05 # "Soon I'll Be Loving You Again" – 3:13 # "I Want You" (intro jam) – 1:40 # "After the Dance" (vocal) – 4:42 # "I Want You" (vocal, promo only version) – 3:38 # "I Want You" (instrumental) – 4:39 # "Strange Love" (Feel All My Love Inside)" (instrumental) – 2:57 ;The Sessions alternate mixes, vocals & outtakes (Disc two) # "I Want You" (vocal & rhythm) – 5:05 # "Come Live with Me Angel" (alternate version) – 7:37 # "After the Dance" (instrumental) – 5:33 # "Feel All My Love Inside" (alternate version) – 3:52 # "I Wanna Be Where You Are" (alternate version) – 6:07 # "I Want You" (guitar jam) – 0:29 # "All the Way Around" (alternate version) – 3:52 # "Since I Had You" (alternate version) – 4:16 # "Soon I'll Be Loving You Again" (alternate version) – 4:30 # "I Want You" (jam, undubbed) – 4:52 # "After the Dance" (vocal, alternate version) – 5:14 # "I Wanna Be Where You Are (After the Dance)" – 4:01 # "You Are the Way You Are" (instrumental) – 4:26 # "Is Anybody Thinking About Their Living?" – 4:23

Personnel

*Artwork:

, Frank Mulvey *String and horn arrangements: Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson *Bass: Chuck Rainey, Henry Davis, Ron Brown,

Wilton Felder Wilton Lewis Felder (August 31, 1940 – September 27, 2015) was an American saxophone and bass player, and is best known as a founding member of the Jazz Crusaders, later known as The Crusaders. Felder played bass on the Jackson 5's hits "I Want ...

Bongos Bongos ( es, bongó) are an Afro-Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of small open bottomed hand drums of different sizes. They are struck with both hands, most commonly in an eight-stroke pattern called ''martillo'' (hammer). The ...

, Congas: Bobbye Hall Porter,

Eddie "Bongo" Brown Eddie "Bongo" Brown (September 13, 1932 – December 28, 1984) was an American musician born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, and raised in Memphis, Tennessee. Brown played congas, bongos, the gourd and claves for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brot ...

*Drums:

James Gadson James Gadson ( James Edward Gadson; born June 17, 1939) is an American drummer and session musician. Beginning his career in the late 1960s, Gadson has since become one of the most-recorded drummers in the history of R&B. He is also a singer and ...

*Piano, Fender Rhodes:

Jerry Peters Jerry Peters is an American songwriter, record producer, multi-instrumentalist, conductor and arranger. He is best known for writing the hit songs "Love Or Let Me Be Lonely" and "Going In Circles" by The Friends of Distinction. Career Peters w ...

, John Barnes,

Sonny Burke Joseph Francis "Sonny" Burke (March 22, 1914 – May 31, 1980) was an American musical arranger, composer, Big Band leader and producer. In 1937, he graduated from Duke University, where he had formed and led the jazz big band known as the Duke ...

, Marvin Gaye *Engineer: Fred Ross,

Art Stewart Arthur Stewart (February 6, 1927 – November 11, 2021) was an American baseball front-office executive and scout. He began his Major League Baseball (MLB) scouting career with the New York Yankees in 1953. He later joined the Kansas City Roya ...

*Executive Producer:

, Marvin Gaye *Guitar: David T. Walker,

Dennis Coffey Dennis James Coffey (born November 11, 1940) is an American guitarist. He was a studio musician for many soul and R&B recordings, and is well known for his 1971 Top 10 hit single " Scorpio". Biography Coffey learned to play guitar at the ...

Jay Graydon Jay Joseph Graydon (born October 8, 1949, Burbank, California) is an American songwriter, recording artist, guitarist, singer, keyboardist, producer, arranger, and recording engineer. He is the winner of two Grammy Awards (in the R&B category) wi ...

, Melvin "Wah Wah" Watson, Ray Parker Jr. *Percussion: Gary Coleman, Jack Arnold *Synthesizer: Marvin Gaye *Vocals: Marvin Gaye *Producer:

, Marvin Gaye, Arthur "T-Boy" Ross (co-produced tracks: A1, A3, B1, B2, B4-B6)

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

References

Bibliography

* * *

External links

*
I Want You
' at

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the ...

Album Review
at

BBC Online BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and BBC Sport, Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, t ...

"I Want You" music video
at

YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

{{Authority control 1976 albums Marvin Gaye albums Albums produced by Marvin Gaye Tamla Records albums Albums produced by Leon Ware Quiet storm albums Albums produced by Berry Gordy