''The Norman Whitfield Sessions'' is compilation album of songs by Marvin Gaye from 1962 to 1969. The album covers the

Norman Whitfield Norman Jesse Whitfield (May 12, 1940 – September 16, 2008) was an American songwriter and producer, who worked with Berry Gordy's Motown labels during the 1960s. allmusic Biography/ref> He has been credited as one of the creators of the Mo ...

-produced sessions of

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 Marvin Gaye's late sixties period as he moved away from teen pop-driven R&B songs that made him a pop star. It covers more mature, grittier and funkier material as Whitfield guided the direction of Gaye's career, the high point being the 1968 song, "

I Heard It Through the Grapevine "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The first recording of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips and released as a ...

", which became Gaye's first international smash. Other hits during that period included the more upbeat "

Too Busy Thinking About My Baby "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" is a Motown song written by Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, and Janie Bradford. The song was first recorded by The Temptations as a track on their 1966 album '' Gettin' Ready''. Eddie Kendricks sings lead on th ...

", the darker " That's the Way Love Is" and "The End of Our Road". The collection includes "Wherever I Lay My Hat", which Whitfield co-penned and produced with Gaye on his '' That Stubborn Kinda Fellow''; the song was covered by

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

singer

Paul Young Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. ...

. There are covers of

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

songs such as "

Groovin' "Groovin" is a single released in 1967 by American rock band the Young Rascals that became a number-one hit and one of the group's signature songs. It has been covered by many artists, including the Young Rascals themselves in other languages. ...

", " Yesterday", " Abraham, Martin & John" and two

Temptations The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top 1 ...

covers (" Cloud Nine" and "

I Wish It Would Rain "I Wish It Would Rain" is a 1967 song recorded by the Temptations for the Motown label (under the "Gordy" imprint) and produced by Norman Whitfield. Release Issued with the Melvin Franklin-led "I Truly, Truly Believe" as its B-side, "I Wish ...

").

Track listing

#"True, True Loving" (Previously unreleased) #"Me and My Lonely Room" #"Wherever I Lay My Hat" #"

" #" Gonna Give Her All the Love I Got" #" Yesterday" #"

" #"Gonna Keep on Tryin' Till I Win Your Love" #" That's the Way Love Is" #" Abraham, Martin & John" #"

How Can I Forget "How Can I Forget" was originally recorded as a love ballad by Motown group The Temptations in 1968 and was re-recorded in a psychedelic soul/ funk styling by fellow Motown artist, Marvin Gaye in 1969. His version, released on Motown's first s ...

" #"No Time for Tears" #"

" ( B-side of "

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 ...

") #" Cloud Nine" #"Don't You Miss Me a Little Bit Baby" #"So Long" #"

" #" The End of Our Road"

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Norman Whitfield Sessions, The 1994 greatest hits albums Albums produced by Norman Whitfield Marvin Gaye compilation albums Motown compilation albums