Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye<div hidden>Diana Ross & Marvin Gaye Diana & Marvin Diana and Marvin</div>
Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye are iconic Motown artists whose careers shaped soul, R&B, and pop music. Diana rose to fame as the lead singer of The Supremes before launching a successful solo career, while Marvin became known for his socially conscious and emotionally raw solo work after early group and duet successes.
Born Diane Earle on March 26, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan, Diana Ross began her career as the lead vocalist of The Supremes, Motown's most successful act with hits like "Where Did Our Love Go" and "Baby Love." The group achieved 12 number-one singles from 1964 to 1969, earning her the nickname "Queen of Motown."
She went solo in 1970, topping charts with "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and starring in the 1972 film Lady Sings the Blues as Billie Holiday, which earned her an Oscar nomination. Ross released over 25 solo albums, won a Grammy, received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1988.
Her personal life includes three children, notably actress Tracee Ellis Ross, and high-profile relationships like with Berry Gordy. Now 81, she continues touring and influencing artists like Beyoncé.
Marvin Gaye, born Marvin Pentz Gay Jr. on April 2, 1939, in Washington, D.C., started as a drummer and vocalist with groups like The Rainbows before signing with Motown in 1961. Early hits included duets like "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" with Tammi Terrell.[ from prior context, extrapolated]
His 1971 album What's Going On marked a shift to socially conscious music addressing war, poverty, and environment, followed by the erotic Let's Get It On (1973). I Want You (1976) and the 1982 hit "Sexual Healing" solidified his legacy before his tragic death.[ extrapolated]
Gaye won Grammys posthumously, influenced countless artists, and was inducted into the Rock Hall in 1987. He was killed by his father on April 1, 1984, at age 44 amid personal struggles.
Diana & Marvin is a duet album by Diana Ross and Marvin Gaye, released on October 26, 1973, by Motown. It features soulful collaborations recorded separately between 1971 and 1973 at Motown studios in Hollywood, amid reported tensions like Gaye's marijuana use during sessions.
The project aimed to blend Ross's sophisticated ballads with Gaye's introspective soul, produced by figures like Berry Gordy Jr. Despite their star power post-hits like "Touch Me in the Morning" and "Let's Get It On," the separate vocals led to uneven chemistry. It sold over 2 million copies worldwide and was reissued on CD in 2001 with bonus tracks.
Diana and Marvin
Arranged By – David Blumberg
Producer – Hal Davis
Written-By – Linda Creed, Thom Bell
3:10
A2 Love Twins
Arranged By – David Blumberg
Producer – Hal Davis
Written-By – Marilyn McLeod, Mel Bolton
3:28
A3 Don't Knock My Love
Arranged By – David Blumberg
Producer – Hal Davis
Written-By – Brad Shapiro, Wilson Pickett
2:20
A4 You're A Special Part Of Me
Arranged By – James Carmichael
Producer – Berry Gordy
Written-By – Andrew Porter, Gregory Wright, Harold Johnson
3:35
A5 Pledging My Love
Arranged By – Bob Gaudio, David Blumberg
Producer – Bob Gaudio
Written-By – Don D. Robey, Fats Washington
3:34
B1 Just Say, Just Say
Arranged By – Paul Riser
Producer – Nickolas Ashford & Valerie Simpson
Written-By – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
4:10
B2 Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)
Arranged By – Gene Page
Producer – Hal Davis
Written-By – Linda Creed, Thom Bell
2:53
B3 I'm Falling In Love With You
Arranged By – Mark Davis (2)
Producer – Margaret Gordy, Mark Davis (2)
Written-By – Margaret Gordy
2:42
B4 My Mistake (Was To Love You)
Arranged By – David Blumberg
Producer – Hal Davis
Written-By – Gloria Jones, Pam Sawyer
2:55
B5 Include Me In Your Life
Arranged By – David Blumberg
Producer – Hal Davis
Written-By – Marilyn McLeod, Mel Bolton
3:04
Label: Motown – M-803V1
Format: Vinyl, LP, Album
Country: US
Released: 1973
Genre: R^B Soul
Style: Seventies Soul
Diana & Marvin (1973) is a critically acclaimed, top-selling Motown duet album, lauded for pairing Diana Ross’s polished pop vocals with Marvin Gaye’s raw soul, producing hits like "You Are Everything" and "My Mistake (Was to Love You)". While plagued by notoriously difficult, separate recording sessions, the album is a 5-star,, classic, and essential soul record.
The album is highly regarded, receiving 5-star ratings from AllMusic, Q, and The New Rolling Stone Album Guide. The album features a mix of lush, orchestral pop-soul produced by Hal Davis and others, with standout covers of The Stylistics.
Key songs include the top 20 hits "You Are Everything," "My Mistake (Was to Love You)," and "Don't Knock My Love".
The album is infamous for the studio difficulties, as Ross and Gaye recorded their parts separately due to scheduling conflicts and creative differences, which some critics feel created a less cohesive, but still brilliant, final product.
The album is generally hailed as a masterpiece, capturing two of Motown's biggest, yet contrasting, stars at their peak. While some reviewers noted that the chemistry between the two was not as natural as Gaye's work with Tammi Terrell, the sheer vocal talent of both artists makes it a landmark album in soul music history.
While it peaked at #26 on the U.S. Billboard 200, it was a major success in the UK, reaching #6 and selling over a million copies. Overall, the Discogs average rating of 4.06/5 reflects its status as a high-quality, if uneven, historical artifact from Motown's golden era.