'Til Tomorrow
| "'Til Tomorrow" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
R&B, soul | ||||
| Length | 4:57 | |||
| Label | Columbia | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Marvin Gaye | |||
| Producer(s) | Marvin Gaye | |||
| Marvin Gaye singles chronology | ||||
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"'Til Tomorrow" is a 1982
Background
Released on his Midnight Love album, it was the sole ballad in the album, which focused mainly on funk rhythms and dance material. Gaye was the sole lyricist of the song. When asked how the lyrics of the song seemed more primitive than Gaye's previous ballads, the singer said he had run out of ideas on lyrics. The song is described as a bare-bones song with "heavenly scat riffs". Gaye provides accentuated doo-wop harmonies in the background while delivering both a jazzy-inspired baritone and a gospel-inflected tenor with falsetto stuck in the middle of it. The original demo of the song (titled "Baby, Baby, Baby") showcased the frustration Gaye was going through during the recording of Midnight Love. The spoken intro by Gaye was later modified by the singer while mention of the word "shit" was also taken off of the final track as was extra lyrics added during the saxophone solo provided by Bobby Stern. The song was later covered by Chico DeBarge.
Reception
Billboard called it "an intricate composition with some startling chords in the instrumental arrangements and harmonies."[1]
Chart performance
The song was issued as a single mainly for R&B radio while Gaye was prepping for his upcoming "Sexual Healing" tour, which took place in April 1983. Due to strong initial airplay, the song peaked at number thirty-one on the R&B singles chart.
Credits
- All vocals by Marvin Gaye
- Instrumentation by the following:
- Marvin Gaye: synthesizers
- Gordon Banks: guitar, bass, drums
- Bobby Stern: tenor saxophone solo
- Produced by Marvin Gaye
References
- ^ "Top Single Picks". Billboard. February 5, 1983. p. 61. Retrieved 2023-02-08.
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