Dream of a Lifetime

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For the comic, see The Dream of a Lifetime.
Dream of a Lifetime
Studio album by
Marvin Gaye
ReleasedMay 21, 1985
Recorded1971–1976, 1982–1983 (original)
1984–1985 (reworked)
Length36:13
LabelColumbia
ProducerMarvin Gaye (original versions), Gordon Banks, Harvey Fuqua
Marvin Gaye chronology
Midnight Love
(1982) 		Dream of a Lifetime
(1985) 		Romantically Yours
(1985)
Singles from Dream of a Lifetime
  1. "Sanctified Lady"
    Released: 1985
  2. "It's Madness"
    Released: 1985

Dream of a Lifetime is the eighteenth and first posthumously released

studio album by the American recording artist Marvin Gaye. It included the top five R&B single "Sanctified Lady
".

Background

In 1982, after final negotiations to leave

shot and killed by his father. With two albums left from his Columbia contract, Columbia and Gaye's former label, Motown, began to work together to complete the singer's original contract to alleviate any debts left over by the singer after his death.[1][2][3][4]

Recording

In the summer of 1984,

sessions.[1][2][3][4]

Fuqua assembled leftover sessions from Gaye's Motown days, including an obscure track Gaye composed on the fly as a joke titled "Savage in the Sack", a song David Ritz later stated was a song Gaye would not have wanted released. Originally, a

Sammy Davis, Jr.
, who did not record it.

Reception

Dream of a Lifetime found modest success after its release in May 1985. The leading single, "Sanctified Lady", reached #2 on the Hot R&B Singles chart, while "It's Madness" peaked at #55 on that chart. The album itself peaked at #8 on the R&B chart and #41 on the Billboard 200.

Nelson George of Spin wrote, "Clearly, side one is a reflection of his sexually troubled, drug-filled last year. Yet Marvin's attitude toward the material is hardly dire. He seems to revel in his outrageousness, and enjoys poking fun at his obsessions. The myth of Marvin Gaye, sexual sophisticate/sexual slave, will surely grow."[5]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Rolling Stone(mixed) link
Robert ChristgauC+[6]

Track listing

Side One

  1. "Sanctified Lady" (Gordon Banks, Gaye) – 5:25
  2. "Savage in the Sack" (Gaye) – 3:20
  3. "Masochistic Beauty" (Gordon Banks, Gaye) – 4:39
  4. "It's Madness" (Gaye) – 3:21

Side Two

  1. "Ain't It Funny (How Things Turn Around)" (Gaye) – 4:54
  2. "Symphony" (Gaye, Smokey Robinson) – 2:50
  3. "Life's Opera" (Gaye,
    Ivy Hunter
    ) – 7:42
  4. "Dream of a Lifetime" (Gaye) – 3:49

Personnel

  • Larkin Arnold – liner notes
  • Gordon Banks – synthesizer, bass guitar, percussion, drums, background vocals, producer, engineer
  • William Bryant – percussion
  • Harvey Fuqua – synthesizer, bass guitar, percussion, drums, background vocals, producer
  • Marvin Gaye – synthesizer, drums, keyboards, lead vocals, background vocals, producer (original versions)
  • Connie Howard and the Waters – background vocals
  • John Kovarek – engineer
  • Barney Perkins – engineer
  • Preston Wilcox – drums

References

  1. ^ a b Seidenberg, Robert (4 July 1985). "Dream Of A Lifetime". Rollingstone.com. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  2. ^ a b "HOW SWEET IT WASN'T: THE TORTURED LIFE AND 'DIVIDED SOUL' OF MARVIN GAYE". Chicago Tribune. 28 April 1985. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  3. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (12 May 1985). "FOR MARVIN GAYE, LIFE - THROUGH SONG - GOES ON". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  4. ^ a b "GAYE ALBUM A MISHMASH; QUEEN SOUND IS BACK". Sun Sentinel. 31 May 1985. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  5. ^ Nelson George (July 1985). "Spins". Spin. No. 3. p. 31.
  6. ^ "Robert Christgau: CG: Marvin Gaye". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
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