Try It Baby

1964 single by Marvin Gaye

"Try It Baby"

Single by Marvin Gaye

from the album How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You

B-side

"If My Heart Could Sing"

Released

May 21, 1964

Recorded

January 28 & 29, 1964

Genre

R&B

Length

2:30

Label

Tamla

Songwriter(s)

Berry Gordy, Jr.

Producer(s)

Berry Gordy, Jr.

Marvin Gaye singles chronology

"What's the Matter With You Baby"
(1964)

"Try It Baby"
(1964)

"Baby Don't You Do It"
(1964)

"Try It Baby" is a slow blues ballad recorded by American soul singer Marvin Gaye, released on the Tamla label in 1964.^[1] The ballad was written and produced by Gaye's brother-in-law, Motown chairman Berry Gordy.

Background

The ballad talked of a woman who was "moving up" and "leaving (her man) behind". To help him along the way, the Temptations (fresh off scoring their first few hits) assisted Gaye in the track providing background vocals.

Cash Box described it as "a tantalizing, chorus-backed rhythm shuffler that Marvin does up in winning style."^[2]

Chart history

"Try It Baby" reached number 15 on the pop singles chart and number six on the R&B singles chart.^[3]

Chart (1964)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot 100^[4]	15

Cover versions

"Try It Baby" was covered in 1968 as a joint effort by Diana Ross & the Supremes and the Temptations. Featuring Melvin Franklin, Diana Ross, and Paul Williams on leads, the track was included on the 1968 LP Diana Ross & the Supremes Join the Temptations, their first of four joint albums.^[5]

Personnel

Marvin Gaye version

Lead vocals by Marvin Gaye
Background vocals by the Temptations: Paul Williams, Eddie Kendricks, David Ruffin, Melvin Franklin and Otis Williams
Trumpet solo by Maurice Davis
Instrumentation by the Funk Brothers

Supremes/Temptations version

Lead vocals by Diana Ross, Paul Williams and Melvin Franklin
Background Vocals by Otis Williams, Melvin Franklin, Eddie Kendricks, Paul Williams, Dennis Edwards, and the Andantes
Instrumentation by Los Angeles session musicians

References

^ The Complete Motown Singles Vol 4: 1964 [CD liner notes]. New York: Hip-O Select/Motown/Universal Records.
^ "CashBox Record Reviews" (PDF). Cash Box. June 6, 1964. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-01-12.
^ Allmusic review
^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles, 14th Edition: 1955-2012. Record Research. p. 331.
^ Allmusic (Supremes/Temptations album)

Marvin Gaye

Studio albums

The Soulful Moods of Marvin Gaye (1961)
That Stubborn Kinda Fellow (1962)
When I'm Alone I Cry (1964)
Hello Broadway (1964)
How Sweet It Is to Be Loved by You (1965)
A Tribute to the Great Nat "King" Cole (1965)
Moods of Marvin Gaye (1966)
In the Groove (1968)
M.P.G. (1969)
That's the Way Love Is (1970)
What's Going On (1971)
Trouble Man (1972)
Let's Get It On (1973)
I Want You (1976)
Here, My Dear (1978)
In Our Lifetime (1981)
Midnight Love (1982)
Dream of a Lifetime (1985)
Romantically Yours (1985)
Vulnerable (1997)
You're the Man (2019)

Duet albums

Together (with Mary Wells, 1964)
Take Two (with Kim Weston, 1966)
United (with Tammi Terrell, 1967)
You're All I Need (with Tammi Terrell, 1968)
Easy (with Tammi Terrell, 1969)
Diana & Marvin (with Diana Ross, 1973)

Compilations

Greatest Hits (1964)
Greatest Hits, Vol. 2 (1967)
Marvin Gaye and His Girls (1969)
Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell's Greatest Hits (1970)
Super Hits (1970)
Anthology (1974)
Marvin Gaye's Greatest Hits (1976)
Motown Remembers Marvin Gaye: Never Before Released Masters (1986)
The Marvin Gaye Collection (1990)
The Norman Whitfield Sessions (1994)
Love Starved Heart: Rare and Unreleased (1994)
The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (1994)
The Master (1961–1984) (1995)
Marvin Gaye: The Love Songs (2000)
The Complete Duets (2001)
The Very Best of Marvin Gaye (2001)

Live albums

Marvin Gaye Recorded Live on Stage (1963)
Marvin Gaye Live! (1974)
Live at the London Palladium (1977)
Marvin Gaye at the Copa (2005)
What's Going On Live (2019)

Video albums

The Real Thing: In Performance (1964–1981) (2006)

US/UK top
ten singles

"Pride and Joy"
"How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)"
"I'll Be Doggone"
"Ain't That Peculiar"
"Your Precious Love"
"If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"
"Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing"
"You're All I Need to Get By"
"I Heard It Through the Grapevine"
"Too Busy Thinking About My Baby"
"That's the Way Love Is"
"Abraham, Martin and John"
"The Onion Song"
"What's Going On"
"Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)"
"Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)"
"Trouble Man"
"Let's Get It On"
"You Are Everything"
"Got to Give It Up"
"Sexual Healing"

Family

Marvin Gay Sr. (father)
Alberta Gay (mother)
Anna Gordy Gaye (first wife)
Denise Gordy (son's birth mother)
Nona Gaye (daughter)
Frankie Gaye (brother)
Gordon Banks (brother-in-law)

Related
topics

Discography
Songs
Albums
Songs by Marvin Gaye
Albums produced by Marvin Gaye
Songs produced by Marvin Gaye
Personal life
Death
Tributes
Songs in memory
The Marquees
Harvey Fuqua
Tammi Terrell
Leon Ware
Marvin's Room
Marvin Is 60: A Tribute Album
Divided Soul
Sexual Healing Tour

Category

v t e Marvin Gaye singles
1960s: (Tamla)	1961 "Let Your Conscience Be Your Guide" 1962 "Sandman" "Soldier's Plea" "Stubborn Kind of Fellow" "Hitch Hike" 1963 "Pride and Joy" "Can I Get a Witness" 1964 "You're a Wonderful One" "Once Upon a Time" "What's the Matter with You Baby" "Try It Baby" "Baby Don't You Do It" "What Good Am I Without You" "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved by You)" 1965 "I'll Be Doggone" "Pretty Little Baby" "Ain't That Peculiar" 1966 "One More Heartache" "Take This Heart of Mine" "Little Darling (I Need You)" "It Takes Two" 1967 "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" "Your Unchanging Love" "Your Precious Love" "You" "If I Could Build My Whole World Around You"/"If This World Were Mine" 1968 "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing" "You're All I Need to Get By" "Chained" "Keep On Lovin' Me Honey" "You Ain't Livin' till You're Lovin'" "His Eye Is on the Sparrow" "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" 1969 "Good Lovin' Ain't Easy to Come By" "Too Busy Thinking About My Baby" "That's the Way Love Is" "Abraham, Martin and John" "What You Gave Me" "How Can I Forget"
1970s: (Tamla)	1970 "Gonna Give Her All the Love I've Got" "The Onion Song" "California Soul" "The End of Our Road" 1971 "What's Going On" "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" "Inner City Blues (Make Me Wanna Holler)" "Save the Children" 1972 "You're the Man" "Trouble Man" "I Want to Come Home for Christmas" 1973 "Let's Get It On" "You're a Special Part of Me" "Stop, Look, Listen (To Your Heart)" "Come Get to This" 1974 "You Sure Love to Ball" "My Mistake (Was to Love You)" "Don't Knock My Love" "You Are Everything" "Distant Lover" 1976 "I Want You" "After the Dance" "Since I Had You" 1977 "Got to Give It Up" 1978 "Pops, We Love You (A Tribute to Father)" 1979 "A Funky Space Reincarnation" "Anger" "Ego Tripping Out"
1980s: (Tamla/ Columbia)	1981 "Praise" "Heavy Love Affair" 1982 "Sexual Healing" 1983 "My Love Is Waiting" "'Til Tomorrow" "Joy"
Posthumous	1985 "Sanctified Lady" "It's Madness" "Just Like" 1986 "The World Is Rated X" 1991 "My Last Chance" 1994 "Lucky, Lucky Me" 1995 "This Love Starved Heart Of Mine(It's Killing Me)" 2001 "Music" 2005 "Let's Get It On (The M.P.G. Groove Remix)" 2015 "Where Are We Going"
Category