Pride & Joy
Encyclopedia
"Pride and Joy" is a 1963 single by Marvin Gaye
, released on the Tamla label. The single, co-written by William "Mickey" Stevenson, Gaye and Norman Whitfield
, and produced by Stevenson, was considered to be a tribute to Gaye's then-girlfriend, Anna Gordy
.
The song was also the third straight (and last) single to include Martha and the Vandellas
in background vocals just weeks before "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave
" made the girl group one of the high-tier Motown acts.
The song was also Gaye's first top ten pop single peaking at number ten on the chart and just missed the top spot of the R&B singles chart peaking at number two. The song also helped continue Gaye's successful hit streak as the singer would score another Top 40 pop hit at the end of that year with "Can I Get a Witness
".
The album version of the single featured on Gaye's second album, That Stubborn Kinda Fellow
is different in parts to the single version presenting a more jazz
effect than the gospel
-emulated version that became a single.
Later, the Jackson 5 covered the song for the G.I.T.: Get It Together
outtake in 1973, but was only released in 1976 to compilation Joyful Jukebox Music
.
Marvin Gaye
Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
, released on the Tamla label. The single, co-written by William "Mickey" Stevenson, Gaye and Norman Whitfield
Norman Whitfield
Norman Jesse Whitfield was an American songwriter and producer, best known for his work with Berry Gordy's Motown label during the 1960s...
, and produced by Stevenson, was considered to be a tribute to Gaye's then-girlfriend, Anna Gordy
Anna Gordy Gaye
Anna Gordy Gaye is an American songwriter and composer, known as the elder sister of Motown founder Berry Gordy and the first wife of soul legend Marvin Gaye, who used their troubled marriage as the focal point of his critically acclaimed 1978 effort, Here, My Dear, an album from which Gordy...
.
The song was also the third straight (and last) single to include Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas
Martha and the Vandellas were among the most successful groups of the Motown roster during the period 1963–1967...
in background vocals just weeks before "(Love is Like a) Heat Wave
(Love is Like a) Heat Wave
" Heat Wave" is a 1963 hit single penned by the Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting team and made popular by Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. It was originally released in July 1963, on the Motown subsidiary label Gordy, peaking at #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 on the Billboard Hot...
" made the girl group one of the high-tier Motown acts.
The song was also Gaye's first top ten pop single peaking at number ten on the chart and just missed the top spot of the R&B singles chart peaking at number two. The song also helped continue Gaye's successful hit streak as the singer would score another Top 40 pop hit at the end of that year with "Can I Get a Witness
Can I Get a Witness
"Can I Get a Witness" is a 1963 hit song by Marvin Gaye on the Tamla label. Written and produced by Motown songwriting and producing team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song was built among gospel-styled music and heralded Gaye's beginnings in the church with a rhythm and blues/rock and roll setting...
".
The album version of the single featured on Gaye's second album, That Stubborn Kinda Fellow
That Stubborn Kinda Fellow
That Stubborn Kinda Fellow is an album by Marvin Gaye, released on the Tamla label in 1962. The LP yielded several hit singles including "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", "Hitch Hike" and "Pride and Joy" and helped to establish Marvin as a rising star on the R&B music scene.An unreleased single, "Wherever...
is different in parts to the single version presenting a more jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
effect than the gospel
Gospel music
Gospel music is music that is written to express either personal, spiritual or a communal belief regarding Christian life, as well as to give a Christian alternative to mainstream secular music....
-emulated version that became a single.
Later, the Jackson 5 covered the song for the G.I.T.: Get It Together
G.I.T.: Get It Together
G.I.T.: Get It Together was the seventh official studio album by The Jackson 5, released in September 1973 for the Motown label....
outtake in 1973, but was only released in 1976 to compilation Joyful Jukebox Music
Joyful Jukebox Music
Joyful Jukebox Music came out after breaking the contract with Motown, Michael and his brothers had already released the album The Jacksons when it landed in the bins...
.
Personnel
- Lead vocals by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
- Background vocals by Martha and the VandellasMartha and the VandellasMartha and the Vandellas were among the most successful groups of the Motown roster during the period 1963–1967...
: Martha ReevesMartha ReevesMartha Rose Reeves is an American R&B and Pop singer and former politician, and was the lead singer of the Motown girl group Martha and the Vandellas. During her tenure with The Vandellas, they scored over a dozen hit singles, including "Jimmy Mack", "Dancing in the Street" and "Nowhere to Run"...
, Rosalind AshfordRosalind AshfordRosalind "Roz" Ashford-Holmes is an American soprano R&B and soul singer, famed for her work as member of the popular Motown singing group Martha and the Vandellas.-Early years:...
and Annette Beard - Instrumentation by The Funk BrothersThe Funk BrothersThe Funk Brothers was the nickname of Detroit, Michigan, session musicians who performed the backing to most Motown Records recordings from 1959 until the company moved to Los Angeles in 1972...