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"Ain't That Peculiar" is a 1965 song recorded by American soul musician Marvin Gaye for the Tamla (Motown) label.

"Ain't That Peculiar"
Single by Marvin Gaye
from the album Moods of Marvin Gaye
B-side	"She's Got to Be Real"
Released	September 14, 1965
Recorded	Hitsville, USA, Detroit, Michigan; May 5 & 12, 1965
Genre	Soul, pop, R&B
Length	2:50
Label	Tamla
Songwriter(s)	Pete Moore, William "Smokey" Robinson, Bobby Rogers, Marv Tarplin
Producer(s)	Smokey Robinson
Marvin Gaye singles chronology
"Pretty Little Baby" (1965) "Ain't That Peculiar" (1965) "One More Heartache" (1966)

Background

The single was produced by Smokey Robinson, and written by Robinson, and fellow Miracles members Bobby Rogers, Pete Moore, and Marv Tarplin. "Ain't That Peculiar" features Gaye, with The Andantes on backing vocals, singing about the torment of a painful relationship.

Billboard said that "penetrating hard-drive dance beat backs another soulful, first-rate Gaye performance."[1] Cash Box described it as a "rollicking, rhythmic pop-blues romantic handclapper about a love-struck fella who can’t get along without his gal."[2]

Chart success

The single was Gaye's second U.S. million seller successfully duplicating its predecessor "I'll Be Doggone", from earlier in 1965 by topping Billboard's Hot R&B Singles chart in the fall of 1965, peaking at number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100.[3] It became one of Gaye's signature 1960s recordings, and was his best-known solo hit before 1968's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

Cover versions

• A cover by all-female rock band Fanny on their 1972 album Fanny Hill reached number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100.[4]
• A live cover by Rufus (band) and Chaka Khan on their 1983 album Stompin' at the Savoy – Live
• A cover by R&B singer Stevie Woods reached number 54 on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles in 1984.[5]
• A cover by New Grass Revival peaked at number 53 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in 1986.[6]
• Mike and the Mechanics covered the song on Late Night with David Letterman, on April 6, 1989, alongside Paul Shaffer and The World's Most Dangerous Band. The recording of the performance appeared on the charity album, Nobody's Child: Romanian Angel Appeal.[7][8]

Personnel

• Lead vocals by Marvin Gaye
• Background vocals by the Andantes: Marlene Barrow, Jackie Hicks and Louvain Demps
• Drums by Uriel Jones[9]
• Guitar by Marv Tarplin
• Other instrumentation by the Funk Brothers

References

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