Marvin Gaye Drops the Jazz Act and Works the Motown Line on ‘That Stubborn Kinda’ Fellow’ — 7/10

Marvin Gaye’s 1963 album That Stubborn Kinda’ Fellow is a pivot, plain and simple. His previous record reached for jazz sophistication and stumbled. This one grabs the Motown formula with both hands and runs. It is a ten-track statement that Gaye could work the label’s assembly line as well as anyone — and make it feel like his own.

The record runs 25 minutes and wastes none of them. These are short, sharp pop-soul songs built for radio, not for showing off. Where the debut leaned on standards, this album aims at the dance floor. It is a commercial record in the best sense: direct, tuneful, and pointed squarely at the charts. It hit the target.

Opening With a Declaration

“Stubborn Kind of Fellow” opens the album and sets its terms. The song runs on an insistent rhythm and a vocal that swings between a smooth croon and a sharp, insistent plea. The narrator is not begging; he is telling. That confidence carries the whole record. It is the sound of an artist who has stopped second-guessing himself.

“Pride & Joy” follows and keeps the energy up. It is lighter, more playful, with a swinging groove that lets Gaye show off his phrasing. He bounces through the verses and lands hard on the chorus. It is a showcase for his range inside a tight three-minute pop song.

Hitch Hike and the Uptempo Stretch

“Hitch Hike” is the record’s other standout, and it earns its reputation. The rhythm is the story — a jerky, syncopated beat that mimics the motion in the title. Gaye’s vocal rides on top, half-spoken, half-sung. It feels like a dare, and it works.

“Get My Hands on Some Lovin'” slows things slightly but keeps the pulse steady. It is a straightforward come-on, delivered with enough charm to avoid feeling crude. The arrangement is lean, leaving room for Gaye’s voice to do the heavy lifting.

“Wherever I Lay My Hat” is the first real shift in mood. It is a ballad, and it shows a different side of Gaye — the vulnerable one. The narrator is a drifter, but the delivery is warm, not lonely. It points toward the more introspective work he would make later in the decade.

Ballads and the Back Half

“Soldier’s Plea” keeps the slower pace. It is a plea for a lover to wait, framed in military imagery. It is earnest and a little sweet, and it works better than it has any right to. Gaye sells the sincerity.

“It Hurt Me Too” is a ballad about empathy in love — hurt for a partner’s pain rather than at it. It is the most delicate track on the record, and Gaye handles it with restraint. He does not oversing; he lets the melody carry the weight.

“Taking My Time” picks the tempo back up. It is a relaxed, mid-tempo number that feels like a breather rather than a peak. It does the job, but it does not demand attention.

Closing Tracks and Minor Cuts

“Hello There Angel” is another ballad, pleasant enough. It is the kind of track that fills out an album without defining it. Gaye’s vocal is lovely, but the song itself is a little generic.

“I’m Yours, You’re Mine” closes the record in under two minutes. It is the shortest track here, a quick, bright finish that leaves the listener smiling. It is not a grand statement; it is a handshake. The album ends the way it began — confident, tight, and eager to please.

• Artist: Marvin Gaye
• Album: That Stubborn Kinda’ Fellow
• Released: 1963
• Tracks: 10
• Running time: 25 minutes
• Key tracks: “Stubborn Kind of Fellow,” “Hitch Hike”

The Verdict

The lesser cuts — “Taking My Time,” “Hello There Angel,” “Soldier’s Plea” — do not embarrass themselves. They are competent, well-sung, and forgettable. That is the nature of a record built on the Motown model. The label was making hits, and hits are not all created equal. What matters is that the peaks are high, and the peaks here are very high.

The album’s real achievement is that it erased the doubts left by Gaye’s prior work. It proved he could be a hitmaker, and it did so by embracing the formula rather than fighting it. The jazz ambitions were put aside; the voice was not. That voice is the thread tying the whole record together, from the stomp of the title track to the quiet close.

That Stubborn Kinda’ Fellow is vintage early Motown, and that is a compliment. It is a record that knows exactly what it is and does it well. It is not a masterpiece; it is a foundation. Gaye would go on to make deeper, stranger, more personal records. But this is where he learned to stand.

It is a 7 out of 10.

1963 album · classic album review · Hitch Hike · Marvin Gaye · soul music