Editing Let's Get It On (section)

== Recording ==
[[File:Marvin Gaye (1973 publicity photo).jpg|thumb|Gaye during the album's recording at [[Hitsville West]] in Los Angeles, 1973]]

Gaye proceeded to record some more politically conscious material at the [[Golden World Records]] studio, known as Motown's Studio B, as well as the preliminary vocals and instrumentation for some of the material to be featured on ''Let's Get It On''.<ref name="gworld"/> Following the earlier sessions in Detroit at Golden World, Gaye recorded at Hitsville West in Los Angeles from February to July 1973.<ref name="gworld"/> Accompanied by an experienced group of session musicians called [[The Funk Brothers]], who had contributed to Gaye's ''What's Going On'', and received their first official credit, Gaye recorded the unreleased songs "The World is Rated X" and "Where Are We Going?" and the single "[[You're the Man]]" (1972) at Golden World.<ref name="gworld"/> "[[Where Are We Going? (song)|Where Are We Going?]]" was later covered by trumpeter [[Donald Byrd]]. Gaye had planned the release of an album titled ''You're the Man'', but it was later shelved for unknown reasons. The songs that were to be included on it, along with other unreleased recordings from Hitsville West and Golden World, were later featured on the 2001 re-release of ''Let's Get It On''.<ref name=deluxe>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r551939|pure_url=yes}} allmusic Let's Get It On (Deluxe Edition) - Overview ]. All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2008-08-17.</ref>

The album's first recording, "[[Let's Get It On (song)|Let's Get It On]]", was composed by Gaye with friend and former Motown label mate [[Ed Townsend]].<ref name=edm7/> It was originally written by Gaye as a religious ode to life, but Motown singer-songwriter [[Kenneth Stover]] re-wrote it as a more political first draft.<ref name=edm7/> Upon hearing Gaye's preliminary mix of Stover's draft, Townsend protested and claimed that the song would be better suited with sexual and romantic overtones, particularly "about making sweet love."<ref>Townsend (2001), p. 4.</ref> Gaye and Townsend rewrote the song's lyrics together with the original arrangements and musical accompaniment of the demo intact. The lyrics were inspired by Janis Hunter, whom Gaye had become infatuated with after meeting each other through Ed Townsend during the initial sessions.<ref name=edm7/> Townsend has cited Hunter's presence during the album's recording as an inspiration for Gaye.<ref name=edm15>Edmonds (2001), pp. 15–18.</ref> Gaye's intimate relationship with Hunter subsequently became the basis for his 1976 album ''[[I Want You (Marvin Gaye album)|I Want You]]''.<ref>Dyson (2005), p. 164.</ref> While recording the title track, he was inspired to revive unfinished recordings from his 1970 sessions at the Hitsville U.S.A. Studio.<ref name=edm7/>

Townsend assisted Gaye with producing the rest of the album, whose recording took place at several sessions throughout 1970 to 1973.<ref name="gworld">Deluxe edition liner notes (2001), pp. 19–20.</ref> They worked on four songs together, including the ballad "[[If I Should Die Tonight]]", while Gaye composed most of the other songs, including those from past sessions.<ref name=deluxe/> "Just to Keep You Satisfied" was originally recorded by several [[Motown]] groups, including [[The Originals (band)|The Originals]] and [[The Monitors (American band)|The Monitors]], as a song dedicated to long-standing love.<ref name=deluxe/> With re-recording the song, he had re-written the arrangement and lyrics to address the demise of his volatile marriage to Anna Gordy Gaye, who happened to be the original song's co-writer.<ref name=edm7/> The background vocals for the album were sung by Gaye, with the exception of "Just to Keep You Satisfied", which were done by The Originals.<ref name=deluxe/> Most of the instrumentation for the album was done by members of The Funk Brothers, including bassist [[James Jamerson]], guitarists [[Robert White (guitarist)|Robert White]] and [[Eddie Willis]], and percussionist [[Eddie "Bongo" Brown]]. Gaye also contributed on piano during the sessions.<ref name=deluxe/>