"I Heard It Though the Grapevine" - Which version do you prefer?

[catlover79]

Gladys Knight & The Pips' or Marvin Gaye's?

I vote for Marvin Gaye's. It was intense and even slightly spooky. Love that song.

[Rezny@gmail.com]

I may be in the minority,and probably am,and while Marvin Gaye's version isn't bad,I prefer Gladys Knight and the Pips'version.

[catlover79]

Originally Posted by rezny9@hotmail.com

I may be in the minority,and probably am,and while Marvin Gaye's version isn't bad,I prefer Gladys Knight and the Pips'version.

That's OK - there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I like the Gladys version too, but I like Marvin's better myself.

[Ireneparalegal]

There is also a Roger & Zapp version which I very much like. But out of the two you mentioned, God, that is hard to decide. I think I would rather hear Gladys' version just a tad bit more than Marvin's. But that don't mean I don't love me my Marvin Gaye. He was DA BOMB!!!!!!!

[MickeyMac]

How about Smokey Robinson & The Miracles's version of "Grapevine"? They cut it before anybody.

[BarneyFife]

I liked Credence Clearwater Revival's version better. But since their version isn't on the list, i have to go with Marvin Gayes version.

[Nighthawk76]

Marvin Gaye's

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

How about Smokey Robinson & The Miracles's version of "Grapevine"? They cut it before anybody.

They recorded it, but it was not released. Big difference. If you read the 3rd paragraph, it explains why it is The Miracles' version was never released:


"I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a R&B/soul song written by Motown songwriters Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong. The Funk Brothers, created the tune. Whitfield recorded several different versions of the song with several different Motown acts, and two of those versions became hits: one version by Gladys Knight & the Pips became a number-two hit in the United States in 1967, while the version by Marvin Gaye became a number-one hit in the UK and the U.S. in 1968. Marvin Gaye's version is #80 on Rolling Stone's list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.

Gaye's version, the most notable recording of the song, was his first number-one hit, and was the most successful single released by Motown in the 1960s. Since the releases of the original hit versions of the song, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" has been heavily covered, most notably an extended 1970 version by Creedence Clearwater Revival.

Shelved versions by The Miracles and The Isley Brothers:

Norman Whitfield first recorded "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" in early 1967 with Smokey Robinson & the Miracles as the vocalists. During the 1960s, Motown held Quality Control meetings each Friday morning to determine which new recordings would be released as singles. The Quality Control staff voted as a democracy, with Motown chief Berry Gordy also holding veto power. During one of those meetings, Whitfield presented the Miracles' "Grapevine", which was not chosen for release. Undaunted, Whitfield had The Isley Brothers re-record the song; their version also failed to gain a release.

Recording the Marvin Gaye version:

Still determined that he and Barrett Strong had written a hit, Whitfield had "Grapevine" recorded a third time. Re-imagining the soul song as a slower, psychedelic-inspired record, Whitfield had Marvin Gaye record the lead vocal, with The Andantes on background vocals and Motown's studioband The Funk Brothers playing a voodoo-like instrumental track.

It took Marvin Gaye two months to complete his recording of the song, which he worked on during April and May of 1967. Whitfield had Gaye's lead vocal arranged just above his actual register, a trick he had used with David Ruffin on Temptations songs such as "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" in order to elicit a rawer vocal from the singer as he strained to hit the high notes. The trick worked, and Gaye's pained lead on "Grapevine", contrasted with the softer vocals of the Andantes, made Whitfield sure he had finally recorded a hit. Motown label chief Berry Gordy was not impressed, however, and vetoed "Grapevine" at a Friday morning Quality Control Meeting. In its stead, the label issued another Gaye recording, "Your Unchanging Love", as a single; "Your Unchanging Love" charted at number thirty-three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and number seven on the Billboard Black Singles (R&B) chart.

“I Heard It Through the Grapevine”

Single by Marvin Gaye
from the album In the Groove
Released October 30, 1968
Format 7" single
Recorded Hitsville USA (Studio A); February 1967 - April 1967
Genre Soul
Length 3:16
Label Tamla
Producer Norman Whitfield


Recording and releasing the Gladys Knight & the Pips version:

Ignoring his temporary lack of success, Whitfield recorded a fourth version of the song. This version was recorded by Gladys Knight & the Pips, in an uptempo gospel-based arrangement heavily influenced by Aretha Franklin's recent hit "Respect". The Atlanta, Georgia-based act had just joined the label the year before, and had to this point been relegated to the status of second-stringers. After Whitfield presented them with the demo tapes for "Grapevine", Gladys Knight, Bubba Knight, William Guest, and Edward Patten sneaked a reel-to-reel tape recorder out of Motown's offices and worked for several weeks on their vocal arrangement. To make the song, originally written from the point-of-view of a male, suitable for Gladys Knight, the first line of the second verse ("I know a man ain't supposed to cry/But these tears I can't hold inside") was altered to make it gender-neutral ("Take a good look at these tears in my eyes/Baby, these tears I can't hold inside").

When Whitfield completed the Pips' version of "Grapevine", he sequestered Berry Gordy and had him listen to it. After some additional convincing from the Pips, Gordy allowed the Pips' version of "Grapevine" to be issued as a single. Motown put little promotional support behind the single, and the Pips had to rely on their connections with various dee jays across the United States to get their record played.

Gladys Knight & the Pips' "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" reached the number-one position on the Billboard R&B chart on November 25, 1967, and stayed there for six weeks, making it the group's second R&B number one after 1961's "Every Beat of My Heart". It reached number-two on the Billboard Pop Singles singles chart the same month, with The Monkees' "Daydream Believer" holding on to the top spot. It was Motown's best-selling single up to that point.

[MrCleveland]

I made a mash-up song with CCR"s version of Grapevine, Marvin Gaye's, and the song that sampled it, Queen Latifah's "Paper".

[AB]

Marvin Gaye's version for me.

[MickeyMac]

The Miracles version wasnt released true, but their first recording is availible on a CD called Motown Sings Motown Treasures. Also they must have re recorded the song because its on their 1968 LPSpecial Occasion. That I know for a fact because I have three copies of it.

[sara]

I have always liked Gladys Knight's version better.

[Janice]

Marvin Gaye for me.

[Ireneparalegal]

Originally Posted by MickeyMac

The Miracles version wasnt released true, but their first recording is availible on a CD called Motown Sings Motown Treasures. Also they must have re recorded the song because its on their 1968 LPSpecial Occasion. That I know for a fact because I have three copies of it.

Right. But it was never released as a single which is all I was clearing up.

[James]

Of the two listed, I'll say Gladys Knight and the Pips' version.

Of all the versions out there, I like CCR's version the best; it is over ten minutes long in length.