About the song
“I Heard It Through the Grapevine” is a classic song written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong for Motown Records in 1966. The song’s journey to becoming a cultural icon is marked by its multiple recordings and releases, each contributing to its legendary status.
The first version of the song to be released was produced by Whitfield for Gladys Knight & the Pips, hitting the airwaves in September 1967. This rendition quickly climbed the charts, reaching number one on the Billboard R&B Singles chart and number two on the Billboard Pop Singles chart, making it the biggest selling Motown single at that time. The success of this version set the stage for the song’s enduring popularity.
Interestingly, The Miracles were the first to record “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” in 1966, but their version remained unreleased until August 1968, when it was included on their album “Special Occasion.” This initial recording, although not as commercially successful as later versions, contributed to the song’s evolving legacy.
The most famous version of the song was recorded by Marvin Gaye in early 1967. However, it wasn’t released as a single until much later. It first appeared on Gaye’s 1968 album “In the Groove,” where it caught the attention of radio DJs and gained significant airplay. Despite initial hesitations from Motown founder Berry Gordy, the song was finally released as a single on the Tamla subsidiary in October 1968. Gaye’s soulful rendition quickly soared to the top of the Billboard Pop Singles chart, where it stayed for seven weeks from December 1968 to January 1969. This version surpassed Gladys Knight & the Pips’ version to become the biggest hit single on the Motown label up to that point.
Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” has since become an acclaimed soul classic. In 1998, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for its “historical, artistic, and significant” value. Rolling Stone has consistently recognized the song’s impact, placing it 80th on their list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time in 2004, re-ranking it at 81 in 2010, and again at 119 in 2021. On the fortieth anniversary of the Billboard Hot 100 issue in June 2008, Gaye’s version was ranked 65th.
In 2018, Gladys Knight & the Pips’ version also received recognition by being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, cementing the song’s status as a timeless piece of music history. The multiple versions and their respective successes highlight the song’s versatility and enduring appeal, making “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” a quintessential track in the Motown catalog and a beloved piece of American music heritage.
Video
Lyrics
Ooh, I bet you’re wond’rin’ how I knew
Baby, baby, baby, ’bout your plans to make me blue (how)
With some other girl you knew before
Between the two of us girls ya know I love you more
It took me by surprise I must say
When I found out yesterday.Don’t ya know that I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, don’t ya know that I heard it through the grapevine
And I’m just about, just about, just about, to lose my mind
Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I am.Baby won’t you listen to me.
Baby, take a good look at these tears in my eyes
Boy take a good look at these tears of mine
Baby, baby these tears I can’t hold inside
Losin’ you would end my life you see
Because you mean that much to me
You could’ve told me yourself
That you love some body else.Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Oh-h, not much longer you be mine
Oh, I heard it, yes, I heard it (heard it through the grapevine)
Oh, just about, just about, just about, to lose my mind
Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I am, Oh yes, I amGo-o-o-o-o, go
Go, I gotta go
Go, go
You gotta let me go
Go, go, go
I gotta go whoa, whoa, whoaSay believe half of what you see
Oh, ho, and none of what you hearBaby baby, but I just can’t help bein’ confused
If it’s true please baby, won’t ya tell me dear
Oh-h-h, do you plan to let me go
For the other girl you loved before?
Don’t ya know that I heard through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Don’t ya know that I heard it, yes I heard it