Tag Archives: I heard it through the grapevine

Marvin Gaye: In the Groove

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On August 26, 1968, “Tamla” label released “In the Groove”, the eighth Marvin Gaye studio album. It was recorded 1967 – 1968, and was produced by Norman Whitfield, Ivy Jo Hunter and Frank Wilson.

Personnel:

  • Marvin Gaye – lead vocals
  • The Funk Brothers – instrumentation
  • Detroit Symphony Orchestra – instrumentation
  • The Andantes – backing vocals
  • The Originals – backing vocals
  • Gladys Knight & The Pips – backing vocals
  • Telma Hopkins – backing vocals
  • Joyce Vincent Wilson – backing vocals
  • Pamela Vincent – backing vocals 
  • Herbart – design

Track listing:

  1. You – Jeffrey Bowen, Jack Coga, Ivy Jo Hunter
  2. Tear Ot on Down – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  3. Chained -Frank Wilson
  4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  5. At Last (I Found a Love) – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover
  6. Some Kind of Wonderful – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  7. Loving You Is Sweeter Than Ever – Ivy Jo Hunter, Stevie Wonder
  8. Change What You Can – Marvin Gaye, Anna Gordy Gaye, Elgie Stover
  9. It’s Love I Need – Stephen Bowden, Ivy Jo Hunter
  10. Every Now and Then – Eddie Holland, Frank Wilson
  11. You’re What’s Happening (In the World Today) – George Gordy, Robert Gordy, Allen Story
  12. There Goes My Baby – Benjamin Nelson, Lover Patterson, George Treadwell

The Undis Puted Truth: Same

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In July 1971, “Gordy” label released the self-titled, debut Undisputed Truth (The) studio album. It was recorded in 1971, and was produced by Norman Whitfield.

Personnel:

  • Joe “Pep” Harris – lead vocal
  • Billie Rae Calvin – lead and backing vocals
  • Brenda Joyce Evans – lead and backing vocals
  • Paul Riser – arrangements
  • Dave Van DePitte – arrangements, conductor
  • Curtis McNair – art direction
  • Norman Whitfield – design concept 
  • Jim Hendin – photography
  • Jay Butler – liner notes
  • Scottie Regen – liner notes

Track listing;

  1. You Got The Love I Need – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  2. Save My Love for A Rainy Day – Norman Whitfield, Roger Penzabene
  3. California Soul – Nickolas Ashford, Valerie Simpson
  4. Aquarius – Galt MacDermot, Gerome Ragni, James Rado
  5. Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today) – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  6. Smiling Faces Sometimes – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  7. We’ve Got a Way Out Love – Holland-Dozier-Holland
  8. Since I’ve Lost You – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  9. Ain’t No Sun Since You’ve Been Gone – Cornelius Grant, Norman Whitfield, Sylvia Moy
  10. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  11. Like a Rolling Stone – Bob Dylan 

Barrett Strong

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On January 29, 2023, Barrett Strong died aged 81. He was singer and songwriter, the performer who had the first hit for Berry Gordy’s label “Tamla Records”, “Money (That’s What I Want)”. Strong was best known for his work as a songwriter, especially in association with the producer Norman Whitfield. In mid 1960s he became “Motown Records” writer lyricist, and together with Whitfield, they wrote some of the best known soul and funk classics of all times, including “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye and Gladys Knight & the Pips; “War” by Edwin Starr; “Wherever I Lay My Hat (That’s My Home)” by Marvin Gaye; “Smiling Faces Sometimes” by The Undisputed Truth; “Cloud Nine”, “I Can’t Get Next to You”, “Psychedelic Shack”, “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World Is Today)”, and “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”, by The Temptations. In 1973, Strong received “Grammy Award for Best R&B Song” for “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone”. As leader, Strong released four albums.

William Guest

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On December 24, 2015, William Franklin Guest died aged 74. He was singer, best known as member of Gladys Knight & the Pips. His vocal can be heard on all of the group’s major hits, including “Midnight Train To Georgia”, “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” and “Neither One Of Us”. In 1996, Guest was inducted to the “Rock and Roll Hall of Fame” with Gladys Knight & the Pips.

Gladys Knight & the Pips: Everybody Needs Love

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In September 1967, “Soul Imprint” label released “Everybody Needs Love”, the debut Gladys Knight & the Pips album. It was recorded 1966 – 1967, at “Hitsville U.S.A.” in Detroit, and was produced by Norman  Whitfield, Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol and Smokey Robinson.

Personnel:

  • Gladys Knight – lead vocals
  • Merald “Bubba” Knight, William Guest, Edward Patten – backing vocals
  • The Funk Brothers: instrumentation

Track listing:

  1. Everybody Needs Love – Norman Whitfield, Edward Holland, Jr.
  2. I’ll Be Standing By – Valerie Simpson, Nickolas Ashford
  3. Since I’ve Lost You – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  5. You Don’t Love Me No More – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong, Roger Penzabene
  6. Ain’t No Sun Since You’ve Been Gone – Norman Whitfield, Sylvia Moy, Cornelius Grant
  7. Take Me in Your Arms and Love Me – Barrett Strong, Roger Penzabene, Cornelius Grant
  8. He’s My Kind of Fella – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol
  9. Yes, I’m Ready – Barbara Mason
  10. My Bed of Thorns – William “Smokey” Robinson
  11. Do You Love Me Just a Little, Honey – Harvey Fuqua, Johnny Bristol, Vernon Bullock, Gladys Knight
  12. Just Walk in My Shoes – Helen Lewis Mastor, Kay Lewis Miller

Chi-Lites: Give It Away

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In August 1969, “Brunswick” label released “Give It Away”, the debut Chi-Lites album. It was recorded in 1969, and was produced by Carl Davis, Eugene Record and Gerald Sims.

Personnel:

  • Eugene Record, Marshall Thompson, Robert “Squirrel” Lester, Creadel “Red” Jones– vocals
  • Sonny Sanders – arrangements
  • Willie Henderson– director

Track listing:

  1. Give It Away – Eugene Record, Carl Davis
  2. Let Me Be the Man My Daddy Was – Eugene Record, Barbara Acklin
  3. My Whole World Ended – Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, Pamela Joan Sawyer, Jimmy Roach
  4. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
  5. What Do I Wish For – Eugene Record, Carl Davis
  6. That’s My Baby for You – Eugene Record, Carl Davis
  7. I’m Gonna Make You Love Me – Kenneth Gamble, Jerry Ross, Jerry Williams
  8. You’re No Longer Part of My Heart – Eugene Record
  9. 24 Hours of Sadness – Eugene Record, Carl Davis
  10. To Change My Love – Eugene Record
  11. The Twelfth of Never – Jerry Livingston, Paul Francis Webster

The Temptations: Cloud Nine

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cloud 9

On February 17, 1969, “Gordy” label released “Cloud Nine”, the ninth Temptations (The) studio album. It was recorded 1968 – January 1969, and was produced by Norman Whitfield. This was first Temptations studio album to feature Dennis Edwards as the replacement for David Ruffin, and it marks the beginning of the Temptations’ psychedelia period, in a fusion genre referred to as “psychedelic soul.” In 1969, the album won The Temptations their first “Grammy Award”.

Personnel:

  • Dennis Edwards– vocals (tenor)
  • Eddie Kendricks– vocals (tenor/falsetto)
  • Paul Williams– vocals (tenor/baritone)
  • Melvin Franklin– vocals (bass)
  • Otis Williams– vocals (tenor/baritone)
  • Ken Kim – art disrection
  • Chester Higgins – liner notes

Track listing:

  1. Cloud Nine – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  2. I Heard It Through the Grapevine – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  3. Run Away Child, Running Wild – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  4. Love Is a Hurtin’ Thing – Ben Raleigh, Dave Linden
  5. Hey Girl – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  6. Why Did She Have to Leave Me (Why Did She Have to Go) – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  7. I Need Your Lovin’ – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  8. Don’t Let Him Take Your Love From Me – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield
  9. I Gotta Find a Way (To Get You Back) – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield,Eddie Holland, Cornelius Grant, Eddie Kendricks
  10. Gonna Keep on Tryin’ till I Win Your Love – Barrett Strong, Norman Whitfield