‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’: the universal sound of Motown’s ultimate masterpiece
A cultural revolution emerged from the harsh industrialism of Detroit back in 1959, named Motown. The label, founded by Berry Gordy on a small loan and a deep appreciation for soul and R&B, is among the most successful and important record labels the US has ever seen. During its 1960s golden age, the Motown sound commanded the US charts like no other, launching an unending range of stars, from Marvin Gaye to Diana Ross, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, and countless others. Before too long, Motown had exposed audiences across the world to the sweet sounds of Detroit soul.
It is virtually impossible to discuss Motown without becoming entranced by the label’s seemingly effortless ability to dominate the pop charts. From their first number-one single, The Marvelettes’ ‘Please Mr Postman’, to the end of the labels’ ‘golden age’ in 1971, Gordy’s record company produced a whopping 110 top-ten singles in the US, not counting the various big hits Motown achieved in the UK, Canada, and further afield.
At the heart of the label’s appeal, however, was not its commercial successes, but its sheer songwriting quality. Hitsville USA boasted an unparalleled wealth of incredible songwriters, responsible for crafting a litany of pop’s most iconic tracks. From the infallible trio of Holland-Dozier-Holland to Berry Gordy’s own songwriting efforts, there must have been something in the water at Motown, as the label’s writing team seemed to pump out once-in-a-lifetime masterpieces on a monthly basis at points.
Without a doubt, one of the most enduring Motown masterpieces is the 1966 track ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine’, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong, who earned Motown its very first hit with ‘Money (That’s What I Want)’ back in 1959. Originally, the song was recorded by Smokey Robinson and The Miracles, a flagship Motown act since the very early days of the label, but the first version to be officially released was recorded by Gladys Knight and the Pips in 1967.
That first version of the song quickly became the biggest-selling Motown single up to that point, although it was kept off the number-one spot in the charts by The Monkees’ ‘Daydream Believer’. Still, the single typified the Motown sound of the 1960s, and its success was replicated by Marvin Gaye, whose own 1967 recording of the song topped the pop charts, beating Gladys Knight’s record and becoming one of the most iconic soul recordings to ever grace the airwaves.
On paper, the song follows a similar songwriting pattern to many other Motown anthems, detailing the woes of love and heartbreak as a jilted lover reckons with the end of their relationship. The genius of ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’, in opposition to other Motown hits, is in its endless adaptability. The song is not bound to one specific sound, voice, or musical style, earning it an unparalleled half-life within musical history.
Its universal appeal as a song is reflected in the countless cover versions and reinterpretations of the song that have been recorded over the decades. Creedence Clearwater Revival, for instance, rendered the Motown track as an 11-minute swamp-rock masterpiece on their hit 1970 album Cosmo’s Factory. Later in that decade, pioneering post-punks The Slits gave the track an entirely new lease of life, as a moody, snarling anthem drawing upon dub and experimental influences, perfectly capturing the enduring and diverse appeal of the Whitfield-Strong composition.
Over the decades, everybody from Amy Winehouse to Elton John has performed their own distinctive versions of the song, earning it a reputation as a soul standard. Of course, Motown has never been a stranger to cover versions, but it is difficult to think of another song which has enjoyed as diverse and enduring a legacy as ‘I Heard It Through The Grapevine’.
