“I Heard It Through The Grapevine” (Gladys Knight) #2 12/16/1967

One recorded by a couple of artists, then pretty much hidden by Motown until becoming a hit - twice. Originally the Miracles did the tune in 1966, but Berry Gordy buried the song on an album. The Isley Brothers did a version while at Motown, but that remains unreleased. Marvin Gaye recorded his slower “Grapevine” several months before the one featured here from Gladys Knight and the Pips, but Gordy nixed it as a single. Marvin’s take eventually got so much airplay as an album cut that Gordy’s hand was forced, and Gaye’s version would be #1 for seven weeks in late ‘68/early ‘69.