In 2008, Bob succeeded pianist Shelly Berg to hold the Bowen H. "Buzz" McCoy and Barbara M. McCoy Endowed Chair in Jazz Studies at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music.
Mintzer plays Selmer Mark VI saxophones fitted with Freddy Gregory mouthpieces. He uses Vandoren V16 reeds for the tenor sax, and Bari plastic reeds on his soprano sax and bass clarinet. He also plays an Akai EWI (electronic wind instrument), an older model of the 1000 series. For recording with Yellowjackets, Mintzer prefers a Sennheiser 441 microphone.
Mintzer has been nominated for thirteen Grammy Awards both for his solo work and big band recordings (Art of the Big Band, Departure, Homage to Count Basie, One Music, and Only in New York) and his work with the Yellowjackets (Blue Hats, Club Nocturne, Dreamland, Greenhouse, Like a River, Live Wires, Mint Jam, Runferyerlife, Time Squared). Homage to Count Basie won the Grammy in the best large ensemble category for the 44th Annual Grammy Awards, 2001
Before starting his own big band, Mintzer was a featured soloist and arranger with the big band of Buddy Rich. His son, Paul, graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy. His nephew, Ross, performs in the band Remington(Band).
My high school band teacher likes to say that Bob Mintzer's jazz career as a musician and composer is eclipsed only by the awesomeness that is his mustache and that Bob has been said to compose while watching TV, as his song "TV Blues" alludes to.
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Bob Mintzer Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Bout your plans to make me blue
With some other guy you knew before
Between the two of us guys
You know I loved you more
It took me by surprise I must say
When I found out yesterday
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey yeah.
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine baby
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
But these tears I can't hold inside
Losin' you would end my life you see
'Cause you mean that much to me
You could have told me yourself
That you loved some one else
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine
And I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey yeah
I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine, baby
People say believe half of what you see
Son and none of what you hear
But I can't help but be confused
If it's true please tell me dear
Do you plan to let me go
For the other guy you loved before?
Don't you know I heard it through the grapevine
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
I heard it through the grapevine
I'm just about to love my mind
Honey, honey, yeah
I heard it through the grapevine,
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
The song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Bob Mintzer is a cover of the classic Motown hit originally recorded by Marvin Gaye in 1967. The song is about a man who has heard through the grapevine (a gossip network) that his lover is planning to leave him for someone else. He is devastated by the news, but also frustrated that his lover didn't tell him herself. The lyrics express his fear of losing her and his confusion about the situation. The chorus repeats the phrase "Not much longer would you be mine," emphasizing his despair and sense of inevitability about the breakup.
The lyrics of the song are powerful in their simplicity, using everyday language and a straightforward storytelling style to convey the heartbreak and betrayal that the singer feels. The use of the grapevine as a metaphor for gossip and communication adds a layer of irony and social commentary to the song, highlighting the way that rumors and hearsay can impact our lives and relationships. The song also has a strong emotional impact due to the dynamic arrangement and soulful vocals, with Mintzer's saxophone providing a haunting counterpoint to the lyrics.
Overall, "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" is a timeless classic that continues to resonate with listeners today, both as a nostalgic artifact of Motown's golden era and as a powerful statement about love, loss, and the human condition.
Line by Line Meaning
I bet you're wonderin' how I knew
I know that you're curious about how I found out
'Bout your plans to make me blue
I heard about your intentions to make me sad
With some other guy you knew before
You have a romantic history with another man
Between the two of us guys
Out of the two of us, guys
You know I loved you more
I had stronger feelings for you than he did
It took me by surprise I must say
I was shocked when I heard the news
When I found out yesterday
I only found out about it yesterday
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
I heard about it through rumors and gossip
Not much longer would you be mine
You would soon leave me
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
I learned about it through hearsay
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
I am on the verge of losing control
Honey, honey yeah.
Affectionate term to address the person being spoken to
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
I am aware that traditionally men are not supposed to cry
But these tears I can't hold inside
I cannot stop myself from crying
Losin' you would end my life you see
Losing you would be devastating for me
'Cause you mean that much to me
You are very important to me
You could have told me yourself
I wish you had told me directly
That you loved some one else
That you had feelings for someone else
People say believe half of what you see
It is commonly believed that only some of what you see is true
Son and none of what you hear
And none of what you hear
But I can't help but be confused
However, I am still confused
If it's true please tell me dear
If the rumors are true, please tell me
Do you plan to let me go
Are you planning to break up with me
For the other guy you loved before?
To be with the man you loved before
I'm just about to love my mind
I am about to go crazy
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
You would not be mine soon, baby
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind