Eric Gale (Brooklyn, New York, 20 September 1938 - Baja California, Mexico, 25 May 1994) was a leading American jazz and session guitarist.
He began playing guitar at the age of 12. Although he majored in chemistry at Niagara University, Gale was determined to pursue a musical career, and began contributing to accompaniments for such stars as Maxine Brown, the Drifters, and Jesse Belvin. He soon began to attract the attention of King Curtis and Jimmy Smith, who began recommending him for studio work. He became known first as a session musician in the 1960s, eventually appearing on an estimated 500 albums. Among the many artists he recorded with were Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Lena Horne, Quincy Jones, Grover Washington Jr., Herbie Mann, Esther Phillips, Lalo Schifrin, Joe Cocker, Carly Simon, Van Morrison, and Billy Joel. He also had a spell in Aretha Franklin's stage band.
The epitome of the guitarist's guitarist, he was also used for many R&B-oriented dates. From the early 1970s he recorded extensively on the CTI label, as a sideman, on his own records, and as part of the group Stuff. Among his own albums were Forecast (1975) and Ginseng Woman (1976) and many more.
According to the New York Times, Gale died May 25, 1994 in a hospital in Baja California, Mexico of lung cancer.
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Eric Gale Lyrics
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'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 lyrics to Eric Gale's "I Heard It Through The Grapevine" explore the feelings of heartbreak and betrayal felt by the singer upon learning through the grapevine that their lover is planning to leave them for someone else. The song is a sentimental plea for the lover to be honest and straightforward about their intentions, rather than leaving the singer to discover the truth through rumors and speculation. The singer laments that he loves his partner more than anyone else possibly could, and that losing them would be devastating. The song is particularly poignant because of the tension between the certainty of the news about his impending breakup and the singer's desperation to hold on to his love. The song's refrain, with its repetition of the line "Not much longer would you be mine," emphasizes the singer's sense of time running out as he tries to save his relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
I bet you're wonderin' how I knew
I assume you are wondering how I found out.
'Bout your plans to make me blue
About your intentions to disappoint me.
With some other guy you knew before
Spending time with a man from your past.
Between the two of us guys
Out of the two of us.
You know I loved you more
I loved you more than anyone.
It took me by surprise I must say
I must admit, I was taken aback.
When I found out yesterday
When I learned of it just yesterday.
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
Do you realize that I heard it from someone else?
Not much longer would you be mine
Our relationship would be ending soon.
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
I discovered the truth in a surreptitious way.
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
It's driving me insane.
Honey, honey yeah.
My dear, listen to me.
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
I understand that men should not weep.
But these tears I can't hold inside
But I cannot contain my emotions.
Losin' you would end my life you see
If I lost you, it would be the end of me.
'Cause you mean that much to me
Because you are that important to me.
You could have told me yourself
You should have informed me on your own.
That you loved some one else
Or that you were devoted to another.
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
Instead, I learned from someone else.
And I'm just about to lose my mind
And it's driving me crazy.
People say believe half of what you see
They say to only believe part of what you witness.
Son and none of what you hear
And to disbelieve everything you hear.
But I can't help but be confused
But I am still puzzled.
If it's true please tell me dear
If it's correct, please inform me.
Do you plan to let me go
Do you intend to break up with me?
For the other guy you loved before?
In favor of the man you previously cared about?
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
Our relationship would soon end, my love.
I'm just about to love my mind
It's almost driving me insane!
Honey, honey, yeah
My love, listen to me.
I heard it through the grapevine,
I found out about it from someone else.
Not much longer would you be mine, baby yeah
Our relationship is almost over.
Lyrics © Tratore, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind