I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Gladys Knight; The Pips Lyrics


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I bet you're wonderin' how I knew
Baby, baby, baby 'bout your plans to make me blue
With some other girl you knew before (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Between the two of us girls you know I loved you more
It took me by surprise I must say (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
When I found out yesterday (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine (oh, I heard it through the grapevine)
Not much longer would you be mine (not much longer would you be mine)
Oh I heard it through the grapevine (oh, I heard it through the grapevine)
Oh I'm just about, just about, just about to lose my mind
Oh yes, I am, oh yes, I am, oh yes, I am
Baby won't you listen to me

Boy take a good look at these tears of mine
Baby, baby these tears I can't hold inside
Losin' you would end my life you see (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Because you mean that much to me
You could've told me yourself (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
That you love somebody else (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)

Instead I heard it through the grapevine (oh, I heard it through the grapevine)
Oh, not much longer would you be mine (not much longer would you be mine)
Oh, I heard it, yes, I heard it (heard it through the grapevine)
Oh, just about, just about, just about, to lose my mind
Oh yes, I am, oh yes, I am, oh yes, I am

Go, go
Go, I gotta go
Go, go
You gotta let me go
Go, go, go
I gotta go whoa, whoa, whoa

Say believe half of what you see
Oh, ho, and none of what you hear

Baby baby, but I just can't help bein' confused
If it's true please baby, won't ya tell me dear
Oh, do you plan to let me go (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
For the other girl you loved before? (ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh)
Don't ya know that I heard through the grapevine (oh, I heard it through the grapevine)
Not much longer would you be mine (not much longer would you be mine)




Don't ya know that I heard it, yes I heard it (heard it through the grapevine)
I heard it, I heard it (heard it through the grapevine)

Overall Meaning

The Gladys Knight and the Pips song "I Heard It Through The Grapevine” is about a woman who learns through the grapevine that her partner is cheating on her with another woman. The song is a soulful ballad that speaks to the emotions of betrayal, heartbreak, and confusion. The opening lines, "I bet you're wondering how I knew, baby, baby, baby/Bout your plans to make me blue," convey the sense of intuition and suspicion that the singer feels.


The lyrics express the singer's deep love for her partner ("Between the two of us girls/You know I loved you more"), which makes hearing about the infidelity all the more devastating ("Oh I'm just about, just about, just about to lose my mind"). She expresses her frustration and confusion with lines like "If it's true please baby, won't ya tell me dear/Oh, do you plan to let me go/For the other girl you loved before?".


Line by Line Meaning

I bet you're wonderin' how I knew, baby, baby, baby
I know what you've been up to and you're wondering how I found out.


'Bout your plans to make me blue
I know that you've got plans that will hurt me emotionally.


With some other girl you knew before
You have reconnected with another girl that you knew before, and it's making me jealous.


Between the two of us girls
It's just between us two women.


You know I loved you more
I have always loved you more than the other girl, so why are you doing this?


It took me by surprise I must say
When I found out, it was a total shock for me.


When I found out yesterday
I only found out this news yesterday.


Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
I didn't hear it directly from you, but from other people.


Not much longer would you be mine
I know that our relationship is almost over.


Oh I heard it through the grapevine
I heard about your betrayal from others.


Oh I'm just about, just about, just about to lose my mind
I'm going crazy trying to deal with this situation.


Baby won't you listen to me
Please pay attention to what I have to say.


Boy take a good look at these tears of mine
These tears are proof of how much you mean to me and how much this hurts.


Baby, baby these tears I can't hold inside
I can't stop crying because of what you've done.


Losin' you would end my life you see
Losing you would destroy me completely.


Because you mean that much to me
You are so important to me and I don't know what I would do without you.


You could've told me yourself
I wish you had been honest with me and told me about the other girl yourself.


That you love somebody else
The fact that you love someone else hurts me so deeply.


Go, go
I need to leave this situation behind me.


Go, I gotta go
I need to leave you and this pain behind.


Go, go
I need to get out of here.


You gotta let me go
You have to let me move on with my life.


Go, go, go
I need to move forward and not look back.


I gotta go whoa, whoa, whoa
I need to leave and start a new chapter in my life.


Say believe half of what you see
You can't always trust what you see or hear.


Oh, ho, and none of what you hear
You really can't trust everything that you hear.


Baby baby, but I just can't help bein' confused
I'm so confused and don't know what to do.


If it's true please baby, won't ya tell me dear
If what I heard is true, please tell me the truth.


Oh, do you plan to let me go
Are you planning on ending our relationship?


For the other girl you loved before?
Is your rekindled love for another girl the reason for the end of our relationship?


Don't ya know that I heard through the grapevine
I found out from others, not from you.


Not much longer would you be mine
Our time together is limited and almost over.


Don't ya know that I heard it, yes I heard it
I heard about it and it's true.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Tratore
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

ricky seabra

I just discovered this version. This is probably the coolest thing I have ever seen. Can't stop watching it.

SuperHurricane75

this woman has one of the best voices ever!

monica bella

No wonder, as The Queen of soul !

Daniel Brosky

The Empress of Soul! And, she is still going strong at 75!

Derrick Crawford

Agreed

Shirl E

monica bella , yes

Janet Savona

Yes I agree Gladys was amazing

11 More Replies...

Cole Robertson

Best version of this song hands down. This woman has some of the best vocal abilities I’ve ever seen in a female performer and yet so underrated.

Kelly Mooneyham

There are no words for how this song is sang. They got it , LIVE.

Charles Davis

Makes you want to go to church or the block party barbeque!

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