The Reeves family was a musical family. There was always music and singing in their home, consequently, Martha wanted to become a singer.
Reeves first performace was in church singing the hymn, "Jesus met The Woman At The Well". She won a box of chocolate covered cherries.
As a teen she sang with several local girl groups. She was also trained in opera.
She met Motown executive Mickey Stevenson during one of her solo gigs. He invited her to audition for Motown records. Although she went to Motown as a singer, she became their first A&R secretary. She was "The Secretary that could sing her A--off".
When singer Mary Wells missed a recording session, Martha Reeves filled in and was given a recording contract.
Along with the Vandellas, Martha Reeves vibrant lead vocal can be heard on hits like: "Heat Wave", "Quicksand", "Jimmy Mack", "Nowhere to Run" and "Dancing In the Street".
Martha Reeves became the first Motown artist to get a release from her contract in 1972. She became a solo artist and recorded tracks for MCA, Arista, Fantasy and later her own label, Itch records. "Power of Love", Wild Night" and Love Blind" are her most popular solo efforts. Her solo album "Martha Reeves", released in 1974 is still a cult favorite among many fans.
Although her solo career failed to take off properly, Martha Reeves manged to remain an important entertainer gaining continous spots on national television and performing in concerts all over the world.
Today she is still performs solo or with a line-up of Vandellas that consists of her Sisters, Lois and Delphine Reeves.
S.T.
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Martha Reeves 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 Martha Reeves tells the story of a man who learns of his lover’s infidelity through rumors heard from others rather than from his lover herself. He is heartbroken and unable to contain his emotions, expressing how much she meant to him and how losing her would result in the end of his life. The lyrics convey the man’s sense of betrayal and shock upon realizing that his lover has been seeing someone else without letting him know. The song is also about the perils of hearing rumors and gossip, as they can lead to miscommunication and mistrust between people.
The lyrics are powerful in their simplicity, yet they convey a significant amount of emotion and heartbreak. The repetition of the main hook, “I heard it through the grapevine,” reinforces the feeling of a rumor spreading, eventually reaching the man who is left to deal with the aftermath of his lover’s betrayal. The song has resonated with audiences for decades, with many listeners relating to the feelings of betrayal, jealousy, and heartbreak that the character experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
I bet you're wonderin' how I knew
You must be curious about how I found out.
'Bout your plans to make me blue
I found out about your intentions to make me unhappy.
With some other guy you knew before
You're seeing someone else that you knew from the past.
Between the two of us guys
We were both interested in you.
You know I loved you more
I had stronger feelings for you than the other guy.
It took me by surprise I must say
I was shocked when I found out.
When I found out yesterday
I heard the news just recently.
Don't you know that I heard it through the grapevine
I heard a rumor about you from someone else.
Not much longer would you be mine
Our relationship will be ending soon.
Oh I heard it through the grapevine
I heard this information through hearsay.
Oh I'm just about to lose my mind
This news is driving me crazy.
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
Men are not expected to cry.
But these tears I can't hold inside
However, I am unable to stop myself from crying.
Losin' you would end my life you see
Losing you would be devastating to me.
'Cause you mean that much to me
You are very important to me.
You could have told me yourself
You should have told me directly.
That you loved some one else
That you have feelings for someone else.
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
However, I found out from someone else.
People say believe half of what you see
Some people advise to only trust part of what you witness.
Son and none of what you hear
And to not believe most of what you hear.
But I can't help but be confused
However, I am still confused about what to believe.
If it's true please tell me dear
If this news is true, please confirm it with me.
Do you plan to let me go
Are you planning to break up with me?
Honey, honey yeah.
My dear, my beloved.
Not much longer would you be mine baby
Our relationship will be coming to an end soon.
I'm just about to love my mind
This news is making me crazy.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BARRETT STRONG, NORMAN WHITFIELD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind