Marvin Pentz Gay, Jr. was born in 1939 to Marvin Gay, Sr. and Alberta Gay in Washington, D.C.. Gaye began his career in Motown in 1958, and soon became Motown's top solo male artist. He scored numerous hits during the 1960s, among them "Ain't That Peculiar", "Stubborn Kind of Fellow", and "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)", as well as several hit duets with Tammi Terrell, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough"" and "You're All I Need to Get By", before moving on to his own form of musical self-expression.
Along with Stevie Wonder, Gaye is notable for fighting the hit-making—but creatively restrictive—Motown record-making process, in which performers, songwriters and record producers were generally kept in separate camps. Gaye forced Motown to release his 1971 album What's Going On, which is today hailed as one of the best albums of all time. Subsequent releases proved that Gaye, who had been a part-time songwriter for Motown artists during his early years with the label, could write and produce his own singles without having to rely on the Motown system. This achievement would pave the way for the successes of later self-sufficient singer-songwriter-producers in African American music, such as Luther Vandross and Babyface.
During the 1970s, Gaye would release several other notable albums, including Let's Get It On and I Want You, and released several successful singles such as "Come Get to This", "Got to Give It Up" and "Sexual Healing". By the time of his shooting death in 1984, at the hands of his clergyman father, Gaye had become one of the most influential artists of the soul music era.
I Heard It Through The Grapevine
Marvin Gaye 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 love 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
(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 someone 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, well
(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, I heard it through the grapevine
Ooh, I'm just about to lose my mind
Honey, honey, yeah
(Heard it through the grapevine)
(Not much longer would you be mine, baby, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Honey, honey, I know (heard it through the grapevine)
(Not much longer would you be mine, baby)
That you're letting me go (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Said, I heard it through the grapevine (heard it through the grapevine)
(Not much longer would you be mine, baby)
Ooh, heard it through the grapevine (yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine” tells the story of a man who learns from the grapevine (gossip) that his lover plans to leave him for someone she knew before him. He comes to terms with the fact that he loves her more than the other man does and cannot imagine life without her. Marvin sings about his confusion - wishing his lover would have told him herself instead of hearing it through the grapevine. Though he knows it is true, he asks her to let him go if she plans to leave him for her old flame. Throughout the song, Marvin expresses his pain, heartbreak, and anger in the most soulful way through his vocals.
Line by Line Meaning
Ooh, I bet you're wonderin' how I knew
I suspect that you're curious as to how I discovered
'Bout your plans to make me blue
About your intentions to cause me heartache
With some other guy you knew before
With a man from your past whom you're familiar with
Between the two of us guys
In the context of our relationship
You know I loved you more
I am aware that my affection for you was greater
It took me by surprise I must say
I must admit that it was unexpected
When I found out yesterday
Upon discovering this news just the day before
Don'tcha know that I heard it through the grapevine
Are you aware that I was informed of this through hearsay
Not much longer would you be mine
You will soon no longer be romantically committed to me
Oh, I heard it through the grapevine
Oh, I was informed of this through hearsay
Oh, I'm just about to lose my mind
Oh, I'm nearly losing my grip on reality over this news
Honey, honey, yeah
My darling, my dear
(I heard it through the grapevine)
(I was informed of this through hearsay)
(Not much longer would you be mine baby, ooh)
(You will soon no longer be romantically committed to me, oh)
I know a man ain't supposed to cry
I am aware that society suggests men should refrain from shedding tears
But these tears I can't hold inside
However, these tears are too uncontrollable to keep hidden
Losin' you would end my life you see
Losing you would be the end of me, you understand
'Cause you mean that much to me
Because you hold such immense value in my heart
You could have told me yourself
You had the ability to share this news directly with me
That you loved someone else
That you had developed romantic feelings for another person
Instead I heard it through the grapevine
However, I was informed of this news secondhand
And I'm just about to lose my mind
As a result, I'm on the verge of insanity
People say, "Believe half of what you see
It's often said to only trust half of what you witness
Son, and none of what you hear"
This advice is intended to convey the unreliability of hearsay
But I can't help but be confused
Despite this, I can't help feeling perplexed
If it's true please tell me dear
If this matter is factual, please confirm it with me, beloved
Do you plan to let me go
Are you intending to end our relationship
For the other guy you loved before?
In favor of the man from your past whom you have feelings for?
That you're letting me go (Not much longer would you be mine, baby)
That you're ending our romantic relationship soon, my dear
Said I heard it through the grapevine
I was informed of this news secondhand
(yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)
(yes, yes, yes, yes)
Ooh, ooh I heard it through the grapevine
Oh, oh, I was informed of this news secondhand
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Norman Whitfield, Barrett Strong
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Tarantulisimo
Marvin Gaye - lead vocals
The Andantes (Jackie Hicks, Marlene Barrow and Louvain Demps) - background vocals
Earl Van Dyke - Hammond organ
Johnny Griffith - Wurlitzer electric piano
Richard "Pistol" Allen and Uriel Jones - drums
James Jamerson - bass
Jack Ashford - percussion
Joe Messina - guitar
The Funk Brothers - instrumentation
The Detroit Symphony Orchestra - additional instrumentation
Paul Riser - string arrangement
@gibbo290989
hi everyone, just want to thank everyone for viewing the video as we pass 5 million!!and all the kind responses. 195 dislikes though?? not lovers of real music. keep viewing!!
@billymcmillin8754
💘 it keep it comeing 💘
@alabhaois
I would completely ignore any "thumbs-down"-- I think some people get their jollies being jerks. This song ROCKS!!!
@EoinFC
Haters gonna hate. Beautiful song, made all the more poignant with knowledge of his upbringing. RIP Marvin. Thanks for the music.
@stephensmart7388
Love Motown Music Simply the best
@iaincampbell8118
Luke Gibbons a ok Luke great listening,took me way back Iain Campbell
@Memecorp
Such a goddamn good song.
@garfieldlogan654
Testify
@stefanodanovaro8140
And the one by creedence clear water is sick as heck also
@dantediaz3096
Bo