Zapp released its eponymous debut album in 1980, and achieved mainstream recognition from the single "More Bounce to the Ounce". The group's follow-up Zapp II was released in 1982, selling well and becoming certified gold. In the 1990s, Zapp would also be an influence on the regional G-funk sound and the broader cultural scene of West Coast hip-hop itself. The band disbanded in 1999 after the deaths of Roger and Larry Troutman in a murder-suicide apparently carried out by Larry. Zapp reformed briefly in 2003 with the remaining brothers of the Troutman family to produce the album Zapp VI: Back By Popular Demand.
Career - 1966–80: Early career and major record deal:
Born on November 29, 1951, in Cincinnati, Ohio, Roger Troutman began recording music in the late to mid 1960s, issuing his first solo recording efforts "Jolly Roger" and "Night Time" on the obscure and now defunct Ohio label, Teen Records in 1966 under the band name 'Lil' Roger and His Fabulous Vels. Although neither song received the recognition due to its very limited release, Troutman nor brothers pursued their music career throughout the 1970s, forming Roger & The Human Body in 1976, on their privately owned label Troutman Bros. Records. Their own label allowed Troutman and the band to give a slightly wider and more high profile release of their own music, issuing their first (and only) album Introducing Roger in 1976.
In the late 1970s, Roger Troutman continued to record with his brothers, losing the name Roger & The Human Body and adopting the Zapp nickname from his brother Terry in 1977. The group searching for recognition began playing at various small venues locally around Ohio. The Troutman family had long-standing friendships with Ohio natives Phelps "Catfish" Collins and William Earl "Bootsy" Collins, who had both been involved with Parliament-Funkadelic in the early 1970s. Phelps and Bootsy were attendees at a performance, and were impressed with Zapp's musical abilities, prompting Bootsy to invite Roger to the United Sound Studios in Detroit (the P-Funk studio base) which was frequently used by Parliament-Funkadelic. Roger Troutman subsequently wrote and recorded the demo for "More Bounce to the Ounce" in 1978. George Clinton, the leader of Funkadelic liked the recording and encouraged Troutman to present the demo to Warner Bros. Records. Warner Bros. signed Zapp in early 1979, and on July 28, 1980, Zapp released their debut album, which was recorded by Roger and produced by Bootsy between 1979 and early 1980 at the United Sound Studios in Detroit, their first recording on a major label. The album's sound, which is highly influenced by Parliament-Funkadelic, contrasts largely with Zapp's later releases. "More Bounce to the Ounce" reached number two on the Billboard Hot R&B tracks for two weeks during the autumn of 1980. By November 18, 1980, Zapp had been certified gold by the RIAA.
"George Clinton just happened to step into the studio this night and he really liked this one part that we had already re-did on 'Funky Bounce'. He advised us to loop that section and put the other talk-box parts over it. At that time, this was considered a genius act, because you had to actually cut the tape and make the right cut, line it up and loop it. So let us not forget that Dr. Funkenstein was way ahead of his time as well."
- Bootsy Collins citing Clinton's influence toward creating the song "More Bounce To The Ounce."
1980–81: Split with George Clinton, Uncle Jam and CBS:
After the 1980 release of Zapp's debut album, tensions rose between Roger Troutman and George Clinton. Troutman's solo album The Many Facets of Roger was primarily funded by Clinton, through CBS, and was slated to be released on his own Uncle Jam Records label. By the early 1980s, Clinton and his musical projects were experiencing financial troubles due to his poor management skills and shifting tastes in music. Around the time that Troutman's debut was due to be released, Warner Bros. Records dropped Clinton from their label. Funkadelic's final recording with Warner Bros., on which Troutman had worked briefly, was The Electric Spanking of War Babies. Under pressure from the label, it was cut from a double album to a single disc. Warner Bros. did not promote the release, which emerged in early 1981 and made little impact.
Troutman could see the disarray surrounding Clinton and severed their partnership by accepting a higher offer for the demo recordings of his album from Warner Bros. With Clinton out of the picture, Troutman was left to exercise virtually full creative control over the band's subsequent work. When The Many Facets of Roger was finally released in August 1981 it was on the Warner Bros. label. In Clinton's biography George Clinton: For the Record, Troutman was quoted as off-handedly commenting, "... Heck gee-willickers, Warner Bros. offered me mo' money". Clinton's view, expressed in his response, was that "CBS paid for it, I paid for it. I don't like to go into it on the negative side, but it cost about 5 million [dollars], and a lot of people's jobs and what we consider as the empire falling".[9] The financial loss from the rupture with Troutman is credited as one of the factors that derailed Clinton's musical career and sent Funkadelic into hiatus.
1982–89: Later career:
Zapp released its second album, Zapp II, on October 14, 1982. Electronic production techniques featured prominently, including liberal use of the talk-box that became Troutman's signature. Despite the contrasting styles between the first and the second albums, Zapp II attained gold status by September 21, 1982. The album fared almost as well as Zapp's debut, peaking at number two on the Billboard R&B chart, and reaching 25 on The Billboard 200 Albums chart. The single "Dancefloor (Part I)" peaked at number one on the R&B singles chart of 1982.
Zapp spawned several more albums in close succession, retaining the slick electronic style that Zapp II had adopted, but with diminishing success. Zapp III was released in 1983, and managed to gain a gold certification, but peaked at only 39 on the Billboard 200 and nine on the R&B chart. Zapp III's poorer commercial performance became a sign that the band's popularity and impact were beginning to decline toward the mid-1980s, with post-disco music falling out of trend. By the release of The New Zapp IV U in October 1985, the downward trajectory was evident. The album did not attain gold status until 1994, almost a decade after its initial release. Zapp's presence faded further in the latter half of the 1980s, as Troutman focused his attention on his solo career. The final release by Zapp before Troutman's death was Zapp V on September 1989, which achieved only moderate commercial success and failed to receive an RIAA certification.[9]
1993–96: Resurgence and a brief increase in popularity
The increasingly dominant West Coast hip-hop scene of the early- to mid-1990s briefly brought Zapp and Roger back into the spotlight as their material came into favor as a source of samples for hip-hop tracks. Troutman gained recognition for providing talk-box backing vocals for both the original and remixed version of Tupac Shakur's 1995-96 comeback single "California Love"; the alternate version of the music video features Troutman playing the keyboard and talk-box during a party. Roger's involvement in "California Love" awarded him a Grammy nomination for "Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group" in 1997.
1996–present: Deaths of Roger and Larry Troutman, disbandment, and current activity
On Sunday morning, April 25, 1999, Roger Troutman was fatally wounded as a result of an apparent murder-suicide that was orchestrated by his older brother, Larry. Larry shot Roger several times in the torso as he exited a recording studio in Dayton, Ohio. Roger was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital but died shortly after. Larry's body was found in a car a short distance away from the murder scene. There were no witnesses at the time, and Larry's motive for the murder of Roger remains unclear. Larry had been experiencing increasingly severe financial problems managing the family-run housing company, Troutman Enterprises, which eventually filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy owing $400,000 in tax. Larry might also have been bitter after Roger fired him as manager of his music career, a position Larry had held for several years.
During Roger's funeral, his nephew Clet Troutman performed a talk-box rendition of "Amazing Grace." His six sons and five daughters survived Roger; his eldest son, Roger Lynch Troutman Jr., died of head injuries just a few years after the murder of his father (January 31, 1970 – January 22, 2003).
After Troutman's death, Ice Cube said that "More Bounce To The Ounce" introduced him to hip-hop. "I was in the sixth grade, we'd stayed after school. We had this dude named Mr. Lock, and he used to bring in his radio with these pop-lockers. He used to teach [the dance group] the L.A. Lockers, and he would do community service in after-school programs. He knew many kids and introduced them to all the new dances, he put on that song 'More Bounce', and they started pop-locking. And I think from that visual, from seeing that, it was my first introduction into hip-hop. Period. I didn't know anything about anything. I hadn't heard 'Rapper's Delight' yet. It was the first thing that was really fly to me. They started dancing, and since 'More Bounce' goes on forever, they just got down. I just think that was a rush of adrenaline for me, like a chemical reaction in my brain."
The resulting impact of Roger and Larry's deaths left the band stranded, halting production. Without Roger serving as the creative source, they effectively disbanded, and quietly left the music industry altogether. Warner Bros. Records eventually dropped the band from their label, bringing the professional recording career of Zapp to a close. A few years later, Zapp resurfaced for a short period after the establishment of its own independent label, Zapp Town Records, managed by the Troutman family. The label released its only album, Zapp VI: Back By Popular Demand, in 2003. Zapp returned to performing only in a live concert, touring across the U.S. at various venues.
I Heard It Through the Grapevine
Zapp & Roger Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Grapevine)
Ooh, grapevine, ooh, grapevine
(Grapevine)
Ooh, grapevine, ooh, sho' 'nuff I need you
(Heard it through the grapevine)
Oh, yeah, I heard that you're gonna leave me, oh, I
I heard it through the grapevine, oh
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine
Somebody told me 'bout your plans to leave me
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine, oh, wow
(Wow)
Better you wondered how I knew 'bout your plans to make me blue
With some other guy you knew before
Between us guys you know I love you much more
It took me by surprise, I must say, when I found out yesterday, oh, Lord
I heard it through the grapevine, not much longer would you be mine
(Heard it through the grapevine, longer would you be mine)
Heard it through the grapevine, not much longer would you be mine
(Heard it through the grapevine, longer would you be mine)
Ooh, grapevine, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Don't leave me, girl, because I need your love so bad
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
(Mmm, mmm, mmm)
You could have told me yourself that you love someone else
Heard it through the grapevine, not much longer would you be mine
(Heard it through the grapevine, longer would you be mine)
Heard it through the grapevine, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
(Heard it through the grapevine)
Baby, baby, baby, baby
Grapevine, I don't want nobody else, baby, I don't want nobody else
Don't you leave me, don't you leave me, don't you leave
Don't you leave me, no, don't leave me, don't do it, ooh, ooh, ooh
(Oh, I)
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(Please, don't tell your mama)
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(She'll start cryin')
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(Never try me, try me, baby)
How much longer, longer would you be mine?
How much longer, longer would you be mine?
How much longer, longer would you be mine?
(I need you, I need you so bad)
How much longer, longer would you be mine?
How much longer, longer would you be mine?
(Need your lovin', need your lovin', need your love, your love, your love)
I really want you, waitin' for your love, your love, your love, your love
Ooh
Heard it through the grapevine
(Said, I heard it, said I heard it, baby
Don't you leave me, don't you leave me now)
Heard it through the grapevine
(Said, I heard it through, heard it through, heard it through, tell me)
Mmm, hmm, your love, you know I want it
(Just a little bit of soul now)
Your love, your love, got to have it, your love
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(Baby, mama, baby)
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(I love you)
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(Ooh, ooh)
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine
The song "I Heard It Through the Grapevine" by Zapp & Roger touches on the theme of a man begging his lover not to leave him. The grapevine symbolizes the gossip and hearsay that the singer has heard which leads him to believe that his lover is planning to leave him for another man. He pleads with her not to leave him because he loves her very much and can't imagine living without her. He also laments the fact that she did not tell him the truth about her plans herself, and instead he had to find out through others.
The song features a groovy beat, and the use of the grapevine as a metaphor creates a sense of irony as it is usually used to convey information quickly and efficiently. Overall, the song reflects the common emotions that many experience when they feel like they are losing someone they love and the anxiety that comes with it.
Line by Line Meaning
Grapevine
The singer is addressing the subject of their message (a person or group of people), referring to them as the grapevine
(Grapevine)
Repeating the opening line, again referencing the subject of their message as the grapevine
Ooh, grapevine, ooh, grapevine
(Grapevine)
Using the grapevine as a repeated metaphor, the singer expresses their dependence on the information it provides and their desire for it to continue functioning effectively, followed by another direct reference to the subject
Ooh, grapevine, ooh, sho' 'nuff I need you
(Heard it through the grapevine)
Repeating the previous lines, the artist emphasizes their reliance on the grapevine, and also explicitly references the information they received through it
I heard that you're gonna leave me, oh, I
Oh, yeah, I heard that you're gonna leave me, oh, I
I heard it through the grapevine, oh
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine
The artist directly states the information they received through the grapevine - that the subject is planning to leave them; this is repeated with variations throughout the song
Somebody told me 'bout your plans to leave me
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine, oh, wow
(Wow)
Rephrasing the previous lines, the singer notes that they received this information indirectly, through someone else; they then express their surprise and disbelief at the news
Better you wondered how I knew 'bout your plans to make me blue
With some other guy you knew before
Between us guys you know I love you much more
It took me by surprise, I must say, when I found out yesterday, oh, Lord
The singer addresses the subject directly, suggesting that they feel hurt and betrayed by the news; they also make it clear that they knew about the other guy the subject is planning to be with, but believe that their love is stronger
Heard it through the grapevine, not much longer would you be mine
(Heard it through the grapevine, longer would you be mine)
The refrain repeats, each time noting that the artist has 'heard it through the grapevine' and that their time with the subject is limited
Ooh, grapevine, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby, baby
Don't leave me, girl, because I need your love so bad
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
(Mmm, mmm, mmm)
The artist again expresses their dependence on the grapevine to provide them with information about the subject; they then plead with the subject not to leave them, expressing their love and fear of loss
You could have told me yourself that you love someone else
Directly addressing the subject, the artist expresses their disappointment that the subject did not tell them about their love for someone else directly
Grapevine, I don't want nobody else, baby, I don't want nobody else
Don't you leave me, don't you leave me, don't you leave
Don't you leave me, no, don't leave me, don't do it, ooh, ooh, ooh
(Oh, I)
Repeating their fear of loss, the singer again pleads with the subject not to leave them; keeping with the metaphor, the singer also reaffirms their reliance on the grapevine for information
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(Please, don't tell your mama)
How much longer, darling, would you be mine?
(She'll start cryin')
Repeating the refrain again, the artist poses the question to the subject directly; the parenthetical lines suggest that the subject's departure would be upsetting to others
Mmm, hmm, your love, you know I want it
(Just a little bit of soul now)
Your love, your love, got to have it, your love
The singer reiterates that they desire the subject's love, emphasizing its importance with 'just a little bit of soul now', a reference to the soul music genre; they then repeat their statement of desire
Oh, oh, oh, I heard it through the grapevine
The song's refrain is repeated again, emphasizing that it is the grapevine through which the singer received their information
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lindagoins736
THAT GRAPE VINE AINT NEVER BEEN MUCH GOOD,MORE LIKE THE NO LIFE GOSSIP LIFE... WOULD CRUSH IT IF I COULD.
BUT I RATHER SPEND MY TIME WRAPPED UP WITH YOU.
GRAPEWINE... GREAT CONVERSATION TRUST AND PASSION TO.
SHUTTING OUT THE NOISE OF THE WORLD FOR A MINUTE...IF THERE WERE TALKS OF PLANS TO LEAVE YOU...
THAT LIE WAS INVENTED.
- BELIEVE THAT-😘
@blakebrown84
RIP Roger Troutman!!! He took it to the next level with funk music. This is old school music that we can listen to forever. Thanks Roger Troutman & Zapp for making great music!
@MissVikkiAnn2011
Man this song right here!!!!! Teenage life in the 80s! We LOVED ZAPP&Roger!!! RIP Roger!!! You and Zapp made some funky hits that we'll always dance and skate to!
@talkdattrashimmapullyacard4396
Marry me to this song 😘
@jeffreywilliams5027
Roger zapp said it best that " grown man suppose to cry "
@jeffreywilliams5027
It was the summer of 1983 here in Birmingham alabama at the historical fairgrounds known as the cross plex that roger and zapp took city of Birmingham by heart and hasn't loosen its grip yet; a grown man ain't suppose to cry but when I look back over the year and consider love I still have for( Roger's) zapp my eyes swells with tears of joy and sadness "untimely" live on Master of funk.
@sylvia7656
I can relate...class of 1983!
@sherettepayne5624
2022 and i still listen to zapp Roger RIP ❤🥰
@cherylgrim7624
2023 rip
@lionelkennedy1394
There will never .. ever .. EVER .. Be a better remake of a Classic Song than this ONE riiiiight here!! Roger was a GENIUS.
@rakeemblakley9594
Gotta thank my parents for this type of music 🎵