The Live version from Montreux 1980: love the little scene at the start!
A landmark song in the history of Motown Records. Written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong in 1966, the single was first recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles. Released in 1967 by Gladys Knight & the Pips who recorded the third version of the song, it then of course become a signature song for Marvin, who recorded his version of the song prior to the Pips' but released it after theirs in 1968. It's fair to say that Marvin's version is considered by many as the de facto version of the song, myself included; although I love Smokey's and The Pips's versions, Marvin's take on the song has a brooding quality about it that changes the whole mood of the song and it's lyrics
It took Marvin Gaye two months to complete his recording of the song, which he worked on during April and May of 1967. Whitfield had Gaye's lead vocal arranged just above his actual register, a trick he had used with David Ruffin on Temptations songs such as Ain't Too Proud to Beg in order to elicit a rawer vocal from the singer as he strained to hit the high notes. The trick worked, and Gaye's pained lead on Grapevine, contrasted with the softer vocals of the Andantes, made Whitfield sure he had finally recorded a hit. Berry Gordy was not impressed, however, and vetoed Grapevine at a Friday morning Quality Control Meeting. In its stead, the label issued another Gaye recording, Your Unchanging Love, as a single; Marvin's Grapevine was finally released in October 1968 and became the most successful version of the song.
Even 'Mr Gordy' didn't get it right first time, every time...
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