An Introduction to America’s Music

CHAPTER 18 | SOUL MUSIC IN THE 1960s 465

songwriters: Norman Whitfi eld and

Barrett Strong

date: 1967

performers: Gladys Knight and the Pips;

the Funk Brothers (uncredited Motown

studio band: tenor sax, piano, electric guitars,

electric bass; drums; tambourine)

genre: soul music

meter: duple

form: compound AABA

timing section text comments

0:00 introduction Drums, lightly accompanied by bass, set an

energetic tone.

0:09 A verse 1 I bet you’re wond’rin’ how I

knew...

Knight enters with a soulful hum, then

delivers the fi rst verse with gospel sincerity;

Pips (three male backup singers) respond with

countermelody on neutral vowels, all over the

band’s polyrhythmic groove with an emphatic

backbeat.

0:34 chorus Don’t ya know that I heard it

through the grapevine...

Call and response.

0:52 vamp Oh yes I am... Short vamp prepares return to the verse.

1:00 A verse 2 Take a good look at these tears

of mine...

Electric guitar adds a new layer to the

polyrhythmic texture.

1:25 chorus Instead I heard it through the

grapevine...

Here and throughout, the simple but

extremely accurate tambourine playing adds

to the song’s gospel intensity.

1:43 vamp Midway through the vamp, tenor sax trill

prepares the bridge.

1:52 B bridge Go, I gotta go... 8 bars of IV chord, with the Pips singing

short, energetic phrases while the sax solos.

2:04 A verse 3 Say believe half of what you

see...

Knight alters the verse melody to emphasize

high notes, while the Pips sing a new, more

energetic countermelody.

2:29 chorus Don’t you know that I heard

through the grapevine...

Knight raises the temperature with

impassioned gospel shouting. As a closing

gesture, the chorus turns into a vamp, with

fadeout.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

• gospel-tinged vocal style


• percussion-heavy, rhythmic instrumental
  backing


• interaction of female vocal solo and male
  vocal backup trio


• presence of bridge after second verse-
  chorus pair: compound AABA

Listening Guide 18.6

“I Heard It through the Grapevine”

CD 3.23 GLADYS KNIGHT AND THE PIPS

(continued )

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