I Heard IT Through The Grapevine (album) - Release and Reception

Release and Reception

Gordy eventually agreed to allow "Grapevine" in the album, now titled In the Groove. But Whitfield was still determined to get Gaye's version of the song released as a single. Motown instead issued the Ivy Jo Hunter-produced "You", which was recorded after "Grapevine" and showcased Gaye hollering in falsetto for the first time. Another single, "Chained", would peaked at number 32 on the pop chart. The latter song was climbing the chart when radio deejays began playing "Grapevine", much to Berry Gordy's chagrin. To everyone's surprise, when Gordy finally allowed the release of Gaye's version of "I Heard It Through the Grapevine", the song blew up on the charts upon its October 1968 release. By the end of the year, the song had hit number-one on both the Billboard Hot 100 and the Hot-Selling Soul Singles charts and by 1969 had reached number one on the UK Singles chart becoming Gaye's first international smash. However, when Gaye heard about its success, he acted coldly to it due to his depressed state over Tammi Terrell. He later told a biographer he felt the song's success was "undeserved".

Nevertheless, Motown re-released the album as I Heard It Through the Grapevine and, due to the song's success, the album shot up to number 2 on the R&B albums chart and peaked at number 63 on the pop albums chart. Gaye's album wasn't the only album to be re-released after a hit single: in 1970, The Miracles' Make It Happen album, initially released in 1967, was re-released in 1970 as Tears of a Clown, after that song hit number-one in the US and internationally. That same year, Diana Ross' self-titled debut album was re-released as Ain't No Mountain High Enough after that song's success. Though Whitfield only produced just one song on the album (producers included Ivy Jo Hunter, Ashford & Simpson and Frank Wilson), Gaye and Whitfield will embark on a two-album collaboration. However, after "That's the Way Love Is" became a hit for Gaye in 1969, Motown released the song a second time on the album of the same name. This album also marked Gaye's first attempts at producing himself in the studio with his own self-penned songs, the funky gospel dancer, "At Last I Found a Love", and the smoother "Change What You Can".