The Miracles:



Marvin Gaye:



Gladys Knight & the Pips:



The Temptations:



Creedence Clearwater Revival:



The Slits:



----
Originally written by Barrett Strong as his relationship was going down the tubes, this song was originally turned down by Berry Gordy as a "crappy" song after the Miracles recorded it. After Marvin Gaye's version was also left on the recycle bin of leftovers, Gladys Knight & the Pips was able to get a big hit out of it reaching #2 on the pop charts in late 1967. Marvin's version was eventually released after Norman Whitfield's protests and soon eclipsed the Pips', reaching #1. Since then several covers of the song in both Marvin's and Gladys' versions have been issued, mostly in Marvin's key.

CHART SUCCESSES:
Gladys: #2 pop, #1 R&B
Marvin: #1 pop, #1 R&B
Roger Troutman: #79 pop, #1 R&B
[Edited 5/9/10 11:43am]

Here's the two biggest hitmakers of that song performing the song in various degrees of their careers:

Gladys:



Marvin:

(from 1969)

(from 1980)

Gladys & Marvin together:

(1983)

THIS should've been on Motown 25. I'm still mad Gladys wasn't invited but it shows you how Motown deemed them.

THE ONLY VERSION THAT MATTERS

sexyfunkystrange said:

If you don't get out of here with those Jermaine Jackson lookalikes!

King Marvin's version is the only one that matters!

[/quote]

Timmy84 said:

You stole my answer!

And LOL at "Jermaine Jackson look-alikes!

midiscover said:

Tony, I can't even find the posting to it. I tried to find it but it was the Marvin version disguised.

And I CAN believe it. The corporate world is a bitch.

Marvin's version is the only one that I care about. It was almost voodoo-like in its intensity.

sexyfunkystrange said:

Paul Mooney talked about that commercial

And Brother Roger's version SLAYS all of the versions, combined.

I have always been partial to Marvin's version. You really feel the pain in his interpretation. Gladys' version is sung like she is actually glad that she found out and is happy to get rid of his ass.

shorttrini said:

I remembered reading the liner notes to Marvin's Anthology tape (yes I said tape lol) and David Ritz said Norman's goal with "Grapevine" (I believe it was Gladys' version) was to "out-funk Aretha".

Timmy84 said:

I guess she did. However, the song that shows Aretha's funk prowess is "Rock Steady". I love the break in that song.

shorttrini said:

True that. That was the one only funk song she did I think. A departure from "Respect" in many ways. To this day it and "Call Me" and "Never Loved a Man" are the best Aretha tracks to me.

A couple of live covers.




... Michael McDonald (w/Yvette "Baby" Preyer on drums)





...Tina Turner



Nice instrumental versions.



...Antonio Forcione




...John Goldie



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

Amy Winehouse covered it live too.

Timmy84 said:

I liked her version of "A Rose In Spanish Harlem", too. My dad had a greatest hits album of hers years ago and it contained, "Until You Come Back To Me", "Spanish Harlem", and "Rock Steady". I have no idea where he got it though. I don't like her when she over sings, but on those tracks, she shines, IMO.

shorttrini said:

Oh yeah! LOVED "Spanish Harlem". I loved how she edited it slightly:

"There is a rose in BLACK and Spanish Harlem..."

Aretha had some classics now.

Timmy84 said:

I know but I tried to restrict my clips to ones that didn't include...



...dancing penguins and clocks.



Music for adventurous listeners


tA

Tribal Records

theAudience said:

I've said it before and gotten bricks and shit thrown at me, but I prefer Gladys' version and Roger's version over Marvin's (though I love his, too).

RipHer2Shreds said:

I won't throw bricks at ya.

ZAPP!!!!!

LOVE this version by the Kaiser Cheirfs!

Not too keen on Weller but love Amy's part

ROGER! All day, all night!

midiscover said:

I agree

The only other version that I really like is the Roger version from 1981