# Best Version of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine" a Poll **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 7, 2011, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798 "2011-03-07T17:20:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/21 "2011-03-09T22:47:42Z")
Marvin, of course. The Funk Brothers’ instrumentation is what makes this song as great as it is, and I know they played on Marvin’s version. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/22 "2011-03-09T23:42:39Z")
> [@zoog](#): > > The Gladys Knight version for me, although I would venture that a lot of folks have never heard it. Try [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWvwP72FuVg) on for size. That would be better if they weren’t trying to force the chorus to sound like “Respect”. Marvin is #1, but CCR is a close second. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/23 "2011-03-09T23:45:00Z")
And nobody’s mentioned **The Slits** ’ version yet??? WTF!!!?!?!? [![](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/IQxvo_9DEqY/hqdefault.jpg "The Slits - I Heard It Through The Grapevine") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQxvo_9DEqY) ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/24 "2011-03-09T23:53:09Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I object to the lack of a California Raisins option. That was Omaha’s own [Buddy Miles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddy_Miles) on lead vocals… ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/25 "2011-03-09T23:53:56Z")
Voted for Marvin, but I’ve always been sympathetic to Fogerty’s view that it should sound like voodoo music. It’s got kind that heartbeat/swamp drums rhythm, that could be played up some in Marvin’s. The problem is that CCR’s version is too simple and Fogarty can’t sing like Gaye. Also I can’t forgive the fact that CCR didn’t include the song’s best line (“People say believe half of what you see; some or none of what you hear.”) Anyway. There’s room yet for a definitive version. One Grapevine to Rule Them All. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2011, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/26 "2011-03-09T23:57:12Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I object to the lack of a California Raisins option. I voted for Marvin Gaye, but I too would have loved the above option!😃 ---
**Author:** ![moi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@moi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moi)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/27 "2011-03-10T05:38:39Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > And nobody’s mentioned **The Slits** ’ version yet??? WTF!!!?!?!? > [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQxvo\_9DEqY](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQxvo_9DEqY) Came into the thread expecting an option to vote for this. Fave! ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/28 "2011-03-10T08:38:32Z")
As far as I’m concerned, Marvin Gaye is the standard version. So I voted for that out of the choices given. But I also listened to the suggestions from other posters. And… Kaiser Chiefs: a lot of fun, but not enough to upset the standard Gladys & the pips - already in the poll, why is there another link to it?? Zapp - Very funky! But not a standard buster sorry. DAAS - It’s like the Twilight version Slits - Why did they pick this song for a first person shooter? Also, not enough audio to judge. Buddy Miles - can only find Gerard M3 tributes, so cannot judge Marvin Gaye remains the winner. ---
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/29 "2011-03-10T08:58:38Z")
I forgot the Flying Pickets. Still good. The a cappella actually makes it slightly more ominous. But still, not enough to overcome Marvin, sorry. With regards to the original choices: Gladys - actually, I agree this starts out better, but then it totally FAILS during the chorus Smokey - the music sounds exactly the same, but the voice sounds falsetto, and the chorus is too standard chorusy CCR - actually, a close second, but is funky while retaining a lot of the love of Gaye, but still fails to surpass Gaye ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/30 "2011-03-10T13:42:47Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Also I can’t forgive the fact that CCR didn’t include the song’s best line (“People say believe half of what you see; some or none of what you hear.”) I always got the feeling that Fogerty had either misheard the original lyrics or just screwed up that line. I’m actually not sure _what_ he’s saying there. (And, they hadn’t quite finished putting the lyrics to every song ever written on the internet by 1970.) ---
**Author:** ![Rrose\_Selavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bcef8e/32.png) [@Rrose\_Selavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rrose_Selavy)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/31 "2011-03-10T22:57:58Z")
> [@jackdavinci](#): > > Slits - Why did they pick this song for a first person shooter? Also, not enough audio to judge. > . What do you mean not enough audio? it’s the entire track. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798/32 "2011-03-10T23:07:29Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > I always got the feeling that Fogerty had either misheard the original lyrics or just screwed up that line. I’m actually not sure _what_ he’s saying there. Yeah, he’s just mushmouthing. Stephen Stills executes a similar fake job in CSNY’s version of _Woodstock_ on the line “We got caught in the Devil’s bargain.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-version-of-i-heard-it-through-the-grapevine-a-poll/573798.md?page=1)